PRESIDENT
Jeff Guest
Jeff Guest is a data analytics leader and process improvement consultant at the University of New Mexico Hospitals. He currently focuses on clinical and operations data analytics projects, ranging from cybersecurity to nursing practice management. Jeff has a deep interest in analytics processes, data reporting and visualization, and automation.
Jeff continues to develop expertise in data engineering and has knowledge of Cerner EHR systems, SQL, and Python. Additionally, he has varied healthcare experience, predominantly focusing on driving performance improvement and sustained excellence in quality, finance, and strategic initiatives.
Originally from Albuquerque, Jeff holds a B.S. in Engineering Science and a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is also currently enrolled at Georgia Tech, where he anticipates graduating with a second master's degree in AI and Analytics.
Jeff's prior work experience includes an administrative residency under the Vice President of Quality at Baptist Health System, a five-hospital for-profit system in San Antonio. There, he also served as Policy and Procedure Administrator and Quality Outcomes Coordinator. Additionally, Jeff worked in PwC Health Industries Advisory on multiple national engagements, ranging from care management operations to strategic planning and revenue cycle process redesign.
Jeff served as NMHE president in 2023 and also is currently the treasurer of the New Mexico HIMSS chapter.
In his free time, Jeff enjoys playing piano, playing tennis, watching Ted Lasso, and visiting his nephews in Dallas-Fort Worth whenever he can.
president-elect
Amber Wagner, CPHQ
Amber works as a Sr. Quality Program Manager in Value Based Programs, at Presbyterian. In her role she works closely with providers across New Mexico to improve quality performance for better patient outcomes.
Prior to joining Presbyterian, she worked in Quality Systems at TriCore, focusing on process improvement and standardization. Amber led the taskforce responsible for implementing system wide best practices for nonconforming event investigations, and the taskforce for improving document control processes to align with industry standards.
Amber holds the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) designation, having demonstrated knowledge in health data analytics, patient safety and project management. Amber earned her BS in Biology from the University of New Mexico and is currently completing a graduate degree in Health Administration.
BOARD MEMBER
Mary Jacintha, MSc, MS, FACHE
Mary A. Jacintha, FACHE, is the Executive Administrator of the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health System. Mary started her career in healthcare administration as the A`dministrator for the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the UNM. Prior to roles in healthcare administration, Mary was active in brain imaging projects. A Chemistry graduate with a business background and a passion for healthcare centered on patients and the providers, Mary believes in open dialogue between stakeholders to move our healthcare delivery forward. Mary's current mission is to focus on patient care, their experiences and outcomes by providing the best platform for the clinicians to provide the care.
In addition to healthcare, Mary enjoys horseback riding, tennis, traveling, scuba diving, cooking, sailing, and above all meeting people and making friends.
Mary serves as the American College of Healthcare Executives Regent for New Mexico and Southwest Texas since 2016 year.
education and advancement committee chair
Arthur Culpepper, PhD, FACHE, CCP
Arthur L. Culpepper is an innovative and highly accomplished health care executive leader with skills and expertise in operations, enterprise risk management, corporate compliance, and skills in providing strategic vision of future goals and objectives by technical adeptness in the areas of profit and loss responsibility, billing and revenue cycle, physician alignment and relations, compliance and business integrity, and a demonstrated track record of achievement in population health management and academic medical centers.
Dr. Culpepper joined the UNM Health Sciences Center as Chief HSC Compliance Officer on June 18, 2018. Dr. Culpepper is responsible for the UNM Health Sciences Center – Institutional Compliance Program, which incorporates the compliance function for all academic, clinical, research, medical faculty practice plan components of the HSC, and other special compliance areas. Dr. Culpepper is also the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Dr. Culpepper was previously with the University of Texas Systems as the Executive Director/Deputy Compliance Officer where he provided leadership, direction, and oversight for effective and comprehensive System wide Compliance programs for the University of Texas System and provided relevant direction and resources to the 14 institutions.
Dr. Culpepper also served as the Chief Compliance Officer with the Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS). VAGLAHS is one of the largest health care facilities within the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is one component of the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network (VISN22) offering services to Veterans residing in Southern California and Southern Nevada. VAGLAHS consists of two (2) ambulatory care centers, a tertiary care facility and eight (8) community based outpatient clinics. VAGLAHS serves Veterans residing throughout five counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. There are approximately 1.4 million Veterans in the VAGLAHS service area. VAGLAHS is affiliated with both UCLA School of Medicine and USC School of Medicine, as well as more than 45 colleges, universities and vocational schools in 17 different medical, nursing, paramedical and administrative programs.
Dr. Culpepper received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Abilene Christian University, his masters of health services administration from Webster University in St. Louis and his doctorate from the University of New Mexico. Dr. Culpepper is a board certified fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Certified Compliance Professional. Also, he is a certified compliance professional with Health Ethics Trust.
Dr. Culpepper is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and received an honorable discharged in 1993.
diversity, inclusion, and Equity committee co-chair, Nominating Committee Chair, and Former President
Andrea Botero-Thompkins, MHA
Andrea encompasses extensive experience in organizational development, healthcare equity, community organizing, community-led research, and grant writing and management around healthcare topics. Her work is deeply informed through her advocacy in health equity of marginalized and vulnerable constituencies, one that interweaves a social justice lens to the development of programs. She currently works in Performance Improvement, Value-Based Programs at Presbyterian Healthcare Services, and heads community-led programs through Salud Morena. Her outside interests include hot yoga, the intersection of traditional and conventional medicine as an administrative topic, ethnobotany, reading, the arts, and outdoor activities with her family and many dogs.
Board member
Savvas Morris
Savvas Morris has been a practicing clinical radiation oncology physicist for 28 years. I started my career in the US Navy as a Radiation Specialist (1996) and Healthcare Administrator and was assigned to high profile commands tasked with carrying critical assignments at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD (White House, US Capitol, Camp David, USNHS Comfort etc.). HE was on faculty at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. I completed my clinical training at the National Cancer Institute and achieved my certification in Therapeutic Radiologic Physics by the ABR. While in the service I was trained in healthcare management and managed the department of radiology at NNMC from 1997 to 2000.
Upon transitioning to the civilian world Savvas practiced at St. Joseph’s Hospital/Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ as a senior physicist (for 3 years) and later on at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center (a Mayo Care Network member) as the Chief physicist and manager of Radiation Oncology for the last 21 years. I am currently on faculty with the University of New Mexico Medical School.
He has been a member of the ACHE since 2014 and believes it is our responsibility to get involved with the development of the new generation of healthcare administrators and as members of the local chapter we are in a unique position to contribute to that locally through the advancement subcommittee.
BOARD MEMBER
Ron Aldrich, MBA, LFACHE
Ron Aldrich, MBA, LFACHE, has fifty-four years leadership and governance experience in national and regional healthcare organizations including twenty years as CEO of three multi-hospital systems and five years as a hospital CEO. Ron helped lead the merger twenty-four years ago of three large Catholic healthcare systems totaling 126 organizations in 21 states and the design of the governance and management structure for the newly integrated system (Catholic Health Initiatives).
In March, 2019, Ron began a part-time role as Practice Administrator of Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico, a 16 Physician/ Nurse Practitioner Medical Group Practice in Los Alamos, New Mexico, adjacent to Los Alamos Medical Center. Ron led and mentored six Team Leaders including Materials Management, Medical Records & IT, Billing & Accounting, Human Resources, Reception & Customer Service, and Clinical Services. He completed his service as Practice Administrator in March, 2020.
Ron is a Life Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, Life Member of the American Hospital Association and former Chairperson of the Catholic Health Association of the United States. He was elected to the AHA Region Eight Regional Policy Board effective January, 2013, for a two year term, and appointed to the Western Regional Trustees Symposium Planning Committee representing New Mexico Trustees for a three year term. Ron served for six years in Santa Fe, New Mexico at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center as a member of the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Community Health & Wellness Committee. He was also elected Vice Chair, Chair, and Immediate Past Chair of the Board. He completed his term of office in 2014. He currently serves as Chair, Board of Directors of Villa Therese Catholic Clinic in Santa Fe, a Free Clinic serving the medical and dental needs of economically underserved children and adults in the State Capital for 83 years. The Clinic was started eighty three ago by the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, also the founders of St. Vincent Hospital more than one hundred fifty years ago. He is an Adjunct Professor, Master of Health Administration (MHA) Program, School of Public Administration, and also for the BSPH Program in the College of Population Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Ron also serves as a Mentor in the NMHE/ACHE Mentorship Program to two early careerists in New Mexico.
Ron earned his MBA in Health & Hospital Administration from the University of Florida and holds a BA in Economics from the University of South Florida.
Board member
Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, MBA, FACHE
Jamie Silva-Steele has over 35 years of progressive experience in an academic healthcare environment. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of New Mexico, she began her career as a Pediatric Nurse and worked in the General and Sub-Acute Nursing Units at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH). As her career progressed, she obtained her Master’s in Business from the University of Phoenix, and moved into leadership roles within the organization, taking on director positions and serving as an Administrator for Ambulatory Services at UNMH. In 2013, Ms. Silva- Steele joined UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC) as its interim Chief Operating Officer, as has been serving as its President and CEO since 2014.
Ms. Silva-Steele was a National Association of Public Hospitals (NAPH) Fellow from 2011-2012 (now known as Americas Essential Hospitals). She participated in the Disparities Leadership Program through the Disparities Solution Center of Massachusetts General Hospital and was a recipient of The Disparities Leadership Program Award for “Recognition of Excellence in Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care” as she has demonstrated her commitment to creating accessible healthcare for people from all walks of life. In addition, in 2014 she received the Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award for her work in addressing disparities in health care while serving at UNM Hospital. Ms. Silva-Steele obtained her Fellowship (FACHE) in the American College of Health Executives (ACHE) in 2016.
Ms. Silva-Steele serves on the Hospital Services Corporation (HSC) Board of Directors (since 2014), the New Mexico Hospital Association (NMHA) (since 2015), and the NMHE Board of Directors (since 2016).
Board Member
Steven D. Berkshire, EdD, MHA, FACHE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Dr. Steven Berkshire currently serves as Professor and Director of the Doctor of Health Administration program in The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions School of Health Sciences at Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Dr. Berkshire resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, so works remotely for the University. He previously also served as the director of the Health Administration Division. Prior to Central Michigan he served as Dean for Graduate Programs in the School for Professional Studies (SPS) at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Prior to Regis University, Dr. Berkshire was the Associate Dean for Adult Programs at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska. Steve has taught at the University of LaVerne Alaska Center, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Emmanuel College in Boston.
Prior to coming to academia, Dr. Berkshire was a healthcare executive for more than twenty-five years including assignments in hospital administration, government affairs and lobbying, advocacy organizations, medical school administration, and managing hospital associations. He is the principle in his own management and human resources consulting firm, Steve Berkshire Associates, which provides leadership and management consulting, training, and human resource expertise to both investor owned and nonprofit entities.
Steve earned his doctoral degree from Boston University in Human Resource Education and Organizational Behavior, his Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA) from Indiana University School of Medicine, and his BA degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks prior to transferring to Colorado and participated in the MPA program at Boise State University in Idaho. Dr. Berkshire holds certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from the HRCI, SHRM-SCP, and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Steve is active in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Academy of Management, Academy Health, International Leadership Association, and other professional and civic organizations, including serving on the City of Mount Pleasant Zoning Board of Appeals and as a founder and the Board chair for Isabella Citizens for Health (ICH) which is the regional FQHC. He served as the ACHE Regent for the State of Alaska and was selected as the Member of the Year for the Anchorage chapter of SHRM. He was recognized with the Michigan ACHE Regent’s Award for Faculty in Health Administration and earned a service star from ACHE. Currently Dr. Berkshire serves on the Compliance Committee for La Familia Medical Center (FQHC) in Santa Fe, New Mexico and on the Board for the Northern New Mexico HR Association, and as Treasurer for the Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe.
He has worked extensively with rural Alaska tribal organizations and community groups, as well as nonprofit organizations in several locations. Primary areas of interest include leadership styles and models, organizational change and development, group problem solving, health care policy and trends, and organizational management and behaviors. Dr. Berkshire has developed collaborative academic programs with international partners including the National University of Ireland Galway, University of Ulster in Northern Ireland (UK), University of South Wales, and ITESO in Guadalajara, Mexico. He continues to work with partners in Mexico and Wales developing professional workshops and teaching.
diversity, inclusion, and Equity committee co-chair
Kate Cartwright
Kate Cartwright, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of New Mexico. Her research broadly focuses on health equity topics, including access and quality of care and health outcomes. Currently, she is researching the efficacy of programs and policies aimed recruiting and retaining rural healthcare workers with a focus on rural health administrators. She teaches in the Master of Health Administration program and the Combined BA/MD program. Her primary teaching areas are health administration, management, and policy, prioritizing culturally responsive care, pursuing health equity, and program and policy evaluation. She is the chair-elect of the Health Administration Section of the American Public Health Association. She has served in a variety of roles in NMHE and ACHE and currently serves as a co-chair of the NMHE Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Committee.
board member
Callie Parks, MHA
Callie Parks is the Interim Hospital Chief Executive for Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center. She has healthcare leadership experience in both hospital and clinic operations. Prior to moving to New Mexico, Callie was in several different leadership roles for the largest healthcare system in Arkansas, Baptist Health.
Callie earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Outside of work she enjoys traveling, spending time with her husband, and trying new places to eat!
board member
Ashlee Dodd, MHA
Ashlee Dodd, MHA is an Infection Preventionist at the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she oversees vascular access and central line-associated workgroups and projects, surveillance efforts, and policy development supported by her skills in project and program management, process improvement, and data analysis. Ashlee has experience in care coordination, HIM, EMS, and the clinical laboratory setting, and uses this professional knowledge to drive quality improvement efforts in complex multidisciplinary settings where communication and teamwork are vital. She is a Doctor of Health Sciences candidate at MCPHS University and holds a Master of Health Administration and Bachelor of Science in Population Health from UNM, as well as certifications in Health, Wellness, and Public Safety and Lean Six Sigma. Ashlee also supports the Infection Prevention community as a Board Member serving a 2-year term for NM APIC.
board member
Harjot Singh, M.D.
Harjot Singh, M.D. FAPA is Faculty at American College of Healthcare Executives and a regular presenter of ACHE programs since 2018. As part of his work with ACHE, he created the first executive educational program on Professional Burnout. A national level healthcare speaker, he also features routinely on podcasts and contributes to national publications and textbooks. Besides journal and magazine articles for ACHE, he authored a chapter in the book, Enhanced Physician Engagement, published by ACHE's Healthcare Administration Press. A keynote speaker, trainer and a coach, he still practices medicine and is a physician leader at Kingsview Telemedicine. He is easy to find at his internet home HarjotSinghMD.com.
board member
Zeeshan Ali
I am a seasoned Quality and Patient Safety Specialist with a proven track record of advocating for patients in the Hospital & Health Care industry. My diverse skill set encompasses expertise in Joint Commission International & ISO Standards, Patient Safety, Quality Management, Medication Management, Drug information, RCA, Intense Analysis, Health & Safety Information Management Systems, Clinical SOPs, and effective Interpersonal communication.
I have completed my Post-graduation from Harvard Medical School, I have held the position of Senior Quality Analyst at Shifa International Hospitals Ltd. I am an alumnus of the Harvard Medical Alumni Association & Harvard Alumni Association, a Fellow of ISQua, and a specialist in Patient experience.
With over five years of experience in the healthcare industry, my primary focus lies in conducting audits and quality councils to ensure compliance with JCI and ISO standards. By coordinating external quality audits, overseeing recertification visits, and performing internal audits regularly, I strive to uphold the highest standards across the hospital.
I have accumulated two years of valuable work experience as an Emergency Medicine Pharmacist at Shifa International Hospital. During this role, my responsibilities revolved around providing comprehensive clinical pharmacy services for the Emergency Department, which included pharmacokinetic and therapeutic consultation. I worked collaboratively with other clinicians and healthcare providers to establish and maintain innovative disease management and clinical pharmacy services.
My dedication to the field of pharmacy goes beyond the traditional pathway. I am passionate about advancing this profession by deeply understanding pharmacology and recognizing the significance of patient health outcomes. I am particularly drawn to the promising field of medication therapy management and embrace the potential advances in technology that are poised to revolutionize how pharmacy is perceived.
My primary goal is to be an integral part of an interprofessional healthcare team with a strong focus on enhancing individual patient health outcomes. I possess a diverse skill set that includes proficiency in Quality, Research, Bioinformatics, Healthcare Information Technology, Inpatient Care, and Healthcare Services.
Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to ensuring high-quality care for patients, which has provided me with valuable insights into optimizing healthcare practices and processes. My focus on quality experience includes implementing quality improvement initiatives, adhering to industry standards and best practices, and actively participating in quality assurance programs.
I firmly believe that the cornerstone of any exceptional organization is the individuals who lead it. Their capacity to connect, inspire, and empower profoundly shapes the direction and success of the whole entity.