Staff

Carmela joined MHA in July 2008. In her role, Carmela is sharpening the association’s focus on advocacy and public policy.Quality and patient safety is a priority, where she is helping hospitals make health care in Maryland the safest in the nation. In addition to her post at MHA, Carmela serves on the Board of the Maryland Patient Safety Center, the Maryland Healthcare Education Institute, and PRIME, MHA’s shared services organization.

Catherine leads MHA’s workforce activities, including nurse recruitment and retention strategies, allied health professionals development, and the Who Will Care? campaign to double the number of nurse graduates in Maryland.  Catherine has been with the Association since 1987 and has always been an advocate for health care professionals.

Under guidance of the PRIME Board of Directors, Dave is responsible for the strategic, financial and operational oversight of MHA’s for-profit subsidiaries PRIME, a group purchasing organization, and the Chesapeake Registry Program, a supplemental clinical staffing clearinghouse.   He has been with the association since 1985.

Vahé is the original architect of the Maryland Quality Indicator Project and has published extensively on indicator development and quality of care. Vahé is Adjunct Professor of the Health Policy and Management Department of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He has been a Health Care Advisor on Quality for the World Health Organization (Regional Office for Europe) since 2002.

Denise has held various positions at MHA during her 36-year career.  In her current role, Denise is responsible for coordinating the association’s legislative activities; advocating on behalf of hospitals and health systems at the state and federal level; and providing accurate information regarding MHA’s positions on legislative matters to members, legislators, and staff.  Denise also oversees MHA’s Hospital Bond Project Review Program and MHA’s Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses Initiative.

Beverly Miller heads up the association's quality and patient safety policy and regulatory activities. She is responsible for public reporting, hospital licensure and accreditation, and patient care/clinical issues, advocating before state agencies and commissions. Beverly has been with MHA since 1980.

Frank Monius is responsible for issues related to emergency preparedness and emergency medical systems including the coordination of these activities with agencies of state and local government. He also has responsibility for environmental issues including hospitals’ “green” initiatives. Frank has overall responsibility for the association’s internal human resources function and manages the association’s buildings and grounds. He has been with MHA for 33 years.

Jim joined MHA in January 2010 and brings more than 25 years of experience in association communications.  He spent the last 16 at the American Hospital Association (AHA) as Vice President, Advocacy and Member Communications.  In that position, Jim led the team that shaped AHA’s advocacy messages, testimony and regulatory comment, developed all communication tools, and helped coordinate the association’s national public relations and advocacy campaigns.

Mike leads MHA’s financial and regulatory advocacy efforts for Maryland’s hospitals with the Health Services Cost Review Commission.  He also provides support to MHA’s government relations team on all financial matters during the state’s legislative session. Prior to coming to MHA, Mike served as Vice President for Financial Policy at the West Virginia Hospital Association for 14 years, as well a several years as Chief Financial Officers in hospitals in both West Virginia and Massachusetts.

Mark joined MHA and the Maryland Healthcare Education Institute in August 2009, after 22 years as the director of Human Resource Development at the Washington County Health System in Hagerstown.  Mark oversees the research, planning, implementation, and evaluation of all education programming including health care professional development and programs hosted for the Maryland Patient Safety Center participants, including the annual Patient Safety Conference.

Valerie joined MHA in November 2009.  Valerie leads MHA’s advocacy efforts in Annapolis and in Washington, D.C.  She also oversees initiatives regarding legislative and regulatory policy impacting Maryland’s hospitals.  Previously, Valerie served as the Director of Government Affairs at Anne Arundel Health System, and prior to that spent more than eight years at the Health Services Cost Review Commission as Associate Director, Policy Analysis and Research Methodology.

Bob serves as the Chief Financial Officer for MHA and its related organizations.  He also provides leadership for PRIME and the Chesapeake Registry Program.  Bob advises MHA's financial advocacy team through his technical expertise.