The Distinguished Member Award of the Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association is an honor whereby one outstanding member of the Association is recognized for loyal services to the Association and contributes to the profession. It is the intent that this award be conferred at any point in a member’s career and not be limited to recognition at retirement. Nominees may be submitted on a regional basis or by any PHIMA member throughout the year.
Several documents need to be completed when nominating a candidate.
These documents include:
- Application
- At least one (1) letter of recommendation from the sponsoring individual or regional association.
- Two (2) additional references.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae for the Nominee.
Deadline: March 13, 2026
The nominee must meet the following requirements:
- Current AHIMA member and designated Pennsylvania as your Component Association (CA)
If you have the privilege of knowing someone who meets these criteria, please take the time to nominate them for this “distinguished” honor.
For questions, please contact:
Gabrielle Wenger, RHIT, CPC, CAISS, CSTR
PHIMA 2nd Year Director
gtwenger419@gmail.com
2026 PHIMA Distinguished Member
PHIMA is proud to honor Stephanie Donovan, EdD, RHIA, as its Distinguished Member for 2026.
Dr. Stephanie Donovan is an accomplished higher education leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing academic innovation, workforce development, and health information management (HIM) education. She currently serves as Associate Vice President of Online Education at Peirce/Lackawanna College and previously held the role of Associate Provost of Academic Affairs at Peirce College, where she led strategic initiatives in online learning, health program accreditation, and institutional growth.
A recognized innovator, Dr. Donovan has championed employer partnerships and applied learning initiatives that connect HIM students with real-world industry experience. Passionate about HIM education and advancing the profession, she is committed to developing a patient-centered, highly competent workforce prepared to meet evolving healthcare needs. Her work has strengthened workforce readiness, expanded industry engagement, and created clear pathways from education to employment.
An active leader in the HIM professional community, Dr.
Donovan has contributed to AHIMA through the Nominating Committee and the Council for Excellence in Education; to PHIMA as incoming Treasurer, past president, Education Co-Chair, and State Advocacy Coordinator; and to LVHIMA as past president.
Dr. Donovan is a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Delaware Valley University, an MBA from La Salle University, and a BS in Health Information Administration from Gwynedd Mercy University.
One of her colleagues from Peirce shared “Dr. Donovan has been an influential and dedicated contributor to the health information industry, consistently committing her time, expertise, and leadership to advancing the profession. She currently serves as a member of the Healthcare Policy Council for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, where she provides valuable insight on issues impacting healthcare delivery and workforce development.”
Linda McLinden, PHIMA Executive Director shared “Stephanie is one of the most engaged volunteers I have ever met. She takes her commitments seriously and is seen as a respected leader in our profession and organization. She approaches her leadership with knowledge, sincerity and humor. People connect with her and respect her. She values connections, networking and the importance of being a member of PHIMA.”
PHIMA congratulates Stephanie as the 2026 Distinguished Member!
