Message From the President  

As I begin my year as Chapter President I must say I am so excited to be involved in the Oklahoma Chapter. My experience began with volunteering. This gave me the opportunity to learn about our Chapter from other members who had already experienced the many returns of networking with peers and Chapter involvement. Our Chapter is really blessed to have the breadth of knowledge from the many past Presidents and others who have served and continue to serve in so many capacities. They are always willing to help improve the experience for everyone.

The rest of my journey was a natural progression as I had the great opportunity to meet fellow members at both the local and national level. I have also been very privileged to have wonderful mentorship from past Presidents Tamie Osburn and Karen Hendren. Both of these ladies are the reason I started down the road to greater involvement in the organization. I am sure, like many of you, I came to meetings, enjoyed the fellowship and educational opportunities but was unsure what else I might gain from the experience. They helped me begin the journey. The amount of dedication exhibited by these two ladies and those that came before has ensured that membership is more meaningful for us all.

In April the Chapter officers had the opportunity to attend HFMA’s National Leadership Conference held in San Antonio. Leadership from Chapters across the U.S. came together to plan and network about how to improve each of our organizations. This year’s theme was “Making Connections”. That is exactly what HFMA can bring to each of you. The healthcare landscape is changing so rapidly that it is all we can do to keep up. Someone once said it is hard to get ahead when your back’s against the wall. The connections you make at Chapter conferences and the educational programs should ease some of the burden. It certainly has for me.

Lastly I encourage you to get involved. The time involved has been returned to me many times over. And did I mention the fun? Start small, sign up for a committee, share a newsletter article or make suggestions about speakers. All of these are worthwhile and needed tasks. Our summer conference will be held July 24 and 25. We have a great program planned. Please come and join us. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Karen Reynolds
President OHFMA 2008-2009