Associations Add 6 New Members to AEHIA, AEHIS and AEHIT Boards


1.23.2020
By Zach Donisch, Director, Membership Services

CHIME’s three associations welcomed six new board members this year. The boards’ duties include providing general guidance and direction on matters affecting the growth and development of their organizations.

Joining the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Applications (AEHIA) Board are:

  • Lisa Flesher, senior director of clinical applications and physician EMR services at Children’s Health in Dallas
  • Jason Ortiz, independent consultant, formerly at Sharp HealthCare in San Diego
  • Jeff Wojtasik, director of Enterprise Information Management at BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York in Buffalo.

Collectively, the three offer nearly 60 years of healthcare experience. Flesher’s career includes three years in revenue cycle management, five years managing a neurosciences division and 17 years in information technology. Ortiz has a 25-year career as a technology executive, serving in complex roles in healthcare leadership and innovation. Wojtasik has been involved in healthcare for the past eight years, including managing a development team for a medical device manufacturing company, working for a not-for-profit health insurance payer organization and most recently in his current role.

Joining the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS) Board are:

  • Vikrant Arora, CISO at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City
  • Jeff Bontsas, CISO and vice president of information security at Ascension Technologies in Troy, Mich.

Arora has more than 15 years of global experience developing enterprise security and risk management programs. As CISO at the Hospital for Special Surgery, he focuses on developing an enterprise security strategy while managing business risks from digital innovations and the internet of things. Bontsas has more than 28 years of experience in the IT industry, mostly devoted to information and cybersecurity. He has held several key positions since joining Ascension in 2001. Prior to becoming the first CISO for Ascension five years ago, he served as the national security director.

Joining the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Technology (AEHIT) Board is:

  • Feroz Merchhiya, CIO at Houston Ophthalmology Associates in Baytown, Texas.

Merchhiya, a CHIME member, has 20 years of experience leading technology initiatives, including serving as the chief technology officer at various professional services organization, working with emerging technology firms and as a principal consultant with a top-tier technology consulting practice.

All board terms began on Jan. 1 and will continue through Dec. 31, 2022.