GLOBAL NEWS

Deneice Springer (née Marshall), M.Sc., RHIA, Dip. Ed.
President, IFHIMA | 2025–2028

Deneice L. Springer is an international leader in Health Information Management (HIM) and digital health transformation, with nearly two decades of experience in the field, beginning her career in 2006. She currently serves as President of IFHIMA, the global federation representing the HIM profession, and is the Founding President of the Barbados Health Information Management Association (BHIMA), established in 2013.

Deneice has played a pivotal role in advancing HIM practice, education, and digital health initiatives across Barbados and the wider Caribbean. She serves as the Health Information Management Program Coordinator at the Barbados Community College and is a Part-Time Lecturer in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, where she is actively engaged in developing future HIM professionals and
strengthening workforce capacity.

As a Health Informatics Consultant and Business Analyst, she has contributed to several national and regional digital transformation initiatives, including implementing health information systems, developing data governance frameworks, and advancing interoperability across healthcare settings. She has also served as a Temporary Advisor with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), supporting strategic digital health initiatives in the Caribbean region. Deneice’s work reflects a strong commitment to improving the quality, accessibility, and use of health information to support better health outcomes. Her leadership at IFHIMA aligns with the organization’s mission to advance the global HIM profession and promote the effective use of health information worldwide.

She holds a Master of Science in Health Information Management and IT Leadership and a Diploma in Education and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education with a focus on strengthening HIM education in developing countries.

Deneice is passionate about advancing digital health, building global capacity, and mentoring the next generation of HIM professionals to support resilient, data-driven health systems.

Dr. Patience Ebuwei, DBA, MPH, RHIA
(IFHIMA) Global News Chief-Editor| 2025–2028

Dr. Patience Ebuwei is the new IFHIMA Chief Global News Editor, having served the organization for more than 5 years. She has served various IFHIMA work groups, including the Community of Practice (CoP) and the Education, Training, and Research (ETR) Pillar, and has had the privilege of serving as the ETR Pillar Chair for 2 years. Under her leadership as the ETR Pillar Chair, the IFHIMA learning modules were revised and updated, and a white paper was developed that focused on Health Information professionals’ roles and responsibilities through a global lens. She contributed to writing the IFHIMA white paper titled “A Global Perspective on the Value of the HIM Certification: An IFHIMA Position Paper.” As the chief editor, Dr. Ebuwei will collaborate with all regions and regional directors to solicit submissions for IFHIMA Global News.

Dr. Ebuwei holds a doctorate in business administration, a master’s in public health, a graduate certificate in emergency preparedness, and a bachelor’s in health information management. She also holds the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification. She has spent her career overseeing patient records in a skilled nursing facility and a research institution and is currently an assistant professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. She has had the privilege of co-publishing two peer-reviewed articles and has published one. She has served her component states as secretary, delegate, president-elect, president, and annual conference chair. She has also served AHIMA in various Editors’ bioscapacities.

Jamane Sargean
(IFHIMA) Global News Co-Editor| 2025–2028

Jamane Sargeant is a dedicated Health Information Management (HIM) professional with more than 12 years of experience supporting and strengthening Barbados’ public healthcare system. Currently, he serves as a Medical Records Clerk with the Ministry of Health and Wellness at the St. Philip Polyclinic, where he plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of health data.

Beyond his day-to-day work, he serves as President of the Barbados Health Information Management Association (BHIMA) and was recently appointed Director for Barbados with the International Federation of Health Information Management Associations (IFHIMA). Through these roles, he contributes to international initiatives, promotes professional development, and champions the importance of digital health and robust information systems in modern healthcare.

Jamane has authored several articles in IFHIMA Global News and the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners Bulletin. He has also presented at international conferences on topics such as electronic medical record implementation and health literacy in Small Island Developing States. He recently earned a Master of Science in Health Informatics Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus, complementing his academic and professional background in health information management, public relations, and phlebotomy.

Melody Timmons, MSHIM, RHIA, CCS, CCDS
(IFHIMA)Global News Co-Editor | 2025–2028

Melody Timmons is an experienced Health Information Management and Clinical Documentation Improvement professional with more than 16 years in healthcare consulting, education, and leadership. She currently serves as an Inpatient Consultant and Project Lead at Health Information Systems Consulting Services, partnering with healthcare organizations to strengthen documentation integrity, coding accuracy, quality reporting, and revenue cycle performance. Her work translates complex regulatory and clinical requirements into practical strategies that support organizational outcomes and clinician engagement.

Melody holds a Master of Science in Health Information Management and holds multiple professional credentials, including Registered Health Information Administrator, Certified Coding Specialist, and Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist. She is also pursuing a Doctor of Health Sciences degree, with research interests in healthcare delivery systems, organizational change, clinical communication, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in health information practice.

In addition to her consulting role, Melody is a visiting professor who prepares future coding and HIM professionals for certification and real-world practice. She is passionate about workforce development, global collaboration, and advancing the visibility and impact of health information professionals across care settings. Through her involvement with IFHIMA Global News, Melody is committed to sharing practical insights, emerging trends, and leadership perspectives that support the continued growth of the international HIM community.

Dr. Jasmine T. Agnew, DHPE, RHIA, CPHIMS, FHIMSS
(IFHIMA) Global News Co-Editor | 2025–2028

Dr. Jasmine T. Agnew, DHPE, RHIA, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, is an award-winning educator, scholar, and health informatics leader dedicated to advancing the health information workforce. She serves as an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Master of Science in Health Informatics and Analytics at Samford University, where she leads workforce-aligned curriculum development integrating data analytics, digital health, and systems thinking.

With more than two decades of experience across health information management, informatics, and higher education, Dr. Agnew is recognized for contributions to competency-based education, certification pathways, and industry engagement. She is a Fellow of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and serves on the HIMSS Professional Certification Board, supporting the advancement of globally recognized credentials.

Her scholarship focuses on future-proofing healthcare education by integrating emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and on strengthening alignment between education and workforce needs. Dr. Agnew is committed to preparing a resilient, data-informed workforce equipped to lead in an evolving digital health landscape.

Dr.Deepa Nair M.AppSc, PhD
(IFHIMA) Global News Co-editor| 2025–2028

Dr. Deepa Nair is an academician and Health Information Management (HIM) professional with over 22 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. She currently serves as an Associate Professor and Head of the Digital Health Department at KLE University, Karnataka, India, where she leads academic programs, research initiatives, and curriculum development aligned with evolving healthcare needs.

She holds a PhD focused on assessing competency status and training needs of health information professionals in the context of e-health transformation. Her research contributed to the development of a structured assessment tool to evaluate e-health information management competencies and to support the HIM workforce’s readiness in digital health ecosystems.

Dr. Deepa has played a key role in developing the Health Information Management curriculum with an e-health focus and in launching the HIM Degree program at PSMCHS in Saudi Arabia. She has also contributed to the revision and implementation of the HIM curriculum under the Karnataka State Council of Allied Health Sciences
An active researcher and speaker, she has authored scientific papers and co-authored the IFHIMA Whitepaper 2022, advancing global HIM practices and collaboration. Her work reflects a strong commitment to Health Information Management workforce development and global collaboration.