Governing Boards

NHA Boards

Our certification boards and customer advisory board represent leaders and important stakeholders in allied health education fields.

About NHA’s Certification Boards

Our two certification boards operate independently to set policies. They have the responsibility of oversight over all certification and recertification decisions, including governance, eligibility standards and the development, administration and scoring of assessment instruments.

The certification boards are responsible for the following:

  • Adopting certification program policies and procedures
  • Adopting its own rules of procedure
  • Approving the certification exam content outline (also known as blueprint)
  • Approving appointments to the Exam Review committee and acting on its recommendations
  • Appointing a Disciplinary and Appeals Committee
  • Electing successors to the Board
  • Appointing ad hoc committees as necessary

The certification boards have developed a Codes of Ethics found here. >

If you have an interest in serving on one of the two boards, we invite your inquiry to Douglas Viehland, Executive Director-Certifications, douglas.viehland@ascendlearning.com.

NHA Certification Governing Board

The NHA Certification Governing Board oversees seven of the eight certifications offered by NHA. A separate board oversees the ExCPT exam and CPhT certification program. The membership generally includes one representative of each of the seven certifications. One member serves as a public member to represent the consumers of these services. The members serve three-year terms and may serve consecutive terms. The end of the current term is noted below.

Mary Kaye Peterson, M.S. (Chair – 2018) Program Director, Mayo Clinic of Health Sciences/ Department Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota
April Austin, NRCMA (Member – 2020) Instructor/Allied Health Career Placement Coordinator
Delta College of Arts and Technology
Lafayette, Louisiana
Marilyn Bier, CAE, ACC (Public Member – 2019) President and Owner, Bluewater Consulting
Kansas City, MO
Tracey Faulkner RN, BSN, MBA, CIR, (Member – 2018) Talent Acquisition Leader and Business Partner, Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, Missouri
Tracy A. Huneke CP, NPA, CHI, (Member – 2018) Manager/School of Allied Health Careers
Manager/Department of Professional
Development and Education
Griffin Hospital
Derby, Connecticut
Tracey Pinkney, CCMA, CPT, CPCT/A, CET, ExCPT, (Member – 2020)President/Owner, G.E.T. Phlebotomy Trained & Certified LLC
Virtua Outreach Labs, New Jersey
Professor, Eastern University Philadelphia, PA
Lead Instructor, Mercer County CC, NJ
Mobile Examiner, Quest Diagnostic/Examone, PA
Marcia S. Strickland, CPC (Member – 2019)Clinical Policy Manager
Cotiviti Healthcare
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Helen Suchocki-Martinez CCMA, CET, CPT, CHI, AHCM (Member – 2020) Medical Assistant/Health Technician
Rutgers College, Hurtado Health Center
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Medical Assistant Instructor/CPR Instructor (AHA & ASHI)
AIMS, Edison/Piscataway, New Jersey

ExCPT Certification Governing Board

The ExCPT Certification Governing Board oversees ExCPT exam and the CPhT certification program. Members include certified pharmacy technicians currently employed and practicing in the field and stakeholder members such as pharmacists, educators, and employers. One member serves as a public member to represent the consumers of these services. The members serve three-year terms and may serve consecutive terms. The end of the current term is noted below.

Justin D. Lusk, Major-USAF, PharmD
(2020 – Pharmacist) Chair–Stakeholder Member USAF Pharmacy Technology and Informatics Chief, Fairchild AFB, WA
Anita V. Benavidez, MBA, BSHA, CPhT (2018 – Technician) Technician Member Pharmacy Patient Advocate, Banner Pharmacy Services, Glendale, Arizona
Richard (Rick) Capraro Jr. CPhT (2019 – Technician) Technician MemberClinical Pharmacy Liaison, UMass Memorial Medical Center Specialty Pharmacy, Shields Health Solutions, Medford, Massachusetts
Steven Huffer, CPhT (2020 – Technician) Technician MemberMcKinney, Texas
Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, Ed.D. (2018) Public Member Founding Director, The DeBruce Foundation ThinkShift Initiative, Kansas City, Missouri
Carla Gillispie May, RPH (2018– Pharmacist) Stakeholder Member Director of Pharmacy, Advance Community Health, Raleigh, North Carolina
Timothy M. Maynard, PharmD (2019 – Pharmacist) Stakeholder Member Director of Pharmacy Recruiting, Albertsons Companies, Boise, Idaho
Timaka Wilson, CPhT (2020 – Technician) Technician MemberCertified Pharmacy Technician, Henry Ford Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
Department Chair/ Pharmacy Technician Instructor, Altierus Career Education
Southfield, Michigan

Clinical Health Advisory Board

Our customer advisory board's mission is to drive NHA strategic direction through a formal trusted partner relationship between NHA and our most valued customers, industry influencers and prospective customers.

Cristen Cox, CMA Allied Health Division Chair/Medical Assisting Program Director, South Central College
Jean Cramer, RN Supervisor of Education and Float Pool, Aurora Medical Group
Dr. Dawood (David) Guirguis M.D Dean of Academic Affairs/Director of Health Science, Eastwick College
Dr. Frankie Lyons, Ed.D., R.T. (R)(M) Health Science Division Director, Great Falls College, Montana State University
Dr. Russell McGuire, PhD, RN Nursing Department Chair & Professor, South University
Anne McVay Regional Quality Manager, Tenet Healthcare
Dr. Jose A. Montalvo M.D., RMA (AMT), CCMA (NHA) Health Science Program Chair, Berkeley College
Cindy Robinson CTE Health Science Instructor, Tyler Texas ISD
Pamala Smith, BSN Vice President Nursing/Chief Nursing Executive, Advocate Medical Group
Elizabeth Thompson Medical Practice Administrator, Indiana University Health – Southern Indiana Physicians
William Thompson, ACPME Director of Operations Specialty Services, IASIS Healthcare Physician Group of Arizona/Hedley Orthopaedic Institute
Lora Timmons, MPH, CMA Dean, College of Nursing and Health Studies, Robert Morris University
Sunil Wadhwa National Dean of Education, Education Affiliates

Pharmacy Technician Advisory Board

The goal of the Pharmacy Technician Advisory Board is to bring together pharmacy thought leaders to collaborate around the utilization, development and advancement of pharmacy technicians with a goal of improving pharmacy operations and ultimately patient care.

Charlotte Weller, PharmD, Pharmacy Health Services Manager, Brookshire Grocery Company
Kristen Malacos, MS, CPhT Pharmacy Administrator, Pharmacy Systems Inc. Magruder Hospital
Shane Desselle, RPh, PhD, FAPhA President, Applied Pharmacy Solutions
Jason Palikij, CPhT Director of Pharmacy Technician Education Program, Johnson County Community College
Christine McDuffy, CPhT Retail Program Manager, Pharm Assess Inc.
Adrian Bocciarelli, Pharm.D,. RPh. Pharmacy Clinical Services Manager, Walmart
Tara Hannum, PhD., CPhT Program Director, Cleveland Clinic’s School of Pharmacy Technology
Isa Greenwood, CPhTPharmacy Technician Instructor, Wichita Technical Institute
Justin Lusk, PharmD Captain, United States Air Force
Brittany Snodgrass, PharmDPharmacy Clinical Services Manager, Walmart
Lorri Walmsley, PharmD Senior Pharmacy Manager, Walgreens
Chris Simard, PharmD Pharmacy District Manager, Bartell Drugs
Denise Propes, CPhT Pharmacy Technician Coordinator, University of Michigan Medical Center
James Cobert, PharmD Clinical Professor of Pharmacy and Associate Dean for Experiential Education
Rodney Cox, RPh, MS Director of Pharmacy at Memorial Hermann Health System

NHA Code of Ethics

As a certified professional through the NHA, I have a duty to:
  • To use my best efforts for the betterment of society, the profession, and the members of the profession.
  • Uphold the standards of professionalism and be honest in all professional interactions.
  • Continue to learn, apply, and advance scientific and practical knowledge and skills, stay up to date on the latest research and its practical application.
  • Participate in activities contributing to the improvement of personal health, our society, and the betterment of the allied health industry.
  • Continuously act in the best interests of the general public.
  • Protect and respect the dignity and privacy of all patients.

Pharmacy Technician Code of Ethics*

Pharmacy Technicians are healthcare professionals who assist pharmacists in providing the best possible care for patients. The principles of this code, which apply to pharmacy technicians working in any and all settings, are based on the application and support of the moral obligations that guide the pharmacy profession in relationships with patients, healthcare professionals and society.

The following principles apply to all ExCPT Certified Pharmacy Technicians:
  • A pharmacy technician’s first consideration is to ensure the health and safety of the patient, and to use knowledge and skills to the best of his/her ability in serving patients.
  • A pharmacy technician supports and promotes honesty and integrity in the profession, which includes a duty to observe the law, maintain the highest moral and ethical conduct at all times and uphold the ethical principles of the profession.
  • A pharmacy technician assists and supports the pharmacists in the safe and efficacious and cost effective distribution of health services and healthcare resources.
  • A pharmacy technician respects and values the abilities of pharmacists, colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
  • A pharmacy technician maintains competency in his/her practice and continually enhances his/ her professional knowledge and expertise.
  • A pharmacy technician respects and supports the patient’s individuality, dignity, and confidentiality.
  • A pharmacy technician respects the confidentiality of a patient’s records and discloses pertinent information only with proper authorization.
  • A pharmacy technician never assists in dispensing, promoting or distribution of medication or medical devices that are not of good quality or do not meet the standards required by law.
  • A pharmacy technician does not engage in any activity that will discredit the profession, and will expose, without fear or favor, illegal or unethical conduct of the profession.
  • A pharmacy technician associates with and engages in the support of organizations, which promote the profession of pharmacy through the utilization and enhancement of pharmacy technicians.

*Adapted from The American Association of Pharmacy Technicians Code of Ethics, published Am. J. Health-Syst Pharm. 2003.