2022 Award Recipients

Arkansas Health Information Management Association (ArHIMA) established the Student of the Year Award in 2021 and recently recognized its first recipient, Shauna Graham, at the annual convention held in Branson, MO. Shauna graduated the first time from Arkansas Valley Technical Institute in 1999 with a Technical Certificate in Cosmetology and was a Cosmetologist for 22 years and Salon co-owner for 13 years. Her health dictated that she retire so she decided to go back to school at ATU-OZARK and pursue an Associate Degree in Health Information Technology. During her last semester as part of Professional Practice Experience, she was asked by her instructor, Brenda Huntsinger, to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on the IMPACT Act and its importance. Shauna was also the group leader for her policy writing project and her group wrote a policy to be used in small and large facilities, regarding the importance of information governance during and after telehealth visits and the recording of such. She graduated in December 2021 with a Certification in Health Professions (Summa Cum Laude) and Certificates of Proficiency in Medical Billing and Medical Coding. She has plans to sit for her RHIT exam in May and stated she truly enjoyed being a student again and appreciated all her instructors for being so amazing and especially Ms. Huntsinger for her nomination. Shauna is married with three adult children and two grandchildren on the way.

Dana Williams, MSHI, RHIA, CHP, CHC, received the ArHIMA Distinguished Member Award. Dana has represented ArHIMA as a volunteer in many positions. She is a past president of ArHIMA and has volunteered as a speaker at many meetings. She has recruited and mentored students, peers, and colleagues to develop and strengthen the ArHIMA workforce and represents our profession to the public in a positive manner. Dana is the Privacy Officer for BAPTIST HEALTH in Little Rock, Arkansas. She began in the Corporate Compliance department in 2009. Prior to this, she held the position of Director of Medical Records/Admissions at BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center-Heber Springs in Heber Springs, AR for 11 years. Dana is a member of the Arkansas Health Information Management Association, the American Health Information Management Association, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the Healthcare Compliance Association and is an active speaker on privacy, healthcare regulations and compliance issues. Dana lives on a farm with her husband, Jeremy, and they are the proud parents of two wonderful sons.

ArHIMA presented Darla Sparacino, MSHI, MEd, RHIA, with the newly established Volunteer of the Year Award and the Living Legacy Award. The volunteer of the year award was established to recognize those members who have devoted extraordinary time to the HIM profession through volunteering at the state and local levels in Arkansas. The living legacy award is the highest honor bestowed upon a member. Darla serves ArHIMA as Treasurer and chairs the Marketing/Public Relations and Professional Development Committees. She has served ArHIMA in the past being elected President twice, chaired numerous committees, and served as a Delegate to the House of Delegates. Upon graduation with her undergraduate degree, Sparacino was Director of Medical Records and Medical Staff Coordinator at Dardanelle Hospital before moving into education. She taught in the Biological Sciences Department at Arkansas Tech University for 25 years in the Health Information Management program and the master’s program of Health Informatics while earning the rank of Associate Professor. Darla also serves the National Organization for Rare Diseases, the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, and the National Ataxia Foundation as a Rare Disease Legislative Advocate.