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Kade is a seasoned healthcare leader with 15 years of experience through various roles and responsibilities.  He has led several large complex projects across multiple states and encompassing more than 35 functional areas.  He is an adjunct professor at Weber State University teaching undergrad students about EHRs, SDLC, and the impact of technology on the healthcare industry. Most recently Kade served as the President of Utah HIMSS and helped put on the Fall 23 conference, a meet and greet event at HIMSS 24 and other events.   He is passionate about Utah HIMSS and wants to see the chapter continue to thrive and grow in the coming years. Kade loves to be out appreciating our wonderful environment, spending time with his family, exploring new ideas, and improving the world around him.

Tom Merrill is the principal and founder of Redstone, a health care advisory firm specializing in payment and delivery transformation with a focus on technology. Over the past decade, Tom Merrill contributed to the growth of Leavitt Partners, a national intelligence firm based in Salt Lake City. There, Tom supported several health IT initiatives, including serving as the founding analyst for the CARIN Alliance, a national collaborative dedicated to expanding interoperability through industry-developed standards. At Redstone, Tom has focused on university-level education on value-based care and related topics such as interoperability, population health analytics, and personal health information policy.

Dan Soule, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a distinguished health IT professional with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. With a deep understanding of technology integration and the interoperability of health information systems, Dan has consistently demonstrated his commitment to improving community, patient, and population health through innovative solutions. Dan began his career in healthcare at Good Samaritan Hospital, where he served as the Director of Clinical Engineering from 1975 to 1987. During this time, he developed groundbreaking biomedical support programs and implemented advanced monitoring systems in critical care.

His journey in health IT continued at Spacelabs, where he was the Director of Critical Care Systems from 1987 to 1992. Here, he led product management initiatives, including the development of PC-Mode and PC Chartmaster, pioneering solutions for clinical charting in critical care areas. In 1992, Dan joined Cerner Corporation as the Director of National Health Strategies. For over 16 years, he designed and supported interoperability and health information exchange strategies for various care providers in the US and globally. His active participation in healthcare interoperability organizations like HL7, IHE, ASTM, and EHRVA further cemented his expertise in the field. Dan's leadership skills shone brightly during his tenure at Allscripts, where he served as Vice President of Technology Evangelists and Community Strategy & Industry Compliance from 2008 to 2011. He was instrumental in defining and executing community connectivity strategies, managing government initiatives, and promoting the value of Helios technology solutions to senior executives. In 2011, Dan joined Health Catalyst, a leading enterprise data warehouse and analytics company in health IT. Over the next 13 years, he held various key positions, including Vice President of Product Management & Development, Vice President of Product Management, and Vice President of Operations. Dan was pivotal in creating and leading a product management team, focusing on client satisfaction, company scalability, and leveraging Agile methodologies to drive product innovation.

Currently, Dan serves as a Senior Consultant at Dstrategy LLC, where he provides expert consulting services in healthcare information technology. His areas of specialization include EMR, interoperability, HIE, and data platforms for analytics, quality improvement, and population health management. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Arizona State University and serves on the DirectTrust Board of Directors. His top skills include digital strategy, cross-team collaboration, and stakeholder management.

Dr. Megan Park, VP of Innovation and Grant Strategy at the Sharp Index, is passionate about healthcare technology and growing incredible teams that make huge advances in healthcare. With over a decade of experience in pharmacy and informatics, she has secured numerous grants for healthcare software development, focusing on patient safety and clinician wellness. Megan is dedicated to creating meaningful technology solutions that streamline caregiver experiences, innovate healthcare workflows, and empower patient-centered care.

Previously, as System Director of Clinical Pharmacy Informatics at Intermountain Healthcare, Megan led the implementation of advanced medication-care systems, combining human factors engineering with clinical excellence. She also held senior leadership roles at Becton Dickinson, where she advanced outpatient medication automation technology for improved safety. Her background includes patient safety research at the University of Chicago, PGY1/PGY2 HSPA Residency completion at the University of Chicago, and founding a progressive long-term care pharmacy, where she implemented technology solutions and patient-centered solutions for LTC facilities.

Megan holds a Doctor of Pharmacy and MBA degrees from Roseman University of Health Sciences. She is an active member of the Utah Health Information Management Systems Society (UHIMSS), Clinicians Who Code (CWC), and serves as a Well-Being Ambassador for the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP). Her career is marked by a passionate commitment to innovation and bridging the gap between clinical needs and technological advancements.

Trevor Hightower is interested in the opportunity to serve as the Treasurer on the UHIMSS Board of Directors. He graduated from Weber State University with his RN in 2015 and has since worked in Med/Surg and Critical Care areas in Ogden, Utah. Currently employed as a Nurse Informaticist at Intermountain Health, Trevor is part of the team overseeing nursing documentation implementations for various Inpatient units across 24 hospitals. In this role, he engages with data to support the construction and maintenance of the EMR for Nurses, and aids Nursing Leadership in gathering information for informed decision-making. Trevor has found fulfillment in his current position. Additionally, he has served as the finance clerk for his local church congregation, accruing experience in managing budgets, receiving donations, handling expense payments and reimbursements, and maintaining monthly financial statements. Trevor is enthusiastic about the prospect of assuming the role of Treasurer on the UHIMSS Board of Directors.