Conference Speakers

Marge McQuade, CMM, CMSCS

Marge has over thirty years experience in the medical field as an Office Manager, Coder and Educator. She is the Director of Education for PAHCS and is an active member of PAHCOM, AAPC, and POMAA and a past advisory board member for several HCPro publications and contributes articles to BC Advantage and PAHCS Newsletters.

Dedra Dyer, CCS-P, CMSCS, CMM, CAPPM, CHCO, CHCC, CPM-HCS

Dedra is on the PAHCS Board of Advisors and is an active member of AHIMA, PAHCOM, AAMM, and HCR. She has a background in Nursing and has worked extensively in Coding, Billing and Reimbursement, AR, Healthcare Compliance, Consulting and Practice Management for over thirty years. She has written articles for the Coding Network News, and is the Practice Manager for Atlanta Lung Specialists, P.C.

Sherry Yingling

Sherry Yingling CPC, CMSCS is a healthcare professional with over 35 yrs of experience in healthcare as an office manager, coder and educator. Sherry is an active member of the Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists (PAHCS) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). She has been part of PAHCS since 2003 and served as an Executive Board member serving as the first elected President from 2004-2006 and is also on the present Advisory Board for PAHCS. Sherry is also the founder of Sherwood Institute where she taught anatomy, terminology, billing and coding.

Cynthia E. Penkala, CMM, CMPE

Cynthia E. Penkala, CMM, CMPE is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Practice Management Center, a division of the Private Sector Advocacy department of the American Medical Association. Cindy earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Care Management from National Louis University. She has been in the Healthcare field for over 31 years. In those years she has owned and operated a medical billing company and worked 26 years as a practice manager. Besides working at the AMA she teaches medical management classes at the community college level. She is a Certified Medical Manager through the Professional Association of Office Management (PAHCOM) and a Certified Medical Practice Executive through the American College of Medical Practice Executives.

In her position at the AMA Cindy works closely with the state medical societies, the national specialty associations and AMA member physicians helping physicians understand the necessity to focus on the enhancement of their practice financial viability, identify and challenge unfair payer business practices, implement administrative information technology solutions, and take action to address these issues within their practices and ultimately to hold health insurers accountable.

Amy Farouk

Amy Farouk is the Communications Specialist for the Practice Management Center at the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA's Practice Management Center helps physicians take charge of the business side of their practices with educational resources and tools that help them and their practice staff address private payer and practice management issues with ease. Working side by side with national medical specialty societies and state and county medical associations, the AMA Practice Management Center helps physicians and their practice staff navigate a challenging marketplace.

Ms. Farouk is manages the AMA Practice Management Center's online resource library, the AMA Practice Management Alerts, educational webinars and the "Heal the Claims Process"™ campaign. Ms. Farouk received her BA from Converse College and MA in English Literature from Florida State University.

Ruth Beekman, CGCS

Ruth Beekman is a PAHCS certified coder, has been an Office Manager and Coder, and is now a consultant who specializes in helping medical practices learn how to do correct coding and billing for compliance.