I knew I wanted to be that role model, but I wasn’t sure exactly what route to take. But, after several years in the corporate world working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in management consulting, advice from one of my former teachers at Georgia State University led me to earn a Ph.D. from the Robinson College of Business. This started my journey as an Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University, where I found my true calling. While one mentor helped me get onto the academic path, it was Kennesaw State’s current president Kat Schwaig who has been my biggest sponsor, setting me on the path to impacting the workforce and economic development in Georgia’s health-tech ecosystem by launching the first-of- its-kind MSHMI program. In 2009, I was a tenure- track assistant professor when Kat, who was a dean at the time, recommended me to sit on the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s healthcare IT leadership council. Through these 7:30 am meetings in downtown Atlanta, I was able to work with several leaders in Georgia’s healthcare and tech worlds. Then-Gov. Casey Cagle asked the chamber to help grow the state’s healthcare IT workforce and I had an idea. I took my plans to Kat for a novel graduate degree that addresses the challenge of creating a health informatics workforce, and she gave unwavering support. Suddenly the wheels were turning and the vision took flight. She cleared roadblocks, allocated resources, and advocated for me and the program at every step of the process – she exemplified servant leadership and much of who I am today is because of her advocacy. Today, thanks to the many people who believed in me, the reach and impact of our program continues to grow across national boundaries spreading into Europe, Africa, and Asia. I’m watching hundreds of individuals go through our program and succeed as leaders and innovators in the digital healthcare domain. Over the past decade since the launch of the program, our work has been validated by the
industry with awards and recognitions I could have only dreamt of. I’m truly honored and privileged to have recently been named Women in Technology’s Woman of the Year for STEAM Education; Technology Association of Georgia’s Tech Leader of the Year, and named a member of TITAN 100 (the most impactful leaders in Georgia. She also received the Outstanding Leadership Award at the Health 2.0 conference and the Outstanding Contributions for Health Informatics award from AMIA.. The program also received accreditation for the Digital Health Leadership Certificate from CAHIIM. With every success comes a responsibility to be the voice for the voiceless. None of my success would have been possible without support from the army of men and women who hold me high, believed in me, and inspired me to shatter glass ceilings. I hope you will join me in supporting the next generation of healthcare IT leaders and in giving opportunities to succeed to the mentors, advocates and cheerleaders of tomorrow.
Sweta Sneha, Ph.D. Executive Director, Master of Science in Healthcare Management and Infor- matics Professor of Information Systems Kennesaw State University
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10 YEARS OF MSHMI | KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
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