2011-2012 Officers
John Nuhn, LMSW, CCM
John obtained his Master of Social Work Degree from Arizona State University in 1987. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology/Social Work from Sienna College, Loudonville, NY in 1982. He has been a member of CMSA for two years. John is a Social Work Case Manager in the Special Services Division at Wellmark BCBS. Other experience includes: Director of Case Management and Social Worker with brain injury victims, Psychiatric Program Evaluation Supervisor with Department of Economic Security, case management for Division of Developmental Disabilities, and a substance abuse counselor.
John recently attended the National CMSA conference in Florida and was so impressed with the vision, he decided to become more active on the state level.
Barb Sackett RN, BS, CCM
Barb graduated from Mount Mercy College in 1979 with a BS in nursing. She worked as a nurse in the ICU/CCU and in Home Health before moving into a job in the insurance industry with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in 1987. Barb has been a case manager for almost 20 years and a certified case manager (CCM) for 17 years. She is currently a Senior Program Coordinator with Wellmark. Barb has served the CMSA Iowa Chapter as a Board Member, Secretary, Vice President and President.
DeDe Gorsche, RN, BSN, CCM
DeDe graduated from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in 1975 with a Diploma in Nursing and from the University of Phoenix with her BSN in 1985. She worked as a nurse and manager in acute care for a period of 16 years before beginning her career as a case manager in the insurance industry. DeDe has been a case manager for over 16 years and a certified case manager (CCM) for 13 years. She is currently the Assistant Vice-President for Medical & Network Management at American Enterprise Group. DeDe is a Charter Member of the Iowa Chapter of CMSA and has served as a Board Member, Treasurer, Vice-President and President.
Beth Cory, RN, BS, CCM
Beth obtained her Associate of Nursing degree from DMACC in 1992 after working as an LPN in 1975. Since then she has obtained a Bachelor of Science, Health Arts from St. Francis University, Joliet IL. She is currently employed by WBCBS working as a utilization/case manager for the FAI account. Past work experience at IMMC in ICU/CCU unit for 2 years, Principal Financial Group for 6 years in the health information utilization area, Consulted (ACS) doing medical claims and SUR department and at Encompass Health management with 3 years in utilization area and 2 ½ years in Case management department as a catastrophic case manager and disease management nurse. Her career spans 33 years of service to the nursing profession with the last 5 years in case and disease management. She has been a member of Des Moines CMSA chapter for one year and obtained her CCM in April 2006.
Beth enjoys working with providers and members to help them get the services they need and empower them to be healthier.
Kathy Diaz RN, BSS, CCM
Kathy holds an Associate Degree in Nursing, BSS (Bachelor of Science in Health Services) and obtained her CCM certification in 1996, a MHI certification in 1998, and a HIA certification in 1999.Kathy has been a registered nurse for 26 years and has worked in various areas including Behavior Health for over 14 years, Medical /Surgical, Pediatrics, and Hospice. Kathy has been a case manager for both Medical and Behavior Health for over 14 years, both telephonically and in the field. Kathy has been a member of CMSA, Iowa chapter in the past, and has recently returned as a member.
Madonna Stillmunks RN, CCM
Madonna Stillmunks has been a registered nurse for over 27 years with the majority of her clinical background being in Mental Health as well as experience in case management on the payer side. She has been a certified case manager since 2005. Madonna is a past president of the Iowa chapter CMSA. Currently she is a Development Coordinator for Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, with responsibility for the states of Iowa and South Dakota.
Tammy Miller, COTA/L, CBIS, CCM
Tammy is working as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and has been practicing in the field of Occupational Therapy for 13 years. She completed her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Occupational Therapy at WITCC, graduating with honors, in 1997. Over years of practicing in the field of Occupational Therapy, Tammy has had the opportunity to work within a multitude of practice areas (geriatrics, pediatrics, home health, long term care, outpatient, and mental health), age ranges and disabilities. For the past 6 years, Tammy has been working at On with Life in Ankeny with sole focus on Brain Injury Rehabilitation. In 2005, Tammy received certification as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America. In 2007, she became a Certified Saeboflex Trained Therapist and most recently became a Certified Case Manager, completing the exam in April of 2010.
Valerie Tuel RN, BA, CCM, CCP
Valerie A. Tuel is the Director of Care Coordination Services at ENCOMPASS Health Management Systems and has over 35 years of experience in health-related industries. Val graduated from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing with a Diploma in Nursing in 1975, graduated from Upper Iowa University with a BA Psychology in 1998, obtained CCM certification in 2005, and obtained CCP certification in 2007. Val participates in DMAA membership and has been responsible for all Care Coordination program operations at ENCOMPASS since 1999. Her duties include directing the development, implementation and performance of all Care Coordination programs while ensuring all commercial client expectations and obligations are satisfied. Val participates as a member of the Quality Management Committee for continuous program improvement and was the Administrator for Interim Healthcare of Iowa where she directed the day-to-day operations of offices in five locations, providing medical staff relief and home care services from 1982-1999.In addition, Val was a staff nurse from 1975-1982 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center and Buena Vista County Hospital.
Dianne Wasson, MSN, RN, CMC
Dianne obtained her MSN in 1989 from the University of Dubuque, her BSN in 1983 at Marycrest College, and her RN, Diploma in 1980 from Lutheran Hospital School of Nurses, Moline, IL. Dianne became certified in case management in 2003. She became Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) in 2008. Experience includes: leading a team of three—a second case manager and two health plans specialists, assist with care coordination to UI employees and families, case manager for three University of Iowa health plans facilitating health promotion and disease prevention. Linking with multiple departments and disciplines to assist in discharge planning needs for members. Dianne has been a member of CMSA for eight years and is looking forward to the opportunity to become more actively involved in the organization at the state level.
Deb Mau, BSW
Deb Mau worked for 10 years as a Medical Social Worker in Des Moines prior to working in the home infusion industry. Deb was employed by Critical Care Systems as an Account Executive/Hospital Liaison for 9 years. Currently Deb is the General Manager for Critical Care Systems Specialty Pharmacy. Deb has served on the board for CMSA in the past.
Joanne Warnock, RN, BSN, CCM
Joanne received a BS in Psychology in 1975 at the University of Scranton, PA and has kept her passion for that specialty since. She received her BSN in 1984 from Arizona State University while working at a halfway house for the chronically mentally ill. Her nursing focus has been predominately in child and adolescent Mental Health at all levels of care. She has also worked in adult Mental Health, med/surg, orthopedics, elderly care, and hospice. She has been at Wellmark BCBS for 14 years in Utilization Management, Disease Management, and currently in Case Management, a member of CMSA Iowa since 2007, earning her CCM in 2008. She is still growing as a Case Manager and looks forward to the opportunities serving on the board will bring.
Cathy Graham, RN, BSN, CCM, CMSRN
Cathy obtained a diploma of nursing from Finley School of Nursing, Dubuque in 1979 then completed her BSN from Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids in 2005. She has been a CCM since 1999 and obtained her CMS-RN in 2007. Cathy currently is a staff med-surg nurse at IH- Methodist West Hospital in West Des Moines. Her past work experience has consisted of 30 years employment (18 years fulltime) at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids as a staff nurse on an acute adult medical unit, 2 years as an assistant nurse manager and 3 years as a float nurse ranging from neonatal to adult units. She has had 12 years of employment at Principal Financial Group with role responsibilities ranging from a utilization and rehab nurse reviewer to catastrophic case manager and case manager mentor. Additional experience has been as a PRN status home health care nurse, adjunct clinical nurse faculty member at Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids and United Way of East Central Iowa Loaned Executive for the 2005 and 2006 campaigns. She has been a CMSA member from 1999 to 2001 and currently since 2008 and is looking forward to being more actively involved in the Iowa CMSA chapter. She most recently attended the National CMSA conference in Phoenix 2009.
Janet Clausen, RN, BS, CCM
Janet graduated from St Lukes School of Nursing in 1981 and has worked in a variety of health care settings to include Labor and Delivery, Med-Surg, ER, OR and OB/GYN office. She has worked as a case manager in the managed care arena since 2003 and obtained her CCM in 2004. Currently she is employed as Manager, Health Services for Coventry Health Care, Inc. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Leadership from the University of St Francis in May 2009 and is currently enrolled in their Graduate program working towards her Masters in Health Administration. She has been a member of the CMSA since 2003 and has previously served on the CMSA board as Vice President, President and Past President.
