Association of Future Healthcare Administrators
Introduction
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Association of Future Healthcare Administrators (AFHA) serves as an official organization of the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) programs. Any current student of the UIC MHA program is eligible for AFHA membership. The organization focuses on three main areas- professional development, academic affairs, and social networking.
Mission & Vision
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Mission
The mission of AFHA is to provide a vehicle for the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) students to be connected and utilize opportunities within the MHA Program, UIC Campus, and external affiliations.
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Vision
The vision of AFHA is to become a leading resource for UIC MHA students to be connected and informed of healthcare management, especially in the Chicago-land area, as to advance their career development.
Meet the AFHA Executive Board
We are excited to serve as your student leadership team.
Bella Aguayo, President
Where are you from? Chicago, IL
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a double minor in Health Administration and Public Health.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? I chose the UIC MHA program because of the preceptorship and the strong sense of community from the alumni. The UIC MHA program has shaped many impressive healthcare leader’s careers and meeting them has been very inspiring. The year long preceptorship also caught my attention because I believe hands on experience is crucial to understanding the healthcare system.
Describe your role as a board member: As President, I serve as the main point of contact to those a part of the organization as well as other leaders and faculty in the School of Public Health. My role aims to provide MHA students with opportunities to connect on a social and professional level with alumni, staff, fellow peers, and health organizations. I work with the program director, faculty advisor, and board to provide resources to prepare students for the MHA program as well as their future careers as healthcare leaders.
What are your long-term career goals? My long term career goal is to work as a high level executive in healthcare operations or quality. I am still open to experiencing other opportunities, but my passion for healthcare remains strong. I am so excited to make a difference in healthcare settings, but specifically for underserved communities. I hope to be a voice for those who struggle to find theirs or are not provided equal opportunities.
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: Yes! I am precepting at Northwestern in the Clinical Quality department as a graduate administrative intern. I will help define, collect, and analyze data to identify trends in clinical quality. I also will help lead improvement activities and support research studies within Northwestern and the Feinberg School of Medicine.
Favorite class/faculty member? My favorite class was Quality & Safety with Adam Anderson our program director as well as Quantitative Methods with Dr. Markowski. They were excellent professors and these courses definitely challenged me.
What piece of advice you would give for incoming students? Get involved! I know it may be hard to balance work, school, social life, and other responsibilities. I met some amazing people through AFHA, the Pen Pal group, MHA Case Study Competitions, and more. Definitely take advantage of every opportunity presented and take it day by day.
Anything else that you would like us to know about yourself/add? I love going to yoga classes! I like trying new forms of yoga and it has helped me become more at peace and self reflect. It is a great hobby I have picked up and encourage everyone to try it! If you ever need advice navigating the program or would like a new friend, feel free to email me: iaguayo2@uic.edu.
Alex DeVinney, Vice President of Operations
Where are you from? Rockford, IL.
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? I got my undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Community Health with minors in Public Health & Gies Business.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? UIC’s program stood out to me because of its year long preceptorship to get involved within a local healthcare organization here in Chicago. Being in Chicago allows you to grow your network and work in a healthcare hub while only growing and developing further into your skill set and career!
Describe your role as a board member: As the VP of Operations, my role includes being the liaison for the Alumni Council and supporting the president to organize the professional and social events for AFHA.
What are your long-term career goals? My long term career goal is to work leading performance improvement initiatives in an organization to improve the access and processes making it more efficient and the best it can possibly be! Later on in my career, I would love to work in consulting using my experience from operations and performance improvement to help organization reach their goals!
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: My preceptorship is with Northwestern Medicine in the Performance Improvement Office. The goal of PIO is to get to the root cause of the problem and designing solutions to improve processes. I get to lead a project using the DMAIC methodology to improve a real problem within the organization. Besides that, I get to support the team by helping with other projects, data analysis, joining internal initiatives, and taking in all the organization has to offer!
Favorite class/faculty member? My two favorite classes were HPA 417 Quality Management with Adam Andersen and HPA 470 Quantitative Methods with Justin Markowski. These two classes gave me exposure to diving into looking at real data and how to work towards quality improvement. Both of them are the best & push me to be my best self!
What piece of advice would you give to incoming students? Get outside your comfort zone and network as much as you can! Take advantage of all the opportunities SPH gives you and grow your community.
Anything else you want us to know about yourself/add? I love going on walks, exploring the city, and trying new places. I’m so excited to see the upcoming class! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or to just chat 🙂 My email is and6@uic.edu.
Christine Thomas, Vice President of Community Relations
Where are you from? Addison, IL.
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? Benedictine University, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? I chose the MHA degree program at UIC because it has so much to offer! The yearlong preceptorship allows me to gain tons of exposure to hospital operations and make lasting connections with professionals in the field. The MHA program also has a vast alumni network that is always willing to offer guidance and mentorship as you start your career in healthcare administration. Additionally, the cohort and professors are welcoming, supportive, and make the learning experience even better.
Describe your role as a board member: As VP of Community Relations, I organize healthcare-focused outreach events for the student body and keep records of all community initiatives. I also create and facilitate opportunities for students to engage with Chicago’s healthcare scene whether through ACHE/CHEF, volunteering, or other meaningful experiences.
What are your long-term career goals? My long-term career goal is to be in a position where I can advocate for my community and drive meaningful, lasting change. Through my previous roles, I’ve seen firsthand how barriers and limited access to care impact people. In the future, I hope to contribute to improving patient safety and creating solutions that make healthcare more accessible and equitable.
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: I am currently in my preceptorship at Northwestern Medicine for their Performance Improvement Office. I work for the Health Network which includes different community hospitals and sites around Chicagoland. In my role, I act as an improvement leader on my own performance improvement project which includes the responsibilities of leading team meetings and carrying out all phases of the process improvement project from start to finish over many months. Additionally, I collaborate with the performance improvement team and administrative leaders to support broader organizational goals.
Favorite class/faculty member? My favorite class was HPA 417: Quality Management with Adam Andersen because it gave me a deep understanding of quality and patient safety. Through engaging topics and insightful guest speakers, I discovered my passion for quality, data management, and process improvement. Ultimately, this class played a huge role in guiding me toward my current preceptorship.
What piece of advice would you give to incoming students? Never stop trying to learn! There is so much to learn from including your classes, faculty, peer, alumni, preceptorship etc. You will never stop learning new things, and that is perfectly fine! Have a growth mindset, ask questions often, and learn from everything/everyone you see.
Anything else you want us to know about yourself/add? I think it is important to make time for yourself in the midst of all the busyness. Some hobbies I love include reading a good fantasy book, cooking new recipes, baking fruit pies, and running with my dog!
Maleyah Johnson, Vice President of Social Programming
Where are you from? Chicago, IL.
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Communications.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? I chose the UIC MHA program after extensive research because of its structured preceptorship, dual accreditation, and strong alumni network, all of which offer valuable opportunities for learning, mentorship, and long-term career growth.
Describe your role as a board member: As a board member, I serve as the Vice President of Social Programming. In this role, I coordinate all aspects of UIC’s MHA mentorship program and am responsible for organizing social events that promote networking among current MHA students, faculty, and alumni. I also manage communication through AFHA email groups, oversee student and alumni engagement on social media, and maintain records of all social programming activities.
What are your long-term career goals? My long-term goal is to work in healthcare finance while also entering the agriculture space to build a sustainable operation that provides fresh fruits, vegetables, and chicken eggs to underserved communities, particularly those affected by food deserts.
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: Yes, I am currently working at UI Health with the Business Planning and Decision Support team. In this role, we support hospital leadership in making critical decisions through the use of data, analytics, and strategic tools. I also assist in planning for new services by applying business models and planning frameworks to guide development and decision-making.
Favorite class/faculty member? Quantitative Methods with Dr. Markowski.
What piece of advice would you give to incoming students? My advice to incoming students is to stay organized and fully committed to the journey. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. New experiences can be intimidating, but they’re often the most rewarding. Challenge yourself to try things you’ve never done before; that’s where real growth happens.
Anything else you want us to know about yourself/add? I have been taking horseback riding lessons and recently started volunteering with a local farmer to give back to underserved communities.
Daniel Ruane, Vice President of Membership and Finance
Where are you from? Park Ridge, IL.
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Integrative Biology.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? CAHME accredited + Preceptorship portion of program.
Describe your role as a board member: I am the Finance chair. I bring a voice to finance-related matters of AFHA to maximize yield and support the association’s goals.
What are your long-term career goals? Director-level position in a hospital system or supplier.
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: I am at UI Health in the Construction Management division. I begin on June 9, after I am writing this.
Favorite class/faculty member? Data analytics, Professor Markowski
What piece of advice would you give to incoming students? Find a niche in the market that is in demand and get very good at it.
Anything else you want us to know about yourself/add? I am a simple person.
Ruben Sauer Calvo, Vice President of Part-Time Affairs
Where are you from? Mexico.
Where did you get your undergraduate degree? What did you major in? National Autonomous University of Mexico, Medicine.
Why did you choose the MHA degree program at UIC? I asked friends and alumni, they say to me a lot of positive things about the program.
Describe your role as a board member: VP of part-time students affairs.
What are your long-term career goals? It is an open path; I lean towards reimbursement strategies and finance for capital projects.
Have you started your internship? What organization are you working with? Please describe your position: Soon I will be helping the Department of Pathology at UIC, not yet define what will be my role.
Favorite class/faculty member? Pierre Thomas Léger.
What piece of advice would you give to incoming students? Networking and team building are very important.
Anything else you want us to know about yourself/add? I like digital and print photography, very therapeutic to work with film and do your own prints in the dark room.
Membership Benefits
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Professional Development
Facilitate and offer professional development activities.
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Academic Affairs
Provides current and incoming students with details related to professors, classes, preceptors and preceptroship sites. Serves as a liaison between the students’ voices and the program leadership team.
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Social Networking
Social activities are intended to provide a forum for members to interact outside of the classroom.
Social Media & Events
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Social Media
Follow UIC’s AFHA on Instagram @mhaatuic
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Social Events
Upcoming Events
Cards for Kids, Friday (March 8, 2024), SPHPI, Room 160, 1603 W Taylor St., Chicago, IL
Volunteering Event(s) & Opportunities to Engage
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Volunteering Event(s)
TBD
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Opportunities to Engage
TBD
