Meet the Changemakers: Mara Daiker

HIMSS serves the global health information and technology communities with focused operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Our members include more than 80,000 individuals, 480 provider organizations, 470 non-profit partners and 650 health services organizations. The HIMSS staff is made up of changemakers who collaborate with members to reform the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.

Mara Daiker is Director of Professional Development at HIMSS.

How long have you been at HIMSS?

I joined HIMSS as a staff member in September 2016, so almost 4 years. However, my HIMSS journey as a member, volunteer and chapter board member began many years prior.

How do you support our mission statement?

Working at HIMSS and specifically in the professional development department has given me an opportunity to live our mission by actively engaging with the ecosystem through education and workforce development opportunities. By supporting everyone, everywhere, in their pursuit of lifelong learning, we are contributing to creating an informed and empowered community!

How do you know your work at HIMSS makes a difference?

The “difference” is the best part of working at HIMSS; it is the ultimate reward for all of the hard work. You can see it and feel it through the conversations and interactions with colleagues, with volunteers, with our members and within the health information and technology community as a whole. When you answer a phone call, respond to an email, produce a webinar, release a course, publish an article, work on a book, curate a website, host a meeting with volunteers—the list goes on—you know that your time was well spent. We know each one of these things is instrumental to the work that we do at HIMSS to inform and empower, and each of these things may contribute to positive changes in the healthcare ecosystem as a whole.

However, I think one of the most rewarding experiences at HIMSS is having the opportunity to meet face-to-face with colleagues, volunteers, members and the community and to take part in a conversation or a learning opportunity with them. To surround yourself with others who choose to be with one another in that same place at that same time is like no other feeling. The feeling of connection and community is palpable. That is how I know what we do makes a difference!

What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about the work you do at HIMSS?

I hope that it is evident, but what I truly hope everyone knows about the work that we do is that we do it because we LOVE it. The passion that we all bring to our positions at HIMSS is undeniable, and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity.