NAMES IN THE NEWS

AAAHC Announces Newly Named Board Officers, Elected Directors

NOVEMBER 18, 2025

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) recently announced its newly named board officers and elected directors. These experienced leaders bring diverse expertise in patient-centered ambulatory care, supporting AAAHC’s mission to advance quality improvement and strengthen accreditation standards across the health care continuum, according to a release.

“This board exemplifies the leadership, expertise and passion that define AAAHC and the ambulatory community we serve,” said Noel Adachi, president and chief executive officer of AAAHC, in the release. “Together, these accomplished professionals bring the insight and commitment needed to advance our vision—driving measurable improvements in patient care, deepening engagement across our stakeholders, and strengthening systems that support readiness every day of the 1,095-day accreditation cycle.”

The new board officers’ one-year terms began on November 17. While board members bring varied backgrounds, they share a common history of dedication to the provision of healthcare in the ambulatory setting, according to the release.

Steven Butz, MD, board chair, practices pediatric anesthesiology in the Milwaukee area. He holds board certifications in anesthesia and pediatric anesthesia by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Butz graduated from Northwestern University Medical School and proceeded to complete a residency in anesthesia training at Emory University and a pediatric anesthesia fellowship in Chicago at what is now Lurie Children’s Hospital. He is currently a professor of anesthesiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin where he serves as the medical director of the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Surgicenter. An active AAAHC surveyor since 2006, Butz also has chaired the AAAHC Accreditation Committee.
Lawrence Kim, MD, board chair-elect, has been an AAAHC volunteer for more than 20 years and has served in numerous roles including AAAHC surveyor and most recently, secretary/treasurer. Kim is a partner at South Denver Gastroenterology, a 27-physician independent GI practice in Colorado. A graduate of Princeton University, he received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His postgraduate training included an internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He currently serves as the president of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and has served on the board of directors for the Digestive Health Physicians Association (DHPA), an advocacy group for independent GI practices.
Joy Himmel, RN, immediate past board chair, was the first licensed behavioral health provider elected as AAAHC board chair, the sixth female board chair and the third college health professional elected to the position in the organization’s history. Himmel has more than 40 years of experience in behavioral health working in hospital and community-based programs, with more than 25 years in college health and counseling. She is a fellow with the American College Health Association (ACHA) and served on the Continuing Education and Program Planning Committees for 15 years. Himmel has been on the board of directors of AAAHC for six years, has served as a AAAHC surveyor since 2009 and is part of the teaching faculty for the organization. In addition to her work with ACHA, AAAHC and the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), she serves as a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) federal grant reviewer, assessing proposals for substance abuse prevention and mental health initiatives. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from State University of New York in Plattsburgh, a master’s in counseling psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate from California Southern University. Himmel has worked in a variety of treatment settings, including psychiatric inpatient, partial hospital and community outpatient services. She has worked in the college health setting for more than 25 years and currently serves as the counseling center director at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Additionally, Valerie Kiefer will serve the first year of her first two-year term as AAAHC secretary/treasurer.

Kiefer brings more than 40 years of diverse healthcare experience to her AAAHC board officer role. Her clinical background spans critical care, emergency transport as a flight nurse paramedic, special procedures, internal medicine, primary care and college health. Currently serving as the director of medical services for the Dickey Health Center at The University of Tampa, Kiefer oversees medical operations, provides direct patient care and leads quality initiatives. Prior to this role, she spent more than 15 years at UConn Student Health and Wellness, where she chaired the Quality Improvement (QI) program and managed laboratory services while practicing as a nurse practitioner. Kiefer holds both a master’s degree and a doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Connecticut. She is board-certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), has led multiple QI and peer review projects throughout her career. Kiefer was recently named Tampa General Hospital’s innovator of the month for implementing key initiatives to improve patient access, streamline care and empower clinical staff. An AAAHC surveyor since 2012, Kiefer also serves as a faculty member and mentor for new surveyors and has contributed to several AAAHC governance units, including Chair of the Expert Content Committee-Primary Care (ECC-PC).

The five elected directors, whose three-year terms will expire in 2028, also assumed their positions on November 17, according to the release.

M. Edmund Braly brings more than four decades of clinical and leadership experience to the AAAHC board of directors. He is board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the National Board of Dental Anesthesiology. Braly is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) and holds a master’s certificate from the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ACOMS). He has served as a AAAHC surveyor for 20 years, conducting more than 100 surveys across a variety of settings.
Jan Brown, RN, has been elected to a second three-year term on the AAAHC board, extending her long-standing commitment to advancing healthcare quality and safety. With more than 40 years in healthcare and 17 years as a AAAHC surveyor, she brings deep clinical expertise and governance insight to the role. Formerly chief quality officer for a Nebraska healthcare management company, Brown is recognized for driving sustained performance improvement and high satisfaction among patients, staff and physicians. A dedicated AAAHC surveyor and faculty member, she has served in leadership roles across multiple governance units for more than a decade.
Ira Cheifetz, DMD, brings a distinguished record of clinical leadership and professional service to the AAAHC board of directors. A seasoned oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Cheifetz successfully led a multilocation practice, overseeing both clinical excellence and business operations. He has served the profession extensively at the state and national levels, including as the president of the New Jersey Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (NJSOMS) and in multiple leadership roles within the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), where he served as committee chair, treasurer, vice president, president-elect and president. Within AAAHC, Cheifetz demonstrated exceptional leadership as board chair and through service across several governance units and as a AAAHC surveyor. Most recently, as chair of the Accreditation Committee, he played a pivotal role in advancing adoption of the 1095 Engage accreditation management system and enhancing surveyor engagement and quality improvement.
Temple O. Robinson, MD, elected for a second three-year term on the board, has more than 30 years of experience in both private and public healthcare, and serves as chief executive officer of a AAAHC Accredited health center in Florida. A graduate of Meharry Medical College, she completed her internal medicine residency at Richland Memorial Hospital in South Carolina. Robinson is recognized as a leader in community health with deep expertise in FQHC operations, regulatory compliance and strategic development. She serves as the chair of the Florida Association of Community Health Centers’ board of directors and sits on the Executive Committee of the OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network, a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded initiative focused on expanding inclusive participation in clinical research across the Southeast.
Arnaldo Valedon, MD, brings a wealth of clinical, operational and governance expertise to the AAAHC board of directors. With a career spanning leadership in anesthesia practices and outpatient surgical centers, Valedon oversees Outpatient Perioperative Services and Outpatient Anesthesia Services at WellSpan Health. His commitment to advancing patient safety and quality care is reflected in his extensive involvement with AAAHC where he has chaired several governance units and served as board chair. Valedon’s influence extends internationally as the president of the International Association of Ambulatory Surgery (IAAS) through 2026 and nationally as the past president of the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA). He serves as a consultant with The Knightstone Consulting Group.

“With this new term, the AAAHC board builds on a legacy of collaboration, innovation and service to the ambulatory community,” Butz said in the release. “Our focus remains on strengthening accreditation excellence and supporting organizations dedicated to delivering safe, high-quality, patient-centered care every day.”

For more information about AAAHC governance, visit https://www.aaahc.org/governance/.