NAHSE Baltimore Member Moment

In this month's Member Moment, meet three of our NAHSE Baltimore Members:

Diana Johnson, PT, MS, Vice President, Operations, University of Maryland Medical Center, Midtown Campus

Diana Johnson provides oversight for safe and high-quality care through her management of the supply chain, radiology, environmental services, food services, clinical engineering, facilities planning, construction, operations and maintenance, linen services, environmental health, laboratory services, patient transportation, sustainability and the 1Call service center. Parking and transportation, security and emergency management, specific to the Midtown Campus, are her additional areas of focus.

Under Ms. Johnson’s leadership, performance improvements at the Midtown Campus have led to significant savings in the operations budget and reductions in premium labor spending. She also relaunched the Workplace Violence subcommittee and created a recognition program, fostering a positive work environment and team morale within the operations department.

Dedication and strategic thinking have guided Ms. Johnson’s ability to achieve positive change within our organization for over 34 years. She established the University of Maryland Medical System's first orthopedic residency program for physical therapists and led the Great Stories team-member program during its inception.

During the pandemic, she served as the UMMC COVID Planning Section Chief as well as a member of the System COVID Unified Command Team. She also developed the Vaccine Confidence Steering Committee, a multidisciplinary group of team members across several different areas of the hospital and all levels of staffing from entry level to the chief medical officer.

Her additional leadership and executive sponsor roles include Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Joint Commission, Fall Prevention, the United Way Fundraising Campaign, the UMMC Executive Council and the UMMC High-Reliability Organization Unified Guiding Team.

In addition to holding board positions with the Physical Therapy Association of Maryland and the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, Diana has received the following individual and team awards: UMMC Leader of the Year, UM Baltimore Presidential Core Value of Collaboration, APEX and Maryland Patient Safety Minogue Circle of Honor.

Tefo Linchwe, MS, DrPH Student and Graduate Teaching Assistant, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Tefo is the former Program Administrator for the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) service line for Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore under the Care Coordination & Clinical Resource Management umbrella. He managed the SUD service line's operations with a budget of over one million dollars, coordinated reporting with the Director of Finance, and coordinated with the Department of Medicine to integrate Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine finances. His responsibilities also included overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with diverse technical teams, providing management and execution of workflows, metrics, data and evaluation reporting, strategic partnerships, program structuring, and development and services for more accessible, coordinated, efficient, and practical solutions for navigating complex systems in Baltimore. He is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPh) student at Johns Hopkins University with the Bloomberg School of Public Health, majoring in Health equity and social justice, where he is also a teaching assistant with the Department of Health Policy.

Tefo's dedication extends beyond his professional endeavors. He actively participates in professional organizations such as the National Association of Health Services Executives Baltimore chapter. He serves as a Community Outreach Committee member for the Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives, aspiring to attain certified fellow status. His academic credentials include a Master of Science in Health and Medical Informatics from Brandeis University, a graduate health management certificate from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Curtin University in Australia, Perth. He has completed the Lean Practitioner in Health Care and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt at Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. He possesses an extensive clinical background as a geriatric nursing assistant licensed in Maryland and Massachusetts. He also strongly advocates for mental health and uses his social media page "Mindful Net" to create more awareness around mental wellness.

Tefo's professional journey is a testament to his versatility and adaptability. He has worked in human services and healthcare for nearly 12 years. He has held various roles, such as a Practice Coordinator, Clinical Care & Mental Health Coordinator, and Clinical Program Manager in large health systems and human services organizations, mainly in Boston, and moved to Maryland in 2022. Before his previous position with Johns Hopkins, he was a Program Manager for Advocates Inc., an organization that champions people who face developmental, mental health, or other life challenges.

His first job was as an Assistant Public Relations Officer for Botswana's Ministry of Local Government; when he moved to the US, he worked for Walt Disney World in Orlando and learned how to provide an "experience," not just a service. It shows how hospitals can emulate the strategies that earn Disney the trust and loyalty of their guests and employees. Outside of his professional pursuits, Tefo advocates for mental health awareness through his social media platform "Mindful Net." He believes in fostering a culture of wellness and resilience, transcending boundaries beyond his professional sphere. In his leisure time, Tefo enjoys exploring new destinations, experimenting with culinary arts, staying active with a consistent gym schedule, and immersing himself in the tranquility of nature through hiking adventures.

Victoria Oji, MS, Medical Economics Analyst, University of Maryland Medical System

Victoria Oji is a Medical Economics Analyst at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). In December 2023, she graduated from Towson University with a Master of Science degree in Health Science on the Administration track. Victoria currently assists with stakeholder enrollment and financial reporting for the Episode Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) and Episode Care Improvement Program (ECIP). Based on performance data analyses, she collaborates with team members in developing strategies for UMMS’ hospitals to maximize their shared savings opportunities. Prior to working at UMMS, Victoria served as a representative at CVS Ph*rm*cy.

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