MHA Alumni Profiles

Health administration alumni career profiles

Trying to choose the best career path may be difficult when you have not had real experience in the public health field. There are countless opportunities and paths to pursue, which is why we strive to equip our students with the tools and support they need to choose the public health career best for them.

Our Master of Health Administration alumni working in the field were once prospective students too. Many of them have agreed to share their success stories in hopes of helping you discover a career pat you will love.

Sandeep Samra, MHA'16

Program Manager, IU Health

Sandeep transitioned from a passion for bedside care to leading patient experience strategies. Her experience highlights the power of networking, flexibility, and the impact of health administration in transforming healthcare delivery.

Read Sandeep's story

Sydney Benton, MHA/MPH'23

Quality Improvement Specialist, Eskenazi Health

Sydney decided during her undergraduate years at Butler University that being a healthcare provider was not the path for her, but she knew she still wanted to impact the health of individuals and communities. As she was graduating during the time of a public health emergency (COVID-19), it really opened her eyes to what public health is and how important it is to have leaders in healthcare that have this additional perspective.

Read Sydney's story

Desmond Rader, MHA'23

Strategic sourcing contract specialist, supply chain, IU Health

Desmond's undergraduate degree was to prepare for law school, which he ended up not wanting to further pursue. Desmond chose the MHA to work as an administrator in a health system as he felt it was an area he could make a positive impact with his legal and leadership background.

Read Desmond's story

Max Rios, MHA'20

Provider Relations and Compliance Specialist, Point Comfort Underwriters

It was always important to Max to pursue a higher education degree beyond undergrad. Max had been employed in public health institutions for years and so did not think an MPH would open up more job opportunities (Max works here already, after all) and so Max chose a Master of Health Administration in order to focus on the “business of healthcare.”

Read Max's story

Matthew Lyman, MHA'19

Business Change Director, Elevance Health

Matthew wanted a career that allowed him to make an impact. As an industry, healthcare accounts for nearly a fifth of the entire U.S. economy. There’s no shortage of opportunity or problems to solve. Nearly everyone born in this country will have an experience with the system at some point in their lifetime and a career in healthcare allows one to solve uniquely complex problems that truly change individual lives for the better.

Read Matthew's story

Michaela Trame, MHA'19

Population Health Strategist, Vital Incite

After getting her bachelor's degree in exercise science, Michaela knew she wanted to help people in healthcare; she just had no idea in what capacity.

Read Michaela's story

Jabari Bradshaw, MHA'15

Business Analyst, Centene Corporation

Jabari was interested to learn about healthcare operations and ways to improve processes that impact clinical care. He chose to pursue a Master of Health Administration degree to help him achieve that.

Read Jabari's story

Steven Berkshire, MHA'73

Professor and Director of the Doctor of Health Administration Program, Central Michigan University

Steven had an interest in government and politics since early years hence the reason to get a political science degree, which has been a great base of knowledge for my career in healthcare and higher education. During his first employment out of college he met several healthcare executives in his work in Indianapolis, which created his interest in healthcare.

Read Steven's story

Alisha Clawson, MHA'14

Practice Administrator, Indiana University Health

Alisha knew that to work in the healthcare industry as a leader, the Master of Health Administration would prepare her for this. The MHA allowed her the opportunity to work during the day and take evening classes to accommodate her schedule.

Read Alisha's story

Nicholas Dus, MHA'07

Executive Director of Operations, Community Health Network

In undergraduate school at IU Bloomington, Nicholas completed an internship in the Indiana University Washington Leadership Program where he spent an entire semester working for America’s Health Insurance Plans in Washington, D.C. and was fascinated by the policy and business side of healthcare, and knew he wanted to pursue a business degree in healthcare post undergrad.

Read Nicholas's story

Katie Krivacs, MHA'21

Administrative Fellow, University Hospitals

What set Indiana University Indianapolis’s program apart for Katie was twofold. First she loved the emphasis of the practical application of the theory they learned in the classroom, and secondly she was drawn by the engagement of the professors in and outside of the classroom. Many of them currently work in the field or have in the past.

Read Katie's story

Thomas Hudgins, MHA'68

Retired

The MHA came after Thomas took a position at the Krannert Institute of Cardiology on the IUMC campus to manage grants in 1969. The position evolved into being the administrator reporting to the director of the institute. His exposure to the hospitals on the campus and the creation of the MHA program in 1969 offered him an opportunity to obtain an advanced degree that would offer opportunities to grow in healthcare administration.

Read Thomas's story

Calvin Roberson, MPH, MHA'03

Director of Operations, Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center

Calvin chose a major that would allow him to optimally help people based on his gifts, talents, and abilities. Health education and public health allow him to exercise his ability to teach, train, coach, create, inspire, and build people.

Read Calvin's story