As the new senior vice president and head of analytics for the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Toni Laracuente ’22 leads a global team that aims to improve health equity and population outcomes.
“My enrollment in the master’s in health information management program at UMass Lowell was a key factor in why I was hired by HIMSS,” says Laracuente. “The program’s health care management content, combined with informatics, is a perfect fit for me.”
During her career, Laracuente, a registered nurse, worked her way up through the ranks to executive-level roles in ICU and emergency department nursing, quality improvement, clinical informatics and health information systems.
While she enjoyed working at the bedside and caring for one patient at a time, her desire to impact population health drove her to seek out positions where she could leverage the power of technology to transform care.
With information technology changing so fast, to maintain her qualifications, Laracuente decided to earn a master’s in health information management at UMass Lowell.
The online program offered flexibility and gave her the edge she needed in the job market. Before she graduated, she was hired by HIMSS, an organization dedicated to improving global health through information and technology.
“Each class has given me new and renewed knowledge that was immediately applicable to my work,” says Laracuente. “The professors are excellent. They have current, real-world experience and know what's happening in health care today.”
Laracuente feels better prepared for her job with the experiences she gained in the program. Her achievements as an honors society member with a strong GPA were noticed.
“My manager took my accomplishments in the UMass Lowell program as an indicator that I have solid, current knowledge along with work experience as a senior manager and executive,” she says.