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Western Pennsylvania
Chapter
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Western Pennsylvania
Chapter

Welcome to the Western Pennsylvania Chapter

Chapter Information

Western Pennsylvania Chapter  (est. 2003)

Represents Case Management professionals who reside and/or work in the following counties in Western Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Blair, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Greene, Fayette, Indiana, Mercer, Lawrence, Venango, Westmoreland and Washington.

Annual Meeting

Join us for the 22st Annual ACMA Western Pennsylvania Chapter Conference on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cranberry in Mars, PA!  

The event will be an opportunity to share knowledge and learn with case management and transitions of care professionals in health care. Take advantage of this unique professional development event right in our backyard and improve patient outcomes.

If you would like to be added to our email list for information on this event, please complete this form.

If you are interested in presenting at a future conference, please submit your presentation here.

Save the Date!!

Please join us for the 22nd Annual Western PA Chapter Conference on 9/19/2026 at the DoubleTree in Cranberry!

Board Positions

Dear ACMA WPA Members,

The ACMA Western Pennsylvania (ACMA WPA) needs your leadership and engagement. As we look ahead to 2027, we have several Board positions open, including:

  • President-Elect
  • Member-at-Large
  • Secretary

If you are interested in serving or would like additional information about the application and election process, please contact Shana Smith, Leah Jones, or Dorothy Fukas by April 13, 2026.

Details outlining the responsibilities and expectations for each of these roles are included below in this email.

Our chapter fulfills the mission of American Case Management Association (ACMA) at the local level by serving as leaders, educators, and communicators. Because most members experience ACMA primarily through their local chapter, ACMA WPA represents a vital connection between the national organization and its membership.

Within this framework, our chapter strives to meet the educational, practice, and networking needs of our members. Effective Chapter Leadership requires a commitment to understanding member priorities and challenges, and leveraging chapter resources—including people, communication, leadership, and educational programming—to address those needs.

Serving on the Board is both a professional honor and an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on case management practice in our region. ACMA provides orientation and leadership development programs to ensure incoming officers understand their roles and responsibilities. Structured guidance is available for the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member-at-Large positions to support a successful transition and term of service.

We strongly encourage members who are passionate about advancing our profession and strengthening our chapter to consider applying. Your leadership is essential to continuing the growth and success of ACMA WPA.

Thank you for your commitment to ACMA WPA and to the advancement of case management in Western Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Shana Smith

smithse@upmc.edu
ACMA WPA, President

 

Leah Jones

joneslm@upmc.edu

ACMA WPA, President-Elect

 

Dorothy Fukas

dorothyfukas@gmail.com

ACMA WPA, Committee Chair

Member-at-Large Responsibilities

General Duties:

• Assist and support the officers of the Chapter in all aspects of Chapter planning and development.

• Attend all meetings.

• Serve on committees as appointed by Chapter President.

• Ensure compliance with the bylaws and proper procedures of governance.

• Represent the membership that elected them and ensure the leadership manage the priorities and resource allocations of the chapter in the best interest of the membership.

President-elect Responsibilities

General Duties:

The following duties are essential for the efficient operation of the Chapter and for the smooth transition of office:

• Review and understand the President's responsibilities as outlined in these guidelines and the chapter bylaws.

• Substitute for the Chapter President. The President-elect may act in the President's absence and perform other duties as required or as provided for in the Chapter's bylaws and/or procedures manual.

• Attend meetings. The President-elect is required to attend the same meetings as the Chapter President. These are detailed under the Chapter President's responsibilities of these guidelines.

• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Chapter President. It is recommended that you review your Chapter bylaws for specific duties that may not be covered in the above description.

• During their term, learn the interworking of the Chapter and ensure they understand the role, chapter history, board meeting planning and preparation, annual meeting planning and budgeting.

• Attend the biannual Chapter Presidents Meetings.

Secretary Responsibilities

The Chapter Secretary maintains all records except financial records for the Chapter. The Treasurer maintains financial records.

General Duties:

• Facilitate notice of all meetings to membership.

• Conduct official correspondence and maintain a file of current records. Chapter records should include meeting minutes, membership database, vendor database and local contact database.

• Record minutes of all Chapter Board Meetings and Member Meetings. Minutes are a record of the proceedings of all meetings and should include an accurate description of the topics discussed and decisions made. Minute template can be found here. For items requiring a Board vote, the following should be recorded in the minutes: ü The wording of each motion ü The person making the motion ü The person making the second to the motion ü Whether the motion was approved, failed or tabled for future discussion ü Nature of the vote: unanimous, 5 to 3, etc. and noting anyone abstaining from the vote

• Minutes should be submitted to President within 48 hours of meeting and must be presented at the next board meeting for approval by the board.

• Prepare and submit one copy of the approved minutes within 30 days from the meeting for chapter records to ACMA National (after the minutes have been approved, signed/dated by the Secretary and President). *

• Ensure that chapter business records are properly filed per the Document Retention and Destruction policy.

• Verify that all chapter reports are completed and the appropriate reports sent to ACMA National within the designated timeframe. * ü Transfer records to the new Chapter Secretary. On assuming the office of Secretary, all Chapter records should be given to the incoming Chapter Secretary by April 30 or immediately upon resigning from office.

 

ACMA Announcements
Join us for ACMA 2026 National Conference, April 20-23, 2026 in Orlando, FL. Don't miss out on the premier case management and transitions of care conference of the year!
Experience ACMA at National!
The ACMA/APLCM 2026 Leadership and Physician Advisor Conference is November 15-17 in Nashville, TN! Leaders in Case Management, Transitions of Care, Social Work, Health Plans, Health Care Administrators, Medical Directors, Chief Nursing Officers, and Physician Advisors, this conference has everything you need.
We are pleased to announce that ACMA and APLCM are partnering organizations for the inaugural International Case Management Conference, taking place September 17-18, 2026 at the Pullman London St Pancras. This collaboration brings together global leaders in case management and care delivery to support a shared vision for advancing health care systems worldwide. As partnering organizations, ACMA and APLCM will contribute their expertise and international perspectives to help shape critical discussions on the future of care management and health system innovation.
Learn more.
Do you have a project or measurable initiative you've instituted at your organization? Have you conducted research on a current issue in the field? Share your experiences and results with your professional community! Email your proposal or questions: vmatthews@acmaweb.org.
Learn more!
Support ACMA's mission and wear or show off your ACMA pride!
Get your swag today!
We are now accepting presentations for upcoming ACMA chapter conferences. If you have a unique solution, intervention or strategy to improve case management, this is a great opportunity to share your knowledge and be a part of ACMA's national-caliber education at the local level. There is no deadline to submit; presentations will be accepted throughout the year so you can prepare a submission as your schedule allows.
Submit a presentation!
2026 - October 11-17
2027 - October 10-16
2028 - October 8-14
Our upcoming series, Case by Case, is co-presented by the American Case Management Association (ACMA) and the Association of Physician Leadership in Care Management (APLCM). In the Case by Case series, we delve deep into real-world medical cases, sharing experiences, best practices, and innovative approaches to patient care. Led by returning experts Dr. Rebecca Severe and Dr. Sweta Singh, along with rotating guest panelists, our hosts bring you a new case study, offering a unique learning opportunity for health care professionals at all levels of experience. Learn more!
Join the conversation with ACMA! Text the keyword ACMA to 844-554-2497 to stay up to date on all the latest news and announcements, delivered straight to your phone!
Karen Vanaskie was one of case management's brightest and most dedicated professionals. She was serving as Secretary / Treasurer on the ACMA National Board of Directors at the time of her unexpected passing on June 21, 2024.

At the request of Karen's family, ACMA has set up the Karen Vanaskie Scholarship Fund. Karen was passionate about the need for case management certification. She actively supported her staff in pursuing the Accredited Case Manager (ACM) Certification. To continue her legacy, this scholarship fund will cover the cost of their ACM certification application fee for those to whom it is awarded. We believe this continues Karen's legacy.

To apply for the scholarship, click here. For eligibility details, please see below.

To donate to the scholarship fund in Karen's memory, click here.
ACMA and APLCM are proud to announce the latest iterations of the National Case Management and Transitions of Care Survey and the Physician Leaders in Care Management Survey, which have been the only source of comprehensive data for the case management industry since 2001. This ongoing research incorporates over 20 years of data, offering invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of case management, transitions of care, and physician advising. Access the full reports through your ACMA and APLCM member portals!
American Case Management Association
17200 Chenal Parkway Ste 300 #345
Little Rock, AR 72223
Phone: 501-907-ACMA (2262)
Fax: 501-227-4247