Happenings
January Associate of the Month Award Winners Recognized for Outstanding Performance
Division 1M - Jurisdiction J, Customer Service
Kaleena Hammock
Kalena Hammock, a Communications Specialist II, has been awarded Associate of the month for delivering exceptional customer service through her accessibility and responsiveness of both internal teams and providers. Kalena has served as a key trainer for new staff across Communications, Provider Outreach and Education and for management staff, offering individualized instruction and virtual classes that build confidence and competence. Her expertise in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements and Quality Work Instructions ensures accuracy and compliance, while her meticulous attention to detail enhances the quality of content published on our websites.
Kalena fosters strong collaboration by seeking clarification, sharing knowledge, and creating a supportive team environment. She also contributes to Continuous Process Improvements (CPI), including Web Content Management v.4, making her an invaluable asset.
Division 4M - Prior Authorization Programs
Daisy Ralmal
Daisy Ralmal, a Senior Operations Analyst and exceptional team leader, is recognized for her reliability, accountability and dedication to meeting deadlines and quality standards. She manages her workload while training newer team members. She offers group and one‑on‑one guidance and makes herself accessible for questions throughout the day. The team values her deep Home Health Review Choice Demonstration knowledge and her ability to simplify complex processes into clear, manageable steps. These strong analytical skills help Daisy improve processes. She recently collaborated with the MILL Team on a new report that reduce review time for S B6000 claims. Daisy’s knowledge and support empower the team and earned her Associate of the Month honors.
6M - Jurisdiction J Operations, Audit & Reimbursement
Cindy Glass
Auditory III Cindy Glass has been recognized for her consistently pleasant approach, strong teamwork and dedication to accuracy. She ensures Supplemental Security Income (SSI) realignments are received and processed timely while maintaining her own assignments and reviewing others’ work. Cindy actively collaborates with supervisors and coworkers to clarify questions and ensure processes remain precise.
Cindy has contributed to three process improvement projects in the last three months, supporting process improvements across a high volume of reviews. She is also an engaged mentor who proactively offers guidance and checks in with teammates who may need additional direction. Most recently, she provided training on level 2 reviews, helping a colleague navigate challenges associated with older files. Her commitment strengthens both quality and team success.
Divisions 5/29 - Shared Services
Wendy Littleton
Wendy Littleton’s deep knowledge, strong teamwork, and outstanding support as an Appeals Analyst have earned her the Associate of the Month Award. Wendy is known for generously sharing her expertise and taking the time to provide clear, thorough explanations that strengthen the team’s understanding and confidence. Her patience, accessibility, and willingness to mentor others make her an invaluable resource.
Beyond her technical skill, Wendy brings the team together through creative and fun activities, including a team cookbook project and a baby‑photo matching game that sparked plenty of laughter and connection. She consistently brightens the day with her positivity and encourages others through thoughtful guidance and genuine support.
Wendy’s blend of professionalism, collaboration, and uplifting team spirit makes her a truly exceptional member of the Appeals team
Division 10 - Support Operations
Terry Koumas
Terry Koumas, a Document Control Clerk, earned the Associate of the Month award for her strong commitment to accuracy, efficiency and continuous improvement within the department. In January alone, she opened and identified 3,158 pieces of mail, batched 9,214 documents, and indexed approximately 300 claims, all while maintaining an error rate under 1 percent.
Beyond her impressive productivity, Terry leads the Document Control Continuous Process Improvement committee, driving monthly process improvements and strengthening team collaboration. She is consistently willing to assist with complex questions and serves as a knowledgeable resource for her coworkers. Terry’s attention to detail, leadership and dedication significantly enhanced the quality of service delivered by the team.
Division 28 - Jurisdiction M Operations
Katie Morris
As a Medical Reviewer II, Katie Morris reviews up to 10 Hospice claims per day that often can be quite complex. When the department was short-staffed she didn’t hesitate to take on significant extra responsibilities to support the team. Katie added two daily and monthly claims tracking reports to her schedule. These reports are time-consuming and require meticulous attention to detail to meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirements. Katie’s hard work and dedication to the team’s success has earned her Associate of the Month.
Division 34 - Systems & Support
Neenashruthi Thagilipally
As a System Testing II Senior Analyst, Neena Thagilipally is recognized for superior customer service and a steadfast commitment to quality through her testing expertise. She identifies defects early and balances speed with precision, improving product reliability and customer outcomes. Neena led the Medicare Advantage Dental Phase II effort, guiding more than 2,000 test cases across multiple categories. She personally completed more than 300 test cases.
Neena’s clear communication and practical suggestions helped the team adopt new approaches that resulted in greater consistency and reduced turnaround times. She champions process excellence and has participated in multiple improvement initiatives including the development of a 277/999 failure categorization checklist and an automated instream workflow. The workflow enabled thousands of files to be validated in hours resulting in a 99.5 percent efficiency gain. Neena’s commitment to excellence continues to raise the bar for quality across the department and the organization.
Division 54 - Finance & Accounting
Barbara Evans
Barbara Evans, a Business Analyst III on the Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System (HIGLAS) Production Support team, has been recognized for her outstanding customer service and Part B expertise. She skillfully manages complex provider, Freedom of Information ACT and congressional inquiries, ensuring timely and reliable information for HIGLAS and Debt Management System users. Barbara collaborates closely across departments on intricate Change Requests to complete successful HIGLAS testing. She serves as the lead Part B analyst and fulfills documentation requirements with exceptional detail to support the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services audits. Her dedication to process is highlighted by her leadership on the Refund Letter Automation initiative that saves staff 606 labor hours annually. Congratulations Barbara!
Division 93 - Augusta Operations
Melissa Mayson
Lead Claims Processor Melissa Mayson has been awarded Associate of the Month for her exceptional dedication to customer service and her consistent support of coworkers and customers. She demonstrates outstanding professionalism and responsiveness by anticipating challenges and developing contingency plans to ensure that goals are met.
Her deep knowledge, reliability, and ability to provide accurate guidance quickly make her an invaluable resource across the team. Colleagues depend on her expertise, and she consistently delivers high‑quality support that enhances overall performance.
Melissa’s commitment to excellence strengthens Palmetto GBA’s ability to provide exceptional service to clients.
