Meet our Board
Telligen Community Initiative is governed by a Board of Directors that sets and approves strategy for the organization, provides governance and approves all grant awards.
Pam Ballou-Nelson, RN, MSPH, PHD, Chairperson
In February 2016, Pam Ballou-Nelson joined the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) in its Health Care Consulting Group as a senior consultant. Ballou-Nelson is responsible for delivering client services in improving the patient experience and strengthening the group’s population health management services, which takes a holistic approach to preventive care and reducing the cost of care for an entire population, not just individual patients. Ballou-Nelson came to MGMA from her last role as a process improvement consultant for both physician practices and hospital systems at Encore, A Quintiles Company, where she served as an expert advisor around many aspects of accountable care organizations and population health practices. Prior to her consulting experience, Ballou-Nelson served in multiple hospital leadership roles, including as the clinical quality director for the Physician Hospital Organization of Adventist Health Network in Chicago and director of operations for the Avanti Health System. Ballou-Nelson earned her doctorate and masters of science in public health from Walden University in Minneapolis, MN. She holds an MA in communications from Wheaton College and is a registered nurse, with a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Utah. Pam is an NCQA PCMH CCE. She is an industry speaker and author, who has shared her insights on the many facets of patient care and experience in a variety of forums and publications.
Jabraan Pasha, MD, Vice Chairperson
Dr. Jabraan Pasha, MD is a native of Tulsa, OK. He received his undergraduate and medical degree from The University of Kansas and completed his Internal Medicine Residency Training at Mayo Clinic Arizona. Currently, he is a practicing internal medicine physician, Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine. He is a national speaker and workshop facilitator on social determinants of health and the impact of implicit bias on healthcare and other arenas. He serves on several state and regional boards, including as President of the Tulsa Chapter of the American Heart Association.
Michele Druker, Treasurer and Secretary
Michele Druker recently retired after a 30-year career at Wellmark, Inc. Druker served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Board Secretary for Wellmark, Inc. She also served as Board Secretary for The Wellmark Foundation. She is a past member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer for the Central Iowa Chapter of the American Red Cross and a past member of the Children and Families of Iowa Foundation Board of Directors. Prior to joining the Wellmark Legal Department in 1988, she was a Partner at the Dickinson Law Firm, Des Moines, Iowa. Ms. Druker received her Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and her JD from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Sabha Abour, MD
Dr. Sabha Abour’s passion for elevating communities that have been deprived by government policies led to her creating the Black Village Foundation with Actress Ta’Rhonda Jones. The Foundation focuses on Building Black Wealth through small business grants and funding trade programs for Black South and West Siders in Chicago. In addition to our Board, Dr. Abour serves on the Focus For Health Advisory Board, and is also a founding board member for Music Artist, Lil Durk’s Neighborhood Heroes Foundation, an advisory board member at Project H.O.O.D., and a board member at the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition.
R. Ried Boom, MD
Dr. Boom obtained his medical degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa in 1980. His residency in family practice was completed in 1983 at St. Francis-Mayo Family Practice residency at St. Francis Hospital in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Dr. Boom is Board Certified in Family Medicine. His scope of practice includes family practice, obstetrics, and Cesarean sections. He joined our staff in October of 1986. On November 4, 2016, R. Ried Boom, MD was awarded the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians. This award is given annually to a family physician(s) who has been a member of IAFP; is a resident of Iowa; has been involved in significant community service and civic activities; is a role model for other family physicians, residents and/or medical students. Awardees of the Lifetime Achievement Award are nominated by other members of the IAFP. Dr. Boom was therefore recognized by a committee of his colleagues. His experience and expertise a rural practitioner and affinity for quality improvement will offer a unique perspective to our philanthropic work.
Kim Downs
Kim Downs is a retired registered nurse and former Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, working as a mental health nurse before pursuing a career in utilization and quality review. Downs worked at Telligen, Inc. for over 30 years. With progressive experience in operational, supervisory and fiscal responsibility, Downs led numerous Medicare, Medicaid and commercial quality improvement initiatives across five states. Downs also served on Telligen’s bid and proposal team before retiring in 2015. Kim’s experience and expertise will offer a unique perspective to our philanthropic work.
Kathy Schneider, PhD
Dr. Kathy Schneider served as an epidemiologist at the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care for the Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois QIOs from 1995-2000, and in the IT division from 2002 to 2008. She currently operates two woman-owned small businesses that focus on use of health data to improve quality of care (Schneider Research Associates, LLC and Sum-IT Health Analytics, LLC). Kathy previously served as a faculty member and Director of the Des Moines University Public Health Program and holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. She has published numerous studies examining health status and treatment outcomes for older adults, using Medicare and Medicaid data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.