Diane Simmons
Leading Learning Advisor

Diane Simmons, MPA, RN, CAE was recently appointed as the chief learning officer for the American Academy of Dermatology.

Previously, she served as vice president of education and certification for the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). During her tenure at HFMA, Diane introduced new distance and event-based learning strategies, led the revision of the certification program, and introduced innovative formats for HFMA’s legacy programs such as ANI, the organization’s premier annual conference.

Prior to joining HFMA, Diane was the CEO of a healthcare certification consortium and also served as executive director for a number of specialty nursing associations within an association management company.

As a healthcare professional, Diane served in a number of roles from clinical nursing to hospital administration primarily with the Sisters of Providence system in Seattle, WA.

Diane has been heavily involved in professional associations throughout her career, most notably serving as national president of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, chair of the Rehabilitation section for the American Hospital Association, and a board member for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. In those roles, Diane was a frequent speaker for regional and national events.

Diane earned a BSN from Montana State University and an MPA from Seattle University. She is a certified association executive (CAE) and a member of the American Society for Association Executives.