Ann-Maria Ewell, MBA, CPC, has distinguished herself as an advocate for compassionate leadership in healthcare administration. Having worked in the industry for 35 years, she has learned the value of professionalism, dedication, and collaboration through her time climbing the ranks of the healthcare administration career ladder. Today, she serves as senior operations and revenue administrator for Weill Cornell Medicine Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in New York, where she has led her team with drive and perseverance since 2001.
Ewell began her career as an account representative at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, a role she maintained from 1990 to 1993. She served as accounts supervisor at St. John’s Riverside Hospital from 1993 to 1995, while concurrently working per diem as an admitting registrar at New York United Hospital Medical Center from 1996 to 1997. Progressing through these positions allowed Ewell to develop a profound appreciation for the effort required to advance within one’s profession, all while ensuring that her progress did not come at the expense of others.
Moving Up in Her Career
Ewell’s progression soon led her to take on a managerial role at Mount Sinai Beth Israel from 1996 to 1999. From there, she took on a position as a revenue manager at Columbia University from 1999 to 2001. This role enabled her to showcase the skills she acquired at previous institutions, as she helped the university increase revenue by 25% through careful management of several financial avenues, including provider enrollment issues, financial reporting for teaching services, and private practice billing and revenues.
In addition to her work at Columbia University, Ewell has served in an academic capacity as an adjunct professor at the College of New Rochelle from 2001 to 2003. It was here that she was able to practice her leadership skills through implementing teaching strategies designed to address the needs of the diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of her students. Her commitment to mentorship persists today, as she pushes her colleagues to address issues at their root.
Finding Inspiration Through Family
As the first of her family to graduate with an advanced degree, Ewell earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Iona University in 1995 and a Master of Business Administration with distinction from Long Island University in 2000. She also obtained a professional coding certification from the American Association of Professional Coders in 2005.
Ewell, an immigrant from Jamaica and a teenage mother, continues to show the value of perseverance and a work ethic focused on building community. She is working toward achieving her dream of earning a doctorate in healthcare administration and leadership. Her daughter and her brother likewise serve as role models to others in their family and community.
