Meet the Changemakers: Evan Dunne

HIMSS serves the global health information and technology communities with focused operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Our members include more than 80,000 individuals, 480 provider organizations, 470 non-profit partners and 650 health services organizations. The HIMSS staff is made up of changemakers who collaborate with members to reform the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.

Evan Dunne is Federal & State Affairs Coordinator at HIMSS.

How long have you been at HIMSS?

I have been at HIMSS for 2.5 years with the Government Relations team.

How do you support our mission statement?

I work closely with policymakers, stakeholders and chapter advocates in efforts to build partnerships and align initiatives that contribute to health IT transformation. I help develop the team’s strategic vision and thought leadership through research, advocacy and maintaining close relationships with our members. More specifically, I have taken a strong interest in precision medicine, and I have begun research and efforts to see where HIMSS can play a larger policy role with this effort.

How do you know your work at HIMSS makes a difference?

As technology advances, so must the policies, and I am trying to help contribute to that change a little bit every day. Policy enables change, and advocacy is the vehicle to ensure that change happens, so the fact that my role allows for this synergy of both lets me have more of a dynamic voice within the team. I also am privileged to work with our incredible membership that has a great deal of knowledge and life experience. You can sense the enthusiasm and fervor from our members, and most are involved in various communities or task forces on a volunteer basis. The people I interact with have passion, and it encourages me to push myself further as I still feel there are endless opportunities to contribute to topics that will allow healthcare to be forever changed for the better. I had a "small world" moment when at my first HIMSS conference I met someone from my hometown in Southern California, and I realized just how large HIMSS’s influence is.

What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about the work you do at HIMSS?

People ought to know how interconnected HIMSS and our work is with people all over the world. Attending Global Conference is the obvious example for how we bring people together, but there is also a sense of community that HIMSS provides the industry that goes beyond in-person events. It is important, especially during these uncertain times, that HIMSS and my role cultivate a strong sense of community and belonging so everyone can feel empowered to make a difference and band together.