DAREN MESSER
Columbus,OH
Summary
HEALTH INFORMATICS // DATA ANALYSIS // CLINICAL TRIALS // OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Clinical Research Data Specialist
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
01.2022 - Current
- Launched career in clinical research as a Data Specialist
- Worked as part of the business operations team supporting clinical research studies related to childhood cancers
- Cultivate relationships with internal and external stakeholders, working tirelessly to support clinical research study teams
- Managed study folders and data in clinical trial management system, entered budgets, and set up studies in OnCore to support clinical research studies.
Director
Makarios Autism Center
01.2017 - 01.2022
- Recruited and onboarded the inaugural team to build awareness of this nonprofit school with the mission of supporting children with autism and providing a support system for families, growing enrollment steadily, and overseeing operations
- Balanced pursuit of a second master’s degree—this time in Health Informatics—by embracing the opportunity to step outside of the nursing home administration field, support a startup organization, and play an integral role in service delivery
- Cultivate relationships with internal and external stakeholders, working tirelessly to support each child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, work with community partners and parents, and identify and fulfill therapeutic needs and learning opportunities
- Recruited, trained, and oversee the contributions of a small team providing support to K-12 students, ensuring the center meets the educational, physical, medical, and spiritual needs of each learner through a faith-based curriculum
- Developed first-time policies, procedures, and handbooks for parents, students, and employees, defining day-to-day operating principles and guidelines, and providing a point of reference to ensure compliance and consistency.
Administrator
Peregrine Health Services
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Led a 150-member interdisciplinary team in optimizing quality of life and the care of residents within a 99-bed facility, driving occupancy to 100%, increasing net operating income, and improving resident satisfaction through Guardian Angel Rounds
- Managed daily operations, optimized the patient care experience, and built critical relationships with internal and external stakeholders to fuel brand awareness and referrals
- Recruited, hired, and onboarded new team members, improving the initial hire experience to reduce turnover and improve associate satisfaction and performance
- Improved census through an increase in both the total number of residents and case mix, taking the facility from 80% occupancy to a sustained 100% occupancy level, all while improving resident satisfaction
- Played an integral role in survey preparation, reviewing policies and procedures, validating complete and accurate documentation, identifying and closing potential compliance gaps, and supporting clean survey results.
Administrator
Embassy Healthcare
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Promoted from Assistant Administrator in this 147-bed facility, providing the transformational leadership to remove the facility from the federal focus watchlist, improve star rating, reduce staff turnover, and achieve 95%+ occupancy
- Stepped into a challenging environment with a unionized workforce, a disadvantaged resident population with psychiatric diagnoses, and systemic issues ranging from compliance shortfalls to labor grievances
- Developed new policies and procedures, implemented documentation standards, and focused the 225+ members of staff on compliance initiatives
- Reduced turnover and retained high-performance individuals by improving the working environment through strategic compensation increases, culture-shaping initiatives, and creating collaborative cross-functional relationships
- Addressed, mitigated, and resolved long-standing labor grievances, successfully managing a unionized workforce, encouraging open communication, cultivating positive relationships, and focusing on shared goals.
Executive Director
Brookdale Senior Living
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Achieved net operating income of 161% on $2M in annual revenue, met 100% of Management By Objectives (MBOs) for 2013, increased resident satisfaction to 90%+, and set new facility records with first-time 100% occupancy
- Managed the day-to-day operation of this 42-apartment assisted living community, serving as the key contact for 30 staff; 40+ residents; and all guests, community organizations, and government agencies
- Advocated for the needs of the facility and its residents, presenting cases for change and capital investment to the leadership team
- Optimized profitability on $2M in annual revenue, controlled costs, developed annual operating and capital budgets, and minimized deficits
- Maintained departmental policies, procedures, and licenses in accordance with company, federal, state, and local requirements
- Achieved and maintained 100% occupancy—the first time in Brookdale’s 17-year history—improving key metric from a low of 67% in 2012 to ranking #1 in the 240-community division, and earning company-wide recognition
- Catapulted morale, improved quality of hire, and increased retention by lobbying for a significant compensation increase for nursing staff; filled open positions and supported professional development
- Increased average length of stay 168%+—from 375 days in 2012 to 632 days—through a combination of creating a cohesive, resident-centric team and overseeing a $300K renovation to remain competitive in the market
- Developed and maintained a positive image within the community, initiated civic and social engagement, and represented the facility to diverse stakeholders as a means of cultivating goodwill and referrals.
Shift Supervisor
The Buckeye Ranch
01.1997 - 01.2012
- Coordinated the efforts of a team of 20 youth leaders in working with 90 adolescents of this residential treatment facility offering treatment for behavioral and mental health issues, program-based support, and transition training
- Promoted to maintain the safety of the facility, residents, and staff through operations oversight, deployment of policies and procedures, and investigation of incidents
- Served as a ‘go-to’ resource for staff, residents, and their families, acting as the point person in communicating the health, safety, and development status of each resident
- Recruited, trained, and managed the performance of team members
- Ensured compliance, complete documentation, and careful management of budgets
- Recognized numerous times for a “job well done” in the organization’s monthly publication, demonstrating a commitment to operational effectiveness and the care and safety of staff and residents
- Managed and resolved issues, concerns, and unsafe behaviors swiftly; trained team members, equipping them with the critical and situational analysis skills to make the right decisions in high-stress, chaotic settings
- Improved audit readiness by addressing documentation deficiencies, educating staff on compliance requirements, and performing rounds to support peers while providing insight into performance improvement opportunities
- Captured thousands of dollars in energy savings by recognizing an opportunity to eliminate usage of select lighting; worked with an outside consultant to ensure changes were made without impacting safety.
Education
Master of Science (MS) - Health Informatics
Franklin University
Columbus, OHMaster of Science in Administration (MSA) - Health Services Administration
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MIBachelor of Arts (BA) - Social Science
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, OHSkills
- Access
- Minitab
- Office 365
- Power BI
- R Programming
- SAS
- SQL
- Tableau
- Visio
- OnCore
Military Experience
Ohio Air National Guard, Mansfield, OH, Loadmaster, 164th Airlift Squadron, 2006-01-01, 2014-01-01, Deployed to support operations in Afghanistan, in addition to providing humanitarian aid and relief to victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Performed pre-flight inspections and weight/balance calculations to ensure safe aircraft operation. Highly decorated career: Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Air Medal, Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Volunteer Experience
Southeastern Correctional Institute, Prison Fellowship, 2023-09-01, present
Timeline
Clinical Research Data Specialist
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
01.2022 - Current
Director
Makarios Autism Center
01.2017 - 01.2022
Administrator
Peregrine Health Services
01.2016 - 01.2017
Administrator
Embassy Healthcare
01.2014 - 01.2016
Executive Director
Brookdale Senior Living
01.2012 - 01.2014
Shift Supervisor
The Buckeye Ranch
01.1997 - 01.2012
Master of Science (MS) - Health Informatics
Franklin University
Master of Science in Administration (MSA) - Health Services Administration
Central Michigan University
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Social Science
Shawnee State University