TERI COTTER
RIO RANCHO,NM
Summary
Senior public service leader focused on investigations, quality management, and regulatory compliance. Known for supervising staff, guiding administrative procedures, briefing leadership on trends, and building coordination across departments and external partners to support safe, effective, and accountable operations.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Director
Division of Health Improvement
Albuquerque, New Mexico
03.2024 - Current
- Oversaw licensing, compliance, and survey activities and investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation for individuals on the Home and Community Based Services waiver programs.
- Directed Division of Health Improvement operations and aligned work with state health standards.
- Coordinated policy development for Division of Health Improvement administrative procedures to enhance operational efficiency.
- Monitored and evaluated program effectiveness, providing insights for strategic improvements.
- Assessed program performance against established goals and objectives.
- Analyzed data to identify trends or patterns in order to anticipate challenges or opportunities.
- Supported departments in execution of purchase and service contracts, reviewing agreements and interfacing with vendors and clients to direct complete fulfillment of contractual obligations.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, coached and evaluated personnel.
- Managed budgets to maintain fiscal responsibility while aligning resources with program goals.
- Contributed to development of annual budgets and investment plans, providing insight into account needs and trends to suggest modifications or developments to business strategies.
- Managed communication between department heads and senior management.
Bureau Chief
Incident Management Bureau
Albuquerque, New Mexico
12.2019 - 03.2024
- Led incident management bureau operations and intra-agency coordination.
- Directed staff assignments, schedules, and daily workflow priorities.
- Supervised staff of over 48 employees in various regions within the Bureau.
- Developed and implemented Bureau policies, procedures, and goals.
- Developed bureau procedures, policies, and response guidelines.
- Reviewed incident reports, logs, and response documentation for accuracy.
- Analyzed Bureau data to identify trends and insights.
- Prepared briefings for leadership, highlighting bureau activities and response issues to inform strategic decisions.
- Maintained communication channels with executive leadership team, providing updates on key developments to support informed decision-making.
- Created annual budget aligning with departmental needs, ensuring resource allocation for effective bureau operations.
- Ensured compliance with all applicable regulations governing bureau operations.
- Conducted performance reviews to ensure personnel met established objectives.
- Collaborated with external agencies and organizations on joint initiatives related to bureau activities.
Deputy Bureau Chief
State of New Mexico Department of Health/Division of Health Improvement/Incident Management Bureau
Albuquerque, New Mexico
12.2012 - 12.2019
- - Supervise 6 employees directly and support 3 supervisors, 23 investigators, and 4 intake specialists in day-to-day Incident Management Bureau operations.
- - Coordinate work assignments for internal and external contractors supporting Incident Management Bureau functions.
- - Schedule, facilitate, and attend bureau meetings, including weekly intake, weekly investigator, monthly supervisor, monthly all-staff, monthly quality management, and quarterly quality management meetings.
- Served as interim bureau chief during 2013 and 2014, overseeing daily operations.
- - Assist Bureau Chief with day-to-day business operations for Incident Management Bureau.
- - Collect and review incident management data and brief Deputy Director and others on trends and key findings.
- - Facilitate completion of IMB investigation backlog project, supporting disengagement from Jackson et al. class action litigation.
- - Contribute to creation and implementation of immediate reporting process, on-call reporting system, tip sheet, and Immediate Action and Safety Plan.
- - Deliver community training and education for providers, case managers, and community agencies.
- - Attend Mortality Review Committee meetings and Internal Review Committee meetings.
- - Attend monthly manager meetings, Jackson disengagement meetings, and community inclusion meetings with Adult Protective Services and law enforcement partners.
- - Participate as member of Health Care Coordination Committee.
- - Co-chair DDSQI subcommittee for health and wellness.
- - Review case files and complete closure for investigative reports.
- Conducted ANE investigations to address reported incidents.
- - Respond to supervisory calls from on-call intake contractor regarding after-hours and on-call issues.
- - Provide employee training, including Core Competency training.
- - Support interviewing and hiring for Incident Management Bureau positions.
- - Acted as primary liaison between IMB and Columbus Group contractors, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.
- - Assisted prior Bureau Chief from 2013 to 2015 with updates to regulations and policies, including revisions to NMAC 7.1.13 to NMAC 7.1.14, ANE guide updates, creation of new ANE report form, and enhancements to Incident Management Bureau closure and intake databases.
- - Facilitated completion of IMB investigation backlog project, supporting disengagement from Jackson et al. class action litigation.
Investigator/ Health Care Surveyor
State of New Mexico Department of Health/Division of Health Improvement/Incident Management Bureau
Albuquerque, New Mexico
02.2007 - 12.2012
- Investigate allegations of Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation for people with developmental disabilities that are serviced through Federal and State funded programs in New Mexico.
- Ruling out neglect and/or abuse for cases involving Emergency Services and Law Enforcement ensured thorough investigations and protection for vulnerable individuals.
- Communicated regularly with case managers, guardians, direct care staff, house managers, and service coordinators to promote health and safety of consumers in New Mexico.
- Participated in monthly and quarterly inter-disciplinary meetings with State agencies to enhance service delivery and consumer outcomes.
- Facilitated monthly IMB, QMB, DDSD, and APS meetings to enhance inter-agency collaboration.
- I attended the NCIT (National Certified Investigator Training) training for Investigators and was certified in April of 2007.
- I have a good working relationship with my peers and co-workers and conduct myself with the highest level of integrity and respect for others.
Hospital Social Worker Discharge Planner
Salina Regional Health Center
Salina, Kansas
11.2003 - 11.2006
- Coordinated discharge planning for Care Management Department, assessing patients' social needs, living environment, and self-care abilities to ensure safe transitions.
- Develop and implement a discharge plan that facilitates a timely discharge and meets the patient's health care needs post discharge.
- Facilitated communication and coordination among healthcare team members, including physicians, patients, and families, to enhance decision-making in discharge planning.
- Educated patients and families on community resources, insurance benefits, and cost factors to empower informed decisions regarding post-discharge care.
- Assisted patients in obtaining proper durable medical equipment, skilled health care services such as skilled nursing home placement, skilled home health care and worked closely with Medicare, Medicaid and other commercial insurances to assist patients with coverage benefits and cost of services.
- Investigated allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of patients in the acute hospital setting.
- Provided direct patient care in a clinical setting.
- Represented patient interests in healthcare decisions.
Customer Resource Representative
First Bank Kansas
Salina, Kansas
10.1996 - 04.2006
- Job positions held at First Bank Kansas include Customer Resource Center, Loan Processor, Teller and Customer Service Representative.
- Processed loan applications and denial letters, monitored loan files, and maintained accurate consumer payment records for efficiency. Answered incoming consumer calls in the Call Center. Opened new checking, savings and Individual Retirement accounts. Handled large cash deposits; processed deposits and withdrawals from business and consumer accounts. Fielded consumer calls regarding all electronic banking systems which include the First Line automated telephone banking and the Internet Banking systems. Updated and maintained all databases regarding all electronic banking systems.
- Maintained and edited reports to ensure accurate employee status regarding financial fees and coding.
- Edited and managed bank newsletter to ensure timely communication of important information to staff.
Foster Care Social Worker
Kansas Childrens Service League
Salina, Kansas
02.2003 - 05.2003
- Petitioned court for foster care placement of children in custody of Child Protective Services, facilitating timely and appropriate care solutions.
- Managed foster care cases for Kansas Children's Service League families.
- Conducted home visits, updated home studies, and created court reports, monthly case status reports, case plans, daily logs, and supervised parent/child visits to ensure comprehensive support for families.
- Completed home studies for foster parent licensing and placement readiness.
- Coordinated child welfare services with caseworkers, schools, and providers.
Education
Masters of Business Administration - Liberal Arts
Kansas Wesleyan University
Salina, Kansas01-2005
Bachelors of Arts - Social Work
Bethany College
Lindsborg, Kansas01-2003
Pre-Law/Sociology -
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas01-1992
Skills
- Policy development
- Regulatory compliance
- Program management
- Program evaluation
- Incident investigation
- Data analysis
- Budget administration
- Budget development
- Contract management
- Quality management
- Strategic planning
- Operations management
- Cross agency coordination
- Staff management
- Staff coordination
- Program implementation
- Process improvements
- Process updates
- Team leadership
- Effective communication
- Decision making
- Stakeholder engagement
- Stakeholder engagement
Affiliations
- A Member of the Adult Protective Services Board of Directors 2014-2016.
- Previously a member of the Smoky Hill Association of Social Workers in Salina, Kansas.
- Previous member of the United Way Agency Review Board Salina, Kansas
- Previously a member of the Employee Satisfaction Committee at Salina Regional Health Center Salina, Kansas.
Accomplishments:
- Revised and implemented the Discharge Planning Assessment tool for the Care Management department.
- Acted as a point of contact for Maxsys II software technical questions and training of other co-workers in the Care Management department.
- Trained two employees in the Care Management department
- Served on various inter-departmental process improvement committees.
- Served on the hospital wide Process Improvement Committee for Employee Satisfaction task force.
- Participated in the Clinical Ladder Matrix for three years.
- Assisted in decreasing the LOS (length of stay) of patients from 5.46 days in 2005 to 4.25 days in 2006.
Timeline
Deputy Director
Division of Health Improvement
03.2024 - Current
Bureau Chief
Incident Management Bureau
12.2019 - 03.2024
Deputy Bureau Chief
State of New Mexico Department of Health/Division of Health Improvement/Incident Management Bureau
12.2012 - 12.2019
Investigator/ Health Care Surveyor
State of New Mexico Department of Health/Division of Health Improvement/Incident Management Bureau
02.2007 - 12.2012
Hospital Social Worker Discharge Planner
Salina Regional Health Center
11.2003 - 11.2006
Foster Care Social Worker
Kansas Childrens Service League
02.2003 - 05.2003
Customer Resource Representative
First Bank Kansas
10.1996 - 04.2006
Masters of Business Administration - Liberal Arts
Kansas Wesleyan University
Bachelors of Arts - Social Work
Bethany College
Pre-Law/Sociology -
Kansas State University