Note from the ACDIS Editor: Congratulations to the ACDIS CDI Scholarship recipients!

by Jess Fluegel

It’s my greatest pleasure each year to work with the ACDIS Furthering Education Committee and select recipients of our annual ACDIS CDI Scholarship awards. This year, we received more applications than I’ve personally seen yet, many of them with inspiring stories and an infectious enthusiasm for learning that didn’t make the committee’s decision easy. But we’re very pleased to announce the four recipients chosen this year!

Since its launch in fall 2019, the purpose of the ACDIS CDI Scholarship program is to assist CDI professionals in enhancing their careers with further education and to increase collaboration among their colleagues by sharing knowledge. Here are the annual scholarships awarded:

• Introduction to CDI Scholarship: One award for a one-year ACDIS membership + enrollment in the ACDIS CDI Apprenticeship program
• Professional Development Scholarship: One award of registration to an ACDIS online Boot Camp
• Physician Advisor/Outpatient CDI Scholarship: One award of either a 2025 ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI registration or ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum registration.
  • Note: Due to applicant interest this year, ACDIS is awarding an additional Professional Development Scholarship in lieu of this award.
• Melissa Varnavas Scholarship: One award of a 2025 ACDIS conference registration

Scholarship recipients may hail from various professional backgrounds, organization sizes, geographic locations, and levels of experience, but always share an enthusiasm for education and sharing the knowledge a scholarship affords them with their teams and organizations. They provide a glimpse into the promising future of the profession, and the education awarded to them is intended to propel that future forward!

Without further ado, I am proud to present the 2025 Scholarship recipients:

Introduction to CDI Scholarship

Erin Gaddie, RN, BSN, is a CDI specialist at the Altru Health System in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Prior to this role, Gaddie worked for 13 years as a certified medical transcriptionist followed by five years as a registered nurse and patient care coordinator.

“Not only has she shown to be an adaptive learner, but she also shows enthusiasm for the work and has brought a new excitement to the team,” says one of her recommenders. “Erin’s desire to further her education is admirable. She has consistently sought out opportunities with her peers, providers, and personally to advance her knowledge and skills as a CDI nurse. She collaborates very closely with our physician champion, which has led to positive and trusting relationships with all other providers in our organization.”

Gaddie will be enrolled in the CDI Apprenticeship program and a year-long ACDIS membership to help her in her future endeavors. Congratulations!

Professional Development Scholarship

Esther Choe, MSN, MBA, RN, CDIP, works as a CDI specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. As a nurse with over 13 years of experience in critical care, quality, risk, and patient safety, Choe says that transitioning into the world of CDI within the past year has been an exciting and purposeful next step in her career.

“[Choe] is dedicated, bright, and enthusiastic about learning CDI,” says one of her recommenders. “She had completed the ACDIS CDI Apprenticeship prior to applying for the CDI role. Her interest in CDI was evident as she also became a Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) prior to beginning as a clinical documentation specialist. She has been a great addition to the team and I am excited to see her continued growth and development in CDI.”

As she continues her education and progresses in this role, Choe will be enrolling in the CDI and Quality Care Measures Boot Camp Online to further her goal of amplifying her and her team’s collective ability to drive quality improvements and elevate patient care.  

Professional Development Scholarship

Samantha Kelly, RN, CRC, works as an outpatient CDI specialist at the University of Miami Health System in Florida. With over 10 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in risk adjustment coding and CDI across various settings, in her current role she reviews outpatient medical records to ensure accurate coding, risk adjustment, and appropriate provider documentation.

“[Kelly] is actively engaged in her personal professional development and spends much of her time in numerous self-study activities to grow her knowledge in CDI and risk adjustment,” one of her recommenders wrote. “In addition, […] she possesses personal qualities that make her a pleasure to work with. She is kind, patient, flexible, hardworking, and team oriented. Her ability to balance multiple demanding responsibilities while forging a path un-walked at our health system, all while maintaining a positive attitude, is truly inspiring.”

To help her continue growth in the CDI field, Kelly has been awarded registration to the CDI for Outpatient Boot Camp Online. Congratulations!

The Melissa Varnavas Scholarship

Megan Knutson, RN-MSN, works as a CDI specialist at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage. After a decade at the bedside in critical care, she transitioned to a quality coordinator role where her expertise in healthcare quality and patient safety was further honed. She also has served as an ICU educator and clinical instructor to impart her knowledge and experience to the next generation of nurses.

“During her time with us, Megan has consistently demonstrated exceptional qualities that set her apart from her peers. She is not only a hardworking individual but also a proactive learner who actively seeks opportunities to improve her skills,” says one of her recommenders. “She effectively collaborates with team members and often takes the initiative to lead projects.”

To assist Knutson in her goals to promote a culture of learning and mutual support with her team, the Furthering Education Committee was happy to award her registration for the 2025 ACDIS national conference in Kissimmee, Florida this May 4-7. Congratulations!

Thanks to all those who applied for an ACDIS scholarship this year! The Furthering Education Committee encourages everyone who applied to try again for this coming year. If you have any questions about your application or about applying in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can also read all about the scholarship criteria, application, and selection process here.

Editor’s note: Fluegel in an editor for ACDIS. Contact her at jess.fluegel@hcpro.com.