Note from the ACDIS Editor: Congratulations to the 2026 ACDIS CDI Scholarship recipients!

by Jess Fluegel

Since its launch in fall 2019, the purpose of the ACDIS CDI Scholarship program has been to assist CDI professionals in enhancing their careers with further education and to increase collaboration among their colleagues by sharing knowledge. Each time I work with the ACDIS Furthering Education Committee to select recipients of our four annual awards, we are amazed at the inspiring accomplishments and personal dedication applicants from the CDI community exhibit. Making decisions was harder than ever, but we are delighted to announce the four recipients chosen this year!

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
• Pre-Conference Scholarship: One award of either a 2026 ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI registration or ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum registration.
• Melissa Varnavas Scholarship: One award of a 2026 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 2026 Scholarship recipients:

Introduction to CDI Scholarship

Pierce Duckworth, ASN, BSN, RN, is a CDI specialist at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, New York. Prior to this role, Duckworth has eight years of diverse experience as a registered nurse, including in leadership as a charge nurse and traveling nurse.

“Since joining our department, they have collaborated with the multidisciplinary departments required of CDI to create innovative capture of the true work conducted at bedside,” says one of their recommenders. “They engage in critical thinking and actively seek out opportunities to learn.”

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

Professional Development Scholarship

Avery Ragland is a CDI specialist at Veteran’s Health Administration in Decatur, Georgia. Ragland has more than seven years of experience in the CDI field.

“[Ragland] has developed training materials for new providers, collaborated with research teams, and enhanced provider query communication,” says one of her recommenders. “Her continuous education and dedication to learning new processes demonstrate that she is a self-starter, positive, and eager to learn. I am confident that the [scholarship] would provide her with the essential foundations to excel and become a future leader in the profession.”

Ragland will be enrolling in the CCDS Exam Prep Class Online Class to prepare for earning her CCDS certification. Congratulations, Avery!

Pre-Conference Scholarship

Corby Clark, RN, BSN, CRC, CPC, CCDS-O, works as a CDI specialist at Advocate Health in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. With over three years of experience in CDI and 19 years of experience as a registered nurse, Clark is skilled in optimizing documentation accuracy and compliance to drive coding precision and improve patient care quality.

“[Clark] consistently demonstrates a deep understanding of the importance of accurate and thorough documentation in improving patient outcomes and supporting healthcare operations,” one of her recommenders wrote. “One of her most notable contributions was assisting firsthand with development of a new workflow for our Outpatient CDS Team, using updated EMR technology, including demonstration and troubleshooting, which not only improves documentation quality and accuracy and helped decrease team member anxiety, but also aligned with ACDIS’s mission to advance the CDI profession.”

Kelly has been awarded registration to the 2026 ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI. Congratulations, Corby!

The Melissa Varnavas Scholarship

Charlotte Scull, RN, CDIP, CDDS, works as a CDI specialist at Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona. Scull started her career as a surgical technologist in 2005, and has served as a surgical coordinator, circulator, surgical assistant, and charge nurse. Since starting in CDI, she served as the chair of the Unit Based Council and is a recipient of the West Florida Division CDI “Own It’ award for her work in CDI.

“Charlotte exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding team member,” says one of her recommenders. “She approaches her work with curiosity and humility, never hesitating to ask thoughtful questions when seeking clarity or deeper understanding. More importantly, she generously shares her findings and insights with the entire team, contributing to our collective knowledge and success. Her collaborative spirit and willingness to advocate for her team members make her a great asset to our CDI department. She effectively collaborates with team members and often takes the initiative to lead projects.”

To assist Scull in her goals to bring quality, growth, and success to the CDI program, the Furthering Education Committee was happy to award her registration for the 2026 ACDIS national conference in Chicago, Illinois this April 20-23. Congratulations, Charlotte!

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.