A recognized healthcare executive and thought leader who leads HIMSS North America, Executive Vice President Carla Smith, has been named as one of the Most Powerful Women in Healthcare IT by Health Data Management.

She joins a total of 75 female health IT leaders who appear on this list in three categories:

• Healthcare IT executives working at healthcare provider organizations
• Healthcare IT thought leaders
• Healthcare IT vendor executives

Smith is recognized in the “HIT Thought Leaders” category with 24 women who were selected for the award in this same area.

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized with this award. I work with many people, including women also named to this list, who share my same passion to improve health with the best use of IT.," said Smith. "Each day, I strive to ensure that the right information is available to the right people, so they can make the right health and healthcare decisions."

Smith joined HIMSS in 2001. She leads the North American business unit for the organization. Smith leverages her extensive experience in nonprofit management to achieve HIMSS’s mission and maintain its financial health, primarily within the United States and Canada. As part of he work at HIMSS, Smith led the launch of the Women in Health IT Community in 2016. She also led the development of the HIMSS' Influential Women in Health IT Awards, which were presented for the first time at HIMSS17.

Health Data Management will recognize Smith in May during a day-long event in Boston for all recipients of the award. Smith also received a similar recognition in 2015 from Fierce Healthcare.