Bios

Derek J. Abraham

Derek has more than ten (10) years of experience in working with various Federal reimbursement programs. During this time period, he has managed 12 Statewide projects that collectively produced more than $200 million of Title IV-E, Title XIX/Medicaid and Title XIX/SCHIP funds for State-level agencies and local School Districts.

In his current position, Derek is responsible for overseeing all of ESP’s field operations (Note: This includes, but is not limited to, detailed analyses of the results generated for each of ESP’s School District clients – and the resolution of project-specific issues). In addition, he also chairs ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Maria E. Aranda

Maria has more than seven (7) years of experience in overseeing the development of Medicaid claims for School Districts. Prior to joining ESP, she served as the Medicaid Claims Coordinator for the El Paso Independent School District.

At present, Maria serves as ESP’s State Coordinator in North Dakota and Utah – and as the Director of its Quality Control Unit (Note: In this latter capacity, she oversees the review of a representative sample of the Medicaid claims of all of ESP’s School District clients). In addition, she also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Tami K. Ashworth

Tami has more than eleven (11) years of experience in managing School-based Medicaid billing projects with respect to both Administrative Outreach billing and Direct Service billing. In addition, she also helped to develop the Web-based Administrative Claiming Program that is currently being used in the State of Illinois and in other States.

Tami currently serves as ESP’s State Coordinator in Illinois – and in that capacity, she oversees the Medicaid claiming activities of approximately 45 School Districts and Cooperatives. In addition, she also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Patrick C. Baril

Pat has more than ten (10) years of experience with School-based Medicaid billing since the mid-1990s. In this regard, Pat’s expertise with respect to Medicaid Administrative Costs (MAC) claiming ranges from the development of “State Plan Amendments” to working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on various aspects of Nebraska’s MAC claiming program (e.g., the establishment of the Time Study universe; the selection of the Time Study sample; Time Study training; Audits; etc.).

Pat currently serves as ESP’s State Coordinator for the State of Nebraska – and, in that capacity, he oversees the development of MAC claims for approximately 200 School Districts. In addition, Pat also conducts Time Study-related training sessions for ESP’s School District clients in several other States – and serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Jay A. Bertoch

Jay has more than (twenty) 20 years of experience with respect to State and local government consulting, School-based Medicaid claiming, cost accounting, financial analysis and forecasting, public finance, Medicaid rate setting, service cost analyses, cost allocation and recovery, and Medicaid program and policy. In addition, he is thoroughly familiar with the Federal guidelines and various States’ guidelines for School-based Medicaid claiming – and he supports ESP’s clients by assisting in the development of comprehensive assessments of existing administrative processes, regulatory compliance, and reimbursement efforts with a focus on identifying opportunities for improvement in all of those areas.

At present, Jay serves as ESP’s State Coordinator in Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio – and as the Director of ESP’s Client Support Unit (Note: In that latter capacity, he helps to evaluate the status of each of ESP’s new School District clients and/or potential clients). In addition, he also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Michael E. Eader

Prior to joining ESP, Mike served as the CEO/Executive Director of the Florida School Administrators and the New Hampshire School Boards Association – and as the Associate Executive Director for the National School Boards Association, Colorado Association of School Boards, and the Alabama Association of School Boards. Mike has also held administrative and teaching positions in various public schools: e.g., Director of the Federal & State Program Compliance for the Florida Department of Education; Chief School District Labor Negotiator; Assistant Superintendent; Director of Exceptional Student Education (ESE); Principal; and Teacher of Emotionally Challenged students.

At present, Mike serves as ESP’s Director of Marketing – and as the company’s Liaison to the National School Boards Association and various State School Boards Associations. In addition, he also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Marilyn R. Madsen

Marilyn has a well-rounded educational and work experience background – and brings to ESP a broad-based knowledge with respect to Medicaid billing for School-based Health Services. Prior to joining ESP, she was a Wisconsin Public School Teacher – and a self-employed Agriculturist and Dairy Farm Accountant.

Marilyn currently serves as ESP’s State Coordinator in the State of Wisconsin – and, in that capacity, she oversees the development of Medicaid claims for approximately 50 School Districts. In addition, she also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Michael R. Martin

Mike has more than twenty (20) years of IT-related management experience. In addition, he also has extensive knowledge in designing – and implementing – turn-key software solutions for private sector and public sector entities.

At present, Mike serves as the Director of ESP’s Information Technology Center –and in that capacity, he oversees the development of all of ESP’s software systems – and the day-to-day operations of ESP’s Data Entry Services Unit and its Data Storage & Retrieval Unit. In addition, he also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Joseph J. O'Hara

Joe has more than thirty (30) years of experience concerning the funding and management of health and human service programs throughout the country. During that time, he has focused much of his attention on how public sector entities can maximize – and optimize – all of their available funding.

In his work at ESP, Joe has continued to apply his innovative thinking – and his legal and administrative training – to help resolve School Districts’ financial limitations and problems. In addition, he is currently involved in research concerning the claiming of Medicaid reimbursement for Section 504 students and General Population students – and the claiming of reimbursement from the military’s Tricare Insurance Program for students who are from military families.

At present, Joe serves as ESP’s Managing Director. In addition, he also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

Charlie Samuels Jr.

Charlie has more than twenty-five (25) years of experience concerning the funding of education-related and health-related services. During that time period, he has been involved in developing claims for both Direct Services and Administrative Costs – and in designing various Random Moment Time Study (RMTS) instruments and related training programs.

At present, Charlie serves as a members of ESP’s Quality Control Unit – and its Client Support Unit. In addition, he also serves as a member of the State Project Team for ESP’s projects in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio.

Romona (Sam) L. Soppe

Sam has been involved in School-based Medicaid billing for more than twenty (20) years – and, during that time period, she has worked with School Districts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. Prior to joining ESP, Sam worked for a large Illinois School District – where she gained valuable experience and expertise with respect to Special Education programs, the implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-related procedures, and School District financial operations.

At present, Sam serves as ESP’s State Coordinator in Florida – and, in that capacity, she oversees the Medicaid claiming activities of approximately 15 County School Districts. In addition, she also serves as a member of ESP’s Senior Management Council.

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