In celebration of Availity’s 25th anniversary, we’re highlighting associates whose impact and dedication have helped shape who we are today. Through this special Associate Spotlight series, we’re honoring the people behind our story—past, present, and future.
In this Q&A, we’re proud to spotlight Stella M., who shares reflections on her journey, the moments that mattered most, and what continues to inspire her as part of Availity.
When did you join Availity, what was your first role, and what stands out most from your early days?
I started in ACS as a Client Services Technical Support Specialist I, taking calls from providers, medical billers, and other submitters throughout the day. What stands out most from that time is realizing that every action we take has a ripple effect on a real person. Working directly with customers gave me a firsthand view of the challenges they face and reinforced the importance of treating every issue with a sense of ownership. It taught me that even as Availity operates on a large scale, our success is ultimately measured one provider and one patient experience at a time.
What’s kept you here the longest?
Availity’s culture has kept me here. At every stage of my career, I’ve been surrounded by people who believed in me, encouraged me to take on new challenges, and supported me as I grew into new roles. No matter where I’ve been in the organization, I’ve always felt like I had teammates and leaders invested in my success. Just as importantly, I’ve always felt like my work mattered. It’s rewarding to know that what we do has a real impact on providers, patients, and our industry as a whole. Being part of a team that cares deeply about those outcomes makes it easy to stay engaged and excited about the work.
When you think about our Core Values, which one resonates most with you, and why?
My favorite core value is “Own the Outcome” because of how dynamically it can be applied. In my day-to-day work, I embody this value by proactively taking ownership and staying closely involved in the testing and implementation of new solutions for our trading partners. To me, owning the outcome also means having the integrity to acknowledge when results fall short of expectations. While it’s important to celebrate our successes, it’s equally important to be accountable for areas where we can improve. Every challenge becomes a launchpad for learning, growth, and new approaches to success.
What are three words you’d use to describe Availity today?
Always looking forward.
Looking back on your time at Availity, what accomplishment or contribution are you most proud of?
In my final implementation before transitioning to the HIT team, I helped build connectivity for a new set of Ohio Department of Medicaid “One Front Door” health plans. The project was one of the most complex I worked on during my time in Implementations, requiring custom solutions, cross-functional collaboration, and extensive planning to support ODM’s workflow. I also helped create documentation that outlined both the external connectivity and the internal processes needed to support it. What makes me most proud of this project is that it felt like the culmination of my time in Implementations. It brought together everything I had learned about connectivity, partnership, and problem-solving, while giving me the opportunity to contribute to something larger than any one implementation. Seeing a solution continue to create value long after the project was completed is incredibly rewarding.
What’s one way your team quietly helps simplify healthcare that most people outside Availity would never notice?
The HIT team quietly helps simplify healthcare by focusing on challenges people haven’t encountered yet. We work closely with our trading partners to anticipate future needs, strengthen existing processes, and develop solutions before they become necessities. Our success often goes unnoticed because the problem never materializes. I like to think of us as explorers in the world of EDI, charting new paths and building connections that make healthcare less complicated for the people and organizations that depend on it.
What excites you most about where Availity is headed next?
As an industry leader, we’re in a position to help shape the future of healthcare while supporting the people and organizations that rely on us. We are responsible not only for pursuing growth, innovation, and collaboration, but also for ensuring we do so in a sustainable way. I’m proud to be part of a team that works closely with our trading partners to move the industry forward while keeping at the center of every decision what makes healthcare possible: people.
Thank you, Stella, for your dedication and the impact you’ve had in shaping Availity’s story. We’re grateful for all you do as we celebrate 25 years of Availity!