TMG University Team Lead
Rachelle Silva, BS, CPMSM®, CPCS®, has worked in the healthcare industry for 32 years, 23 of which have been in the medical services profession in both the hospital and managed care environments. She has worked for the last 15 years for MultiPlan, Inc. as an auditor in their delegated credentialing department. There, she is responsible for ensuring NCQA accreditation compliance with 111 delegate groups across 10 states. Rachelle is also a cofounder of Southern Belles and Beau Speakers Bureau, which provides professional development and healthcare industry education across the credentialing continuum. She is a past member of the NAMSS Certification Commission and the NAMSS Executive Board, and is currently the president of the Louisiana Society of Medical Staff Services. Rachelle’s passion is educating those new to the industry and giving them the tools necessary to achieve their certification goals.
The Lighter Side
In getting to know Rachelle, we discovered that her family is her everything, that she admires Pope John Paul II and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and that she played Miss Piggy in a children’s theater program.
When you are not at work, what’s your favorite pastime?
Enjoying authentic New Orleans cuisine with our dinner club, which formed after our musician sons graduated from high school. We are the Band Kamp Moms (BKMs) and, together with our husbands, we try a new restaurant every other month.
L to R: Son Don, dog Drago, son Ian. Bottom: Husband John
What makes your heart sing?
Seeing my children be successful. My son Don is newly married and starting his adult life with great success. My son Ian is completing his junior year of high school and researching colleges. I love to watch him play football.
What’s your dream vacation spot?
The Grand Canyon. My husband and I were very involved Boy Scout leaders with our oldest son and our group did a lot of camping. We always talked about renting an RV and taking a road trip across the country to camp in the Grand Canyon and enjoy its beauty. I can only imagine all of the interesting hidden jewels we would find along the way.
What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
In elementary school, our choir director had a summer theater program and I played Miss Piggy in the Muppets’ rendition of West Side Story. I sang, “I Feel Pretty.”
Which historical figure do you most admire?
Pope John Paul II. My grandfather said there were only two people he would cross the street to meet – the Pope and John Wayne. My grandfather had tickets to attend the Papal Mass in New Orleans in 1987, but he suffered a stroke during a surgical procedure and was in a medically-induced coma and unable to attend. During the papal visit, we prayed and talked to him about the Pope being in town. He did recover from that health crisis soon after and we enjoyed many more years with him.
Which living person would you most like the opportunity to meet?
Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She is a fierce protector of the family unit and children. She exhibits a love of lifelong learning and appears to be fearless in trying new things. Although I made many life mistakes before becoming one of her fans, she has helped me to see the importance of making my family a priority and she gives me the tools to raise strong young men.
What legacy do you want to leave the world?
I would like to leave a legacy of being a loving mother, a loyal friend, and a servant leader in the medical services profession.
What’s your most treasured childhood possession that you still have?
In high school I collected unicorns. My best friend made me a unicorn jewelry box in her art class. I still treasure it today as much as I treasure our friendship of 38 years.
When was the last time you had a good belly laugh?
Laughter is truly good medicine. I have a very distinctive laugh that is easily identified by my closest friends. Reminiscing with old friends always brings many belly laughs – we had some great fun through the years, and it is beautiful that we continue to make memories that will keep us laughing well into the future.