Sonya Avery
Vice President of Strategic Advisory Services
With over 25 years of experience in Health Information Technology, Sonya Avery is a recognized leader in the industry, currently serving as the Vice President of Strategic Advisory Services at medSR. Sonya possesses extensive expertise in health
information systems, with a proven track record in project management, IT department leadership, regulatory compliance, integration services, health information exchanges, and both staff and leadership development.
As the Practice Leader of Strategic Advisory Services at medSR, Sonya spearheads the development of innovative service offerings, templates, and standards that set benchmarks for the industry. Her strategic vision and leadership drive the practice’s success and ensure clients receive cutting-edge solutions tailored to their needs.
Prior to her current role, Sonya served as Interim CIO at a community hospital in Pennsylvania and held the position of CIO at a 500-bed community health system in Georgia and a 180-bed community hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, she has
provided interim CIO services for numerous other health systems and has held the role of IT Manager at a 350-bed community hospital in Central Illinois. In these roles, Sonya led system selections and implementations, crafted long-term information systems strategies, managed budgets, established operational standards, and conducted comprehensive staff training programs.
Sonya’s career is distinguished by her hands-on experience in disaster recovery and incident management. Notably, she played a critical role in managing the aftermath when one of her facilities was directly impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Beyond Information Services, Sonya has successfully managed Health Information Management, Transcription, Coding, Physician Services, Education and Development, and Risk Management, demonstrating her versatile leadership capabilities.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field, Sonya was honored as one of Computer World Magazine's Top 100 Premier IT Leaders in 2013. She is also dedicated to fostering the next generation of IT leaders, serving as a mentor to emerging professionals across the United States.
Sonya holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Faulkner University and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in e-Business from the University of Phoenix. She is an active member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), where she continues to contribute her expertise and insights.
