OWASSO, August 12, 2024— Cherokee Nation Clinic Administrator Brandi Payton, Owasso
resident & Cherokee citizen, was recently named a Fellow of the American College of
Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.
Fellow status represents the achievement of the highest standard of professional development,
and only members who achieve a high level of excellence and complete a set list of requirements
are named a Fellow of the college. As of January 1, 2024, the American College of Healthcare
Executives had nearly 50,000 members worldwide with only 8,651 healthcare executives holding
Fellow distinction.
“The healthcare management field plays a vital role in providing high-quality care to the
people in our communities, which makes having a standard of excellence promoted by a
professional organization critically important,” says Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE,
president and CEO of ACHE. “By becoming an ACHE Fellow and earning the distinction of
board certification from ACHE, healthcare leaders demonstrate a commitment to excellence
in serving their patients and the community.”
To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including membership
in ACHE, meeting academic and experiential criteria, references, earning continuing education
credits, demonstrating professional/community involvement, and passing a comprehensive
examination. Fellows also are committed to ongoing professional development and undergo
recertification every three years.
Payton, whose mother was the first in her family to not attend an Indian boarding school, feels
especially privileged to bear the FACHE ® credential. “I believe that the FACHE credential
represents a commitment to both our patients and community,” Payton said. “I look forward to
continuing to serve my community and this credential helps assure my commitment to ongoing
development to do just that.”
In addition to serving as Clinic Administrator of the Cherokee Nation Cooweescoowee Health
Center for 9 years, Payton worked as a clinical nurse for several years. She is currently
finishing her doctorate in healthcare administration at Oklahoma State University Center for
Health Sciences and is set to graduate in May 2025.
For more information regarding the FACHE credential, visit ache.org/FACHE.
