We’re excited to feature Elorna Pierre, a recipient of the 2026 HIMSS Foundation Professional Certification Grant. In this spotlight, Elorna shares her perspective on the value of professional certification, challenges faced she faced, and advice for those considering becoming HIMSS certified.

Elorna Pierre is a healthcare professional and graduate student pursuing her master’s in health informatics at Adelphi University. With more than nine years of experience in healthcare, she has worked in both clinical and laboratory settings, experiences that sparked her interest in how technology and data can improve the way healthcare is delivered. Her interests include clinical informatics, laboratory information systems, data analytics, and improving the systems healthcare professionals rely on every day.

She recently earned her CAHIMS® certification with support from the HIMSS Foundation Professional Certification Grant. Outside of school and work, Elorna is a wife and mom who enjoys pottery, reading, and finding new ways to be creative.

Congratulations, Elorna! We at HIMSS are proud to celebrate your achievements and look forward to your continued growth and impact in the field.

For those interested in applying for the 2027 cohort of the HIMSS Foundation Professional Certification Grant for Minority Professionals and Students, be sure to visit the HIMSS Foundation website for more details. The application period is currently to open through Tuesday November 17, 2026, at 12:00 PM CT. Don’t miss the opportunity to advance your professional journey through HIMSS certification!

HIMSS: What do you hope to achieve in your career with your CAHIMS® certification?

Elorna Pierre: Earning my CAHIMS certification felt like an important step in my career journey. I have spent more than nine years in healthcare, but moving into health informatics meant learning a completely different side of the field. I want to build a career where I can use both experiences. Having worked directly in healthcare environments, I understand that the systems we use affect real people, from the staff trying to do their jobs efficiently to the patients waiting for care. As I finish my master’s degree, I hope to move into a role in clinical informatics, health data analytics, or laboratory information systems where I can help improve those systems. I also see CAHIMS as a starting point. I want to keep building my technical skills and eventually grow into roles where I can play a larger part in healthcare technology and decision-making.

HIMSS: Can you share any challenges you've overcome while preparing for the certification?

Elorna Pierre: One of my biggest challenges was simply finding the time and energy to prepare. I was balancing graduate school, work, internships, family responsibilities, and being a mom to a young child while studying for the exam. Some days, CAHIMS preparation had to happen late at night or whenever I could find a quiet moment. I also came into health informatics from a clinical and laboratory background, so some areas were much more familiar to me than others. I had to spend extra time understanding the technical and administrative side of healthcare IT instead of just memorizing information for an exam. At times, I questioned whether I was ready, but passing the exam showed me how much I had learned since starting this career transition.

HIMSS: What advice would you give others from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing a similar path?

Elorna Pierre: I would tell them not to wait until they feel completely ready before going after an opportunity. I almost talked myself out of opportunities because I thought I needed another skill, more experience, or another credential first. I have learned that sometimes you grow into an opportunity after you receive it. I would also encourage people to apply for the scholarships, grants, internships, mentorship programs, and professional opportunities they come across, even when they are unsure about their chances. Coming from an underrepresented background can mean entering spaces where you don't see many people with your story or experiences. That doesn't mean you don't belong there. Ask questions, find people willing to guide you, and allow yourself to learn as you go. Some of the opportunities that have made the biggest difference in my journey started when I decided to apply.

HIMSS: How has this grant, and the support from HIMSS, shaped your professional goals?

Elorna Pierre: Receiving the HIMSS Foundation Professional Certification Grant meant a lot to me because it made earning the CAHIMS certification more accessible when I was already investing so much in graduate school and building a new career. The support also connected me to the larger health informatics community. Since entering this field, I have been trying to figure out where my healthcare experience, interest in technology, and growing data skills fit together. My experiences with HIMSS have shown me that there are many ways to build a career in health information and technology. Earning CAHIMS gave me more confidence to pursue informatics opportunities and continue developing my skills after graduation. I hope that as my career grows, I can eventually offer the same encouragement and guidance to someone else trying to find their place in this field.