A Year in Review: Focused Assessments for 2026

Kevin Anderson is a Senior Manager of Commercial Education Services for Healthmark, a Getinge company. He is a registered nurse (BSN) with multiple certifications including CNOR, CSSM, CRCST, CHL, CIS and CER. Before joining Healthmark Industries, Kevin worked for 18 years in the acute care setting serving in various clinical and leadership capacities including clinical coordinator of general surgery, operating room manager and manager of sterile processing and endoscopy services. His sterile processing team was recognized with IAHCSMM’s Confidence Builder Award for their outstanding quality improvement in 2018. Kevin is a published author with articles featured in Outpatient Surgery and the AORN Executive Newsletter. He also enjoys producing his own written content and presenting at industry conferences, using his experiences to improve quality, education and integrity within the field of sterile processing. He is also an active member of AORN and sits on multiple working groups for AAMI.

Michael Matthews, MBA, CLSSGB, CRCST, CIS, CHL currently serves as a Clinical Education Manager for Healthmark – a Getinge company. He previously held the position of Director of Customer Training and Education for Agiliti. Prior to Agiliti’s acquisition of Northfield Medical, Michael served as Director of Clinical Education and Training for Northfield Medical in addition to former roles of Territory Manager for the Little Rock, Arkansas area, and a Clinical Education Manager for the southeast region.  Before working at Northfield, Michael served as the manager for sterile processing at Baptist-Health Medical Center-Conway, Arkansas. During this time Michael also served as an Infection Preventionist on a PRN basis to consult on reprocessing services throughout the Baptist-Health system. Michael has previously served as a Sterile Processing Technician at Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Healthcare (2012-2013) and Baptist East Hospital (2011-2012), both in Louisville, KY, and system manager for sterilization and high-level disinfection at Conway Regional Medical Center (2013-2016). He holds three Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) certifications for sterile processing. Michael has also served as a subject matter expert and participated in exam development for HSPA. Michael holds an MBA and has also been certified as a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt.  He has published articles in Infection Control Today, Becker’s Hospital Review, Healthcare Purchasing News, as well as a frequent conference speaker on sterile processing related topics. Michael is also a former cohost of the Beyond Clean podcast.

Rebecca Peplau began her career as a veterinary assistant, where she discovered her passion for surgical procedures and found her niche in reprocessing surgical instruments. After 11 years in veterinary medicine, she transitioned to sterile processing in human healthcare at a small community hospital, where she further honed her skills. She then explored opportunities at different facilities including Level-1 trauma hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, endoscopy units and smaller community hospitals. During this time, she took on roles such as Lead Technician, Manager, and Educator.  A graduate of Unity College with a B.S., she holds multiple certifications, including CRCST, CER, CHL, CSPDT, and LSSWB. Rebecca is a dedicated professional, recognized for her contributions as a published author in PROCESS Magazine and Healthcare Purchasing News. Her insights and expertise have garnered attention, leading to her being awarded Healthcare Purchasing News’s 40 Under 40. Rebecca is currently the President of the Northern New England Chapter of HSPA, covering Maine and New Hampshire.  She is an active member of several AAMI working groups and a former podcast host, having also appeared on additional industry podcasts to discuss hot topics and issues faced by the sterile processing community. She strives to advance sterile processing practices and sharing her knowledge and 20 years of experience with the next generation of professionals.

Ron Hunsucker began his career as a Central Service Supply Technician in 1979 at Santa Rosa Medical Center. In 1984 he began the CRCST course through Purdue University and was certified by IAHCSMM in 1986. Studying for the certification led to instituting changes, to meet standards, within his department. Shift Manager by 1985 and Manager by 1988, helping design a new Sterile Processing Department in a new facility and implementing a Cart Exchange System for Nursing Units. Transferring to the new facility he introduced count sheets and inventory control solutions. Ron was hired at Metropolitan Hospital in 1989 by an RN that had just been assigned as SPD Manager and wanted to get his entire staff certified. Metro’s SPD was the first fully certified SPD in San Antonio, TX. Working PRN for the first month, becoming Supervisor and working with his Manager to form and act as Secretary for the South Texas Sterile Processing Society he eventually becoming Manager. In 1996 he was recipient of the Caregiver Of The Year Award from Methodist Healthcare Systems. In 1999 Ron was hired as the Implant Procurement Manager. In 2008 Ron was recruited into a career in sales, eventually becoming and Independent Sales Representative and a Sterile Processing Consultant, he sold everything he had purchased in the past for all the Perioperative Departments. In 2019 Ron was hired as a Clinical Director and Business Development Manager for Streamline Hospital Services. As a partner he helped grow the company from a $300,00.00 to a $3,000,000.00 a year company. Ron recruited and worked with Hank Balch to create the South Texas Association of Sterile Processing Services and is now the acting President. Accepting a position as a Clinical Education Specialist with Healthmark Ind., Ron hopes to help everybody understand the importance of all that Sterile Processing does to help keep patients safe. Doing it right, the first time, all the time!!