People Helping People

At American Exchange, we are in the business of supporting those that are the most vulnerable in our communities by providing access to healthcare services and other health equity programming. In addition, we maintain a strong focus on helping our communities through acts of service and volunteerism; that is why our motto is People Helping People, and we take our level of service seriously. See below for brief bios of our incredible associates at American Exchange.

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American Exchange Team Members

Chief Executives

Bobby Huffaker Chief Executive Officer LinkedIn Profile Bobby founded American Exchange during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act with the mission of helping consumers understand the complexities of the healthcare journey.  Staying hyper-focused on customer needs has allowed American Exchange to deliver much-needed services in the healthcare space.  Outside of American Exchange, he gets the most joy of serving and assisting non-profit organizations in the community and individuals in need.

Andrew Hetzler Chief Operations Officer LinkedIn Profile Andrew is passionate about helping people understand health insurance options. Since 2013 he has worked with many Community Based organizations to set up enrollment resources for people within the community that they serve.

Barrett Blank Chief Revenue Officer LinkedIn Profile Barrett has been a board member with Red Cross and JFS non-profits spending over 15 years supporting immigrants acclimate to their new American lives supporting families with education, finances, healthcare services.

Business Development

John W. Smith, MBA, MHA Vice President of Sales and Development LinkedIn Profile John is an experienced Operations Leader with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & healthcare industry. Skilled in Analytics and Finance within the healthcare industry, he is passionately dedicated to finding innovative solutions to problems that impact customer experience.

Chris Tapley Vice President of Business Development LinkedIn Profile Chris is a long-time professional in the healthcare management field. He has extensive experience in the build-out and growth of key operational teams, as well as developing new lines of business.

Wayne Gay Vice President of Sales LinkedIn Profile Wayne is from Newnan, GA., a small town (or once was) south of Atlanta. He came to Tennessee during the early 2000s to attend Sewanee: The University of the South. He graduated in 2008 and has stayed in Tennessee since. He just can’t seem to make his way back down yonder to the Land of the Peach, where his professional and collegiate sports loyalties lie. He enjoys helping people and has been doing so with American Exchange since 2015.

Rhonda Cook Director of Sales – East Region LinkedIn Profile Rhonda Cook comes to American Exchange with over 20 years in healthcare leadership. Her passion for finding innovative solutions for her clients and her years of experience growing markets sets her apart as an ideal and advantageous partner.

Jack Chilton Director of Sales – West Region LinkedIn Profile Jack is an experienced sales contributor and leader with over 15 years in the hospital and healthcare provider space. With consultation and solution discovery skills, he is keenly focused on assisting organizations in identifying solutions to accomplish the goals that most affect the bottom line.

Ashley Figueroa Account Executive/Business Development LinkedIn Profile Ashley has been serving the Central Florida community for the past 12 years.  One of the reasons why Ashley joined the American Exchange family was because they were as equally passionate about helping healthcare organizations in their mission to provide an exceptional experience to their patients. Ashley loves learning about organizations, their goals, and with her expertise and innovative way of thinking, creating a plan utilizing our AE services.

Kelly Frierson Sr. Business Development Specialist LinkedIn Profile Kelly is a Chattanooga area native with an extensive background in the financial services and insurance industries in a variety of capacities. She has a real passion for working to help people in her personal and professional life. She thoroughly enjoy what she does and hopes to make a real difference in this world. She learns something new everyday and loves to share her life lessons.

Lesly Meeky Proposal & Procurement Specialist LinkedIn Profile Lesly has a background in retail banking and sales development with several years of experience. She started with American Exchange in 2020 and continues to provide insights and evaluations which we’ve come to rely on for our day-to-day operations.

Monica Alegria Billing Specialist LinkedIn Profile Monica has been in the medical billing field for over 15 years. She has worked with Doctor offices, DME companies, Hospitals, and other medical facilities. She loves helping people and is very thankful for all her blessing.

Christopher Sherlin Business Development Specialist LinkedIn Profile Chris has extensive history in both healthcare and sales, dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction, and getting the right fit for everyone’s needs.

Medical Billing & Coding

Bridget Samojeden Project Manager of Revenue Cycle Department Bridget is a focused, analytical, innovative, and tenacious leader with a strong work ethic and superb attention to detail and follow-up. She has a proven record in increasing revenue, profits, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Pamela Green Certified Coder Pamela is a Professional Billing and Coding Specialist. She is certified with the AAPC and has been billing for the last 15 years. Her professional experience is with physician medical clinics, outpatient surgery centers and mental health services.

Hollin Blaylock Medical Billing and Coding Specialist LinkedIn Profile Hollin is an experienced medical billing and coding specialist with a history of working in a hospital setting, private practices, and third-party billing. Skilled in customer service and the billing process within the healthcare industry, she is self-motivated and focused on providing a positive customer experience.

Parker Newell Financial Analyst LinkedIn Profile Parker is our Financial Analyst with a background in finance, accounting, and auditing in the healthcare industry.

Rhonda Kopko Billing Specialist Rhonda has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field.  She has been involved in developing new practices, operational aspects, and medical billing. She is enthusiastic about providing excellence in patient and customer service.

Enrollments & Account Management

Mallory Howsen Co-Director of Customer Service LinkedIn Profile Mallory has worked in the advocacy/ healthcare industry for over a decade. She is passionate about coordinating Health Insurance and Insurance Benefit Management Systems with Community and State Programs as well as implementing new processes for better access to healthcare for underserved communities.

Rachel Cullor Co-Director of Customer Service/Office Manager LinkedIn Profile Rachel has over a decade of Customer Service and Healthcare Education experience. Her expertise in needs-based service creates seamless solutions for our clients both in Community/ State Programs as well as Clients new to enrolling in health insurance.

Rachel Quinn Account Manager LinkedIn Profile Rachel is passionate about helping others and, in turn, has been thriving as an Account Manager with American Exchange for the past two years. She’s dedicated to providing compassionate and effective customer service to everyone she works with and ensuring each client has a beneficial and pleasant experience. She strives to be a reliable resource for the non-profit organizations we work with and the communities they serve.

Kelsey Edgeman Medicare Specialist/ Account Manager LinkedIn Profile Kelsey is customer-focused, skilled in Health and Medicare insurance. She has helped countless clients find plans that fit their lifestyles and give them peace of mind. She is dedicated to providing exceptional customer support.

Brandi Strickland Licensed Insurance Broker LinkedIn Profile Brandi’s 15 years of customer service experience has helped her realize that she is passionate about helping people and problem-solving. She demonstrated her success in customer service and sales by working her way up to a management position but felt that her compassion could be better utilized in a different industry. This motivation led her to become a licensed insurance broker dedicated to getting to know our clients and assisting them in finding the best coverage to meet their needs.

Nytearia Means Account Manager  LinkedIn Profile Nytearia is an experienced healthcare professional with a history of working in the hospital and healthcare sector. Demonstrating extensive knowledge in health insurance, she is passionate about helping people navigate different health options and assisting non-profit organizations with the enrollment resources they provide to communities.

Shawanda Graves Account Manager  Shawanda Graves currently reside in Virginia. She is an experienced Insurance agent with a history of working with Medicare, Marketplace and Medicaid clients. She possesses a passion for helping others and conveys that through her excellent customer service skills.

Sarah Drennen Account Manager & Customer Support LinkedIn Profile Since her employment began at American Exchange, Sarah has worked directly with our clients by educating them on their health insurance options and completing enrollment into health plans. She is also a dedicated account manager to one of our fastest-growing accounts and has been instrumental in helping streamline the process for other CBO clients.

Susan Patterson Account Manager Susan has worked in the health insurance sector for several years. She is motivated to help everyone obtain coverage that meets their needs and is thrilled to be part of a truly incredible team at American Exchange.

Kara Boyette Medicaid Application Coordinator Kara is detailed oriented and customer-focused, striving always to give exceptional customer support. She is eager to benefit American Exchange in providing Medicaid Application Processing services to Community and State Programs.

Michelle Rose Medicaid Application Coordinator Michelle has experience with coordinating state benefits and assisting those in the community. She thrives to provide the utmost amazing experience when helping those that come to us for assistance. She’s looking forward to being a service and be a great part of the team with American Exchange.

Daniel Hardy Customer Support LinkedIn Profile Daniel is an experienced administrator in Healthcare. Demonstrating knowledge and experience in pharmacy and health insurance. Daniel is dedicated to providing exceptional service.

Keisha Peoples Customer Support LinkedIn Profile I am an Insurance Broker/Customer Care Specialist with experience in the hospitality, insurance, and healthcare industry. My role is to educate, assist, and provide customers with products and services that fit their individual needs. I am dedicated to excellent customer experience and creative problem-solving.

Marketing

Khara B. Cole Marketing Director LinkedIn Profile Khara has more than a decade of experience and background in healthcare. She has served in product management and marketing communications roles for several large carriers, creating both internal and external awareness for health products.

Joanne Benteler Marketing Specialist LinkedIn Profile Joanne is an award-winning B2B and B2C marketing communications professional with more than 25 years of demonstrated success. She successfully increases market share and brand awareness, launched new products, expanded the client base, built a brand-based culture, directed thought leadership objectives, and manages projects on time and within budget.

Zane Harter Digital Marketing Specialist LinkedIn Profile Zane is an experienced content creator with a specialty in brand development and content strategy. His background in healthcare, ranging from individual agencies to corporate carriers, helps him identify and implement solutions for our customer’s needs.

OPEN Marketing Content Specialist Bio coming soon . . .

OPEN Conference and Sponsorship Specialist Bio coming soon . . .