George Sands Email & Phone Number

Houston, Texas, United States

• Develop relationships with Dept of Defense & VA leadership to ensure timely and professional care and treatment of veterans and their families. • Prepare briefs and represent veterans for pending VA appeals and benefits hearings. • Identify and review administrative errors and other documents for consideration for submission to Central Office. • Remain current with all VA and Dept. of Defense laws, regulations, and benefits. • Maintain and update WoundedWarrior Project case management electronic tracking systems. • Organize community events and programs to speak on behalf of Wounded Warrior Project.

▪ Review VA Disability Benefits questionnaires to ensure compliance with Quality Standards and Regulations.▪ Facilitate both on-site and virtual Physician Onboarding Orientations to ensure policy compliance. ▪ Analyze VA Quality Reports to provide performance updates to medical providers. ▪ Assist in the creation of Training materials specific to provider clinical specialties and contractual relationships. ▪ Established strong relationships with a national network of medical providers contracted to perform VA Disability Examinations. ▪ Develop preventative action measures based to resolve potential issues and disputes in an effort to optimize the provider experience▪ Consult and advise providers on operational and quality medical report best practices based on federal and state policy requirements. ▪ Develops training materials based on identified gaps and risk assessments specific to provider specialty and line of business ▪ Manages client relationships and establishes compliance framework based on corporate needs, identified metrics, data analysis and provider requirements.

Houston County, Texas, United States

▪ Reviewed and revised Contracts for individual and business clients covering diverse legal issues. ▪ Transitioned to Electronic Forms from paper in 2020 by adding new equipment and supervising three interns. ▪ Developed Training materials and Claims templates to optimize efficiency of Accounts Receivable related to clients’ insurance payments. ▪ Electronically managed claims reports, contracts, and outstanding invoices.▪ Helped analyze Business Development opportunities and developed Marketing materials.

Virgina Beach, Virginia

▪ Hired for a temporary operations consultant position in anticipation and preparation for a new Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage audit and appeals contract)▪ Evaluation of standard operating procedures, program opportunities, project artifacts and available data to determine business needs, gaps, and process improvements. ▪ Tracked and updated risk assessments and provided comprehensive recommendation based on governmental requirements and federal policies under the Risk Adjustment Data Validation program. ▪ Ensured the development and submission of quality deliverables in accordance with ISO 9000 compliance rules. ▪ Executed scope of work through the creation of training materials and tracking metrics in preparation for appeals audits under the RADV program.

Houston, Texas Area

• Reviewed Disability Compensation Appeals from veterans and beneficiaries. ▪ Evaluated testimony and evidence in de novo hearings in support of veterans’ appeals. ▪ Worked collaboratively with Quality Review Officers for improving training of new VA Claims Adjudicators. ▪ Responsible for the review and compliant filing of responses to performance and evaluation audits and requests. ▪ Researched and provided resolution to Claim Denials, Reconsiderations, and Redetermination Requests. ▪ Maintained more than 98% accuracy in worked cases based on local Quality Reviews.

Houston, Texas Area

▪ Exercised the full range of medical case management and federal benefits claims examiner responsibilities, which included, planning, and evaluating work, determining priority projects and evaluating input medical data for cases.▪ Provided Federal benefits guidance on Veterans Affairs coverage, as well as Social Security and Medicare.▪ Assisted with writing and establishing standard operating procedures for Special Operations team with emphasis on ALS, traumatic brain injury, and homeless veterans▪ Presented data analysis and commented on changing trends at weekly OEF/OIF conference call. ▪ Delivered medical case management services, including assessments, referrals and linkages to federal services, follow-up, outreach, and coordination of service delivery.

Houston, Texas Area

• Processed and expedited cases for Seriously Injured (SI) and Very Seriously Injured (VSI) Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. • Received, processed, scanned, and downloaded personal VA health information for individuals in accordance with regulations (e.g., HIPAA). • Provided a full-range of case management, advocacy and educational, and related, services for military service members and their families.• Assumed professional responsibility for assuring veterans’ privacy was maintained to the highest quality standards.• Reduced Average Days Pending for Claims Processing by 20% for seriously injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, primarily from 2009-2010. • Stayed abreast of current military family research findings, and other evidence, to expand clinical knowledge, enhance role performance, and increase knowledge of military family challenges.• Delivered case management services, including assessments, referrals and linkages to military services, follow-up, outreach, and coordination of service delivery.

Houston, Texas

• Responsible for introductory lectures and instruction, implementation, and assessment of student learning in communications. • Designed various cross-curricular activities to enhance students’ connections between collegiate subjects. • Strengthened students’ comprehension skills (e.g., making connections and predictions and asking critical questions). Prepared and facilitated lectures and other classroom activities. • Coached students to foster competency development in media studies by asking open-ended questions, brainstorming next steps and maintaining accountability.• Implemented student activities and projects through collaborative and individual learning approaches.• Adapted the type, length and intensity of instructional methods based upon students’ needs. • Conducted data talks with students to discuss assessment outcomes.• Investigated and remained current with emerging trends in learning technologies, instructional design and education delivery modalities for online, face-to-face and blended courses.

Master Of Arts (M.A.), Public Relations

Mass Media Arts