Her Story
About Mary
Mary Menard has built a distinguished career in healthcare privacy and compliance spanning more than three decades. She began her professional journey as a registered nurse, an experience that provided a clinical foundation and instilled a patient-first focus that continues to guide her work. Over the years, she earned a business degree and a public health degree with an emphasis on healthcare policy. Mary maintains multiple professional credentials, including certifications in healthcare compliance and healthcare privacy compliance. She is a fellow of the Health Plan Association and the American Health Plan Association, and she recently completed training as an artificial intelligence professional in healthcare compliance. As a member of the Healthcare Compliance Association, she has presented at national and regional conferences and served as a contributing author to the National Association for Healthcare Compliance Manual. Throughout her career, Mary has emphasized integrity, continuous learning, mentoring others, and perseverance while helping organizations maintain ethical practices that ultimately protect patients.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mary
01What do you attribute your success to?
My clinical background as a registered nurse has been foundational. It taught me to focus on the patient and always keep that at the center. Being able to critically think, which I learned through assessment skills and people skills in nursing, has been very important in compliance work.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't be afraid to take a risk. Always keep learning because healthcare is always changing with new regulations and now AI. You don't have to know everything or check every box to move to the next level. Be the one in the room to speak up respectfully about doing things in a more compliant fashion.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never stop learning. Find your voice and speak up if you've done your homework and believe something needs to be said. Don't be afraid. Don't believe you have to know everything to move on, as that holds women back. Always reach back and help the next generation.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Regulations change sometimes almost daily, and with AI it's particularly challenging to stay ahead. AI can contribute greatly to healthcare but there could be negative impacts, so we need guardrails. The challenge is to learn about it, stay ahead, protect patients, and find the middle road of how to do it safely without telling people not to do it.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity - always doing the right thing, which I hope people remember me for. Willingness to always learn and teach, reaching back to pull the next one up and mentoring others. Perseverance, especially in this industry to stay with it over 30 years.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.