Melissa Mariñelarena, RN, MPA is the founding partner of Clinician-Driven Quality Solutions (CDQS). As the senior director/principal consultant at CDQS, Melissa provides subject matter expertise (SME) on the development, evaluation, and potential National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsement of quality measures to various stakeholders.
Prior to CDQS, Melissa was a senior staff member of the quality measurement team at NQF responsible for the execution and oversight of the endorsement and selection of quality measures and pre-rulemaking activities. Melissa has also worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on healthcare quality measurement projects at the national policy level. Prior to her work with CMS, Melissa was a senior clinical measurement analyst at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she was responsible for the hospital’s internal and external data quality reporting.
Melissa received an associate degree in nursing from Northern Virginia Community College in
Annandale, VA, a BSN from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and a Master’s in Public
Administration – Health Policy and Administration from George Mason University.