ASPA's Staff

Understanding the many factors that drive talented individuals to focus their life's work in a particular area may not be fully understood. What is known is that commitment to an area of concentration is an essential ingredient of success. Commitment to serve the interests of physicians is the foundation of ASPA's management staff.

Tom Economidis, Executive Director
Tom has served as ASPA's Executive Director since 1992 when he joined the organization. Tom has been involved in the health care industry for more than 35 years and has a unique combination of experience in public health as well as in the private sector. He has held a number of different positions with the Center for Disease Control and participated with the World Health Organization's Smallpox Eradication Program. His transition to the private sector was through the Office of Health Maintenance Organizations where he developed federally funded HMOs. He subsequently developed PPOs for a network of hospitals and physicians as well as for other entities. Tom has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona and a graduate degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Texas.


Connie Richardson, Director, Operations

Connie Richardson is the Director of Operations for the Arizona State Physicians Association(ASPA)a position that she has held for the past 18 years.  Not only does Connie oversee the daily office activities, she has been successful in assuring that all ASPA contracted payors utilize,by delegation, ASPA's primary source credentialing program. She also developed Quick Start, a credentialilng application service designed to assist health care providers to obtain initial plan contraacts and hospital privileges then streamline the hospital and plan reappointment process.  This program also includes contract negotiations handled by Connie and Mark Harris, an ASPA Contracting Agent for the program.  ASPA CVO services have also developed and expanded under Connie's leadership.  Connie is actively involved in IPA contract negotiations, ASPA membership recruitment and specialty network development.  Her 34 years of  varied years of experience in the health care industry includes physician office management,hospital business office management, AHCCCS plan administration in rural communities and HMO managed care administration.  Connie is an active member of the National and Arizona Medical Group Management Associations, Arizona ASsociation of Medical Staff Services and the National Association of  Medical Staff Services.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           " Only physicians can build

                                                                                                                                                                                                               a delivery system that

                                                                                                                                                                                                                transcends geographic

                                                                                                                                                                                                               regions,hospital systems

                                                                                                                                                                                                               and insurance carriers."
                                                                                                         ASPA STAFF

                                                                                               602-265-2524 / 800-522-9619

Tom Economidis                                     Connie Richardson                                             Mark Harris                                    Tonya Richardson

Executive Director                                    Director Of Operations                                        Contracting Agent &                     Providers Relations

                                                                                                                                                     Lead provider relations               adds, terms and changes   

Extention:13                                              Extention:12                                                           Extentsion:19                                Extension:25 

Tom@azspa.com                                    connie@azspa.com                                             mark@azspa.com                       tonya@azspa.com

Gary Spears                                             Ellen Thiele                                                            Angela Higgins                            Pam Virgils

Provider Relations & Site Visits            Credentialing Coordinator                                  Credentialing coordinator          Credentialing Agent  

                                                                    ASPA membership                                              ASPA Membership                       Application Service

Extention:15                                                                              

gary@azspa.com                                   Extention:34                                                             Extension:22                                 Extension:35 

                                                                  ellen@azspa.com                                                  angie@azspa.com                        pam@azspa.com

Carrie Long                                             Alicia Lindsey                                                         Debbie Needham                          Bill Prowell

Credentialing Agent                              Credentialing Coordinator                                   Administrative Assistant                Accounting

Application Service                                CVO Services

Extention:16                                            Extension:17                                                          Extension:10                                    Extension:21

carrie@azspa.com                                alicia@azspa.com                                               dneedham@azspa.com                       bill@azspa.com