Meet Our TEAM
CAson Benton md, faap
UAB Professor and ACHIA Director
Dr. Benton became a quality improvement enthusiast after seeing how QI improved care for her clinic’s patients. She attended the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at The University of Washington in Seattle. She has been with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham since 1998 where she is a Professor in Academic General Pediatrics.
She has been the Director of the Alabama Child Health Improvement Alliance (ACHIA) since its inception in 2014. Dr. Benton is the recipient of the 2019 Marsha Raulerson Advocacy Award and the 2018 American Board of Pediatrics Paul V. Miles Fellowship Award for mid-career pediatricians dedicated to improving quality of health care for children.
Zachary Garmon
Zack Garmon is currently the Financial Officer for ACHIA as well as The UAB Department of Pediatrics. He is responsible for financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, invoicing, and money management for ACHIA and the department. He started his career in UAB Accounts Payable after graduating college in 2007 and in 2010 accepted his current position in Pediatrics.
UAB, Administrative Supervisor and ACHIA Financial Officer
AL Chapter- AAP Project Coordinator and ACHIA Program Manager
Rachel Latham
Rachel Latham serves as the Project Manager for ACHIA through her role with the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, assisting both entities in building a strong foundation for quality improvement activities. After receiving her master’s degree in education from the University of Montevallo, Rachel taught in both public and independent schools in Birmingham. Upon her retirement from education, Rachel felt a strong desire to continue doing meaningful work to improve the lives of the children in Alabama. Moving to the non-profit venue, she uses her experience in early childhood best practice, research, writing, communication, and a continuous love of learning to advance, expand, and improve healthcare for children across the state. She lives with her husband and two children, and loves every dog she sees and all things outdoors.
UAB, ACHIA Program Coordinator
Autumn SImmons
Autumn Simmons serves as the Program Coordinator for ACHIA as well as The UAB Department of Academic General Pediatrics. In her role with ACHIA, she is responsible for administrative support of the execution and development of projects and serves as a liaison between UAB and ACHIA. Autumn graduated from The University of Montevallo in 2022 and has served in her current role since 2024. She is excited to contribute to meaningful improvements in various areas of child health across the state and to further develop her experience within pediatric healthcare.