Cherilyn G. Murer, J.D., C.R.A., President and CEO of the Murer Group, has long been an active voice in the advancement of quality, cost-effective health care.  Ms. Murer received a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Northern Illinois University and has coupled her background in law with her previous operational experience as the Director of Rehabilitation Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.  She is a sought after lecturer and educator whose focus is on assisting her clients navigate through the complex regulatory, strategic and financial issues facing healthcare today.

In May 2005 Ms. Murer was appointed with Senate confirmation to a six-year term to the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, to which she was elected Chairman of the Board in 2007.  In addition to the Executive Committee, Ms. Murer serves on the Finance and Academic Affairs Committees.  Ms. Murer and her husband, Michael, have provided a philanthropic gift to NIU to establish the Murer Initiative to develop and establish a Health Institute as a forum for scholarly discussion, policy analysis and cross disciplinary integration of medicine, law, technology and finance.  In January 2002, Ms. Murer was appointed to the Northern Illinois University Law School’s prestigious Board of Visitors and was honored with its 2003 College of Law Distinguished Alumni Award.  Ms. Murer also serves on the adjunct faculty of Northern Illinois University College of Business in its Business Mastery Certificate for Health Care Professionals.  Her area of specialization is Federal Compliance and Entrepreneurship.  Ms. Murer also holds an appointment to the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Law in the Department of Family Medicine.   

Ms. Murer was pleased to accept, in October 2004, an invitation from CARF to participate in an International Advisory Committee on the development of the first set of International Stroke Rehabilitation Standards.  Ms. Murer has presented the keynote address at the Annual Case Management Society of America Convention in Anaheim, California. As a featured speaker, she highlighted the critical role of case management in a reformed health care environment.  In recognition of her expertise, Oregon Health Sciences University appointed Ms. Murer to its National Advisory Board on Population Base Case Management.  Ms. Murer has been appointed by CARF to its International Advisory Committee to promote globalization of accreditation standards. 

Ms. Murer has co-authored with Lyndean Lenhoff Brick and Michael A. Murer four books published by McGraw-Hill.  The Case Management Sourcebook, is a 300-page text that serves as a guide to designing and implementing a centralized case management system.  A second book, published by McGraw Hill and co-published by HFMA, entitled Post Acute Care Reimbursement Manual-A Financial and Legal Guide, addressed the financial impact to post acute venues pre and post BBA.  A third book, Compliance Audits and Plans for Healthcare, was one of the first books to address complex heath care compliance issues.  A fourth book, Medical Records Management is an 800 page complete guide to disclosure, retention and technology.  A fifth book was published in April of 2003 by Commerce Clearing House, Inc. (CCH), entitled Understanding Provider-Based Status.

As commencement speaker at her alma mater, Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, Ms. Murer was awarded the Mother Gerard Phelan Gold Medal; previous recipients have included Nancy Reagan, the Honorable Clare Boothe Luce, Elinor Guggenheimer, and past U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Antonia Novello.  In January of 1994, Ms. Murer was honored by American Express and was recognized for her leadership and outstanding accomplishments.  American Express described Ms. Murer as “a health care pioneer who has been a leader in helping health care providers find cost effective procedures without reducing the quality of care.”  She was also featured in the College of Law Magazine, Northern Lawyer, cited as "Graduate at the Forefront of Today's Healthcare Industry".

Ms. Murer has served on the editorial advisory boards of Aspen Publishers, CurAnt Communications and Stevens Publishing Corporation.  She has been a columnist for Rehab Management Magazine since 1993.  Her column “Issues and Trends” focuses on timely and sometimes controversial subjects impacting the delivery of health care.  Ms. Murer has authored over 160 articles published in journals and magazines on healthcare finance, regulatory compliance, new business development and globalization.   

Ms. Murer has developed specialized expertise in proton therapy serving as Chair of the NIU subcommittee to establish a Proton Therapy and Research Center in conjunction with Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory.  This would be the sixth such facility in the United States.   Her concern for the future direction of health care within our country prompted her to accept an appointment by Vice President George Bush to serve as National Co-Chair, Disability Coalition. She was subsequently appointed in 1988 as President Bush’s National Co-Chair “Access to Opportunity Committee” and served as a member of the U.S. International Cultural and Trade Center Commission Advisory Committee on Foreign Language Needs of Business.  In 2007 Ms. Murer was nominated to MedPac by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and awaits decision as to the appointment.