Crystal Milazzo
About the Author
Crystal Milazzo, MPA, has devoted her career to the administration of nonprofit organizations and executive communications. Based in Beaverton, Ore., Crystal is an award-winning speechwriter and currently a senior editor and writer, leadership communications, at HFMA. When she’s not working with the Association’s elected leadership, Crystal is shining a spotlight on the work and accomplishments of HFMA’s chapters and its members.
Latest Work
8 Chapters receive 2023 HFMA Success Awards
Each year, leaders of HFMA’s chapters and regions gather at the Leadership Training Conference to plan for the year ahead and to acquire the skills and resources needed to go back home and make it happen. This year’s event took place April 16-18 in San Antonio, Texas. One of the highlights was the volunteer recognition…
Multiple certifications earned by 37
A total of 2,079 people earned HFMA certifications from Jan. 1 through March 31, with 37 earning multiple certifications. The HFMA certifications are as follows: Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP), Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR), Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) – GCC, Certified Specialist Accounting & Finance (CSAF), Certified Specialist Business Intelligence (CSBI), Certified Specialist…
Chapter News: Northern California Chapter’s new award honors outstanding women
The Northern California Chapter’s annual women’s conferences have always been popular events. And this year’s conference, which took place May 5 at the Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, California, was especially celebratory. That’s because the Chapter marked the event’s 10th anniversary by introducing a new award recognizing women leaders. “Our Chapter wanted to develop…
UASI names Nancy Koors as CEO
Nancy Koors, MBA, MS, recently became CEO of UASI. The company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, provides revenue cycle management solutions including coding, clinical documentation integrity and healthcare information management, and consulting services. Koors is an experienced C-suite executive who has held leadership positions at startups and mid-market organizations in various industries. She joined UASI in…
Nebraska Chapter celebrates a legacy of leadership
HFMA members often refer to fellow members as family. The term captures the close bond that forms out of shared interests and experiences. Actual family and HFMA family were recently one and the same, however, when Virgil Guthrie, a former Nebraska Chapter president, watched his grandson Kyle Teel, FHFMA, CPA, assume the same office he…
Dennis Laraway joins Cleveland Clinic as CFO
Dennis L. Laraway, MBA, officially joined Cleveland Clinic as CFO on March 13. An experienced financial leader, Laraway has held CFO positions at several large integrated health systems, including Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. Most recently, he served…
South Texas Chapter event exceeds expectations
HFMA’s South Texas Chapter hosted a women’s leadership conference on Jan. 20 in Austin, Texas. The theme was Empower, Encourage, Elevate, and it was the first event of its kind for the Chapter. Things went so well that they’re already planning to do it again next year. Trying something different Amy Raymond, vice president of…
Brent Feickert joins Jefferson County Health Center as CFO
Jefferson County Health Center (JCHC) recently welcomed Brent Feickert, MBA, as its new CFO. In addition to providing fiscal leadership for Iowa’s oldest county hospital, Feickert will oversee several departments at JCHC, including the business office, main hospital registration, materials management and environmental services. A current member of HFMA’s Iowa Chapter, Feickert has more than…
Meet HFMA’s newest chapter: Empire New York
Here’s an HFMA riddle for you: When does 63 – 4 = 60? The answer: When four local chapters consolidate to form a single chapter. And that’s what happened recently when four existing chapters — Central New York, Hudson Valley New York, Northeastern New York and Western New York — joined to form the Empire…
Joseph J. Fifer receives HFMA UK’s highest honor
HFMA President and CEO Joseph J. Fifer received an honorary fellowship from HFMA UK. David Hughes and Steve Oglesby retire, while Kim Shrewsbury, Andy Zukowski and Rick Carrico have new CFO jobs.