President’s Welcome
Welcome to the WA-AK HFMA Chapter!
I am very excited to begin my second term as WA AK HFMA Chapter President on June 1st! have had a chance to meet many of you over the past 3.5 years since I transferred into the WA AK HFMA Chapter, but I thought it would be helpful to share a little bit about me. I have been in healthcare for over 30 years. During my “day time job”, I serve as the Ambulatory Services Financial Officer for EvergreenHealth and also serve as the Financial Officer for EvergreenHealth Monroe Hospital.
I am originally from Minnesota but relocated to the Chicago area in 2010 when I accepted a job with Loyola University Medical Center. In October 2020, during the height of the pandemic, my husband and I made the cross-country venture so that I could join EvergreenHealth. We have been having a blast exploring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest ever since!
This year’s Chapter theme will continue to be “Setting New Trends.” We have continued to build on the wonderful traditions and successes that the chapter has achieved over the years and have also tried a few new things including monthly social networking events, an annual Chapter Installation Dinner and an annual Officer Retreat.
Volunteering is very important to me. I view it as a combination of giving back, paying it forward, and saying “thank you” to all of the wonderful mentors that have helped me throughout my career. I began my volunteering with HFMA in 2015 as part of the First Illinois Chapter, serving as a member and then Co-Chair of the Membership Committee. I was serving as the Chapter Secretary/Treasurer at the time we relocated to Washington. At the time of my transition, I connected with Jesse Maier and Mike Smith and was able to immediately become active with the WA AK Chapter. It has been a fun and exciting journey through the President track!
We created three ambitious (but focused) goals at our Officer Retreat in February which we refined at our Volunteer Summit this March. Our Chapter priorities this year include improving educational content at our Chapter conferences, increasing provider attendance at our Chapter conferences, and leveraging social media platforms to enhance communication and chapter visibility with members, business partners and other key stakeholders. The Chapter has many volunteer opportunities for you to be part of achieving these goals! If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Andre Webster, [email protected].
We have great educational and networking events to connect you to key industry partners. We have at least three conferences each year: Seattle area, Spokane and Anchorage as well as monthly social networking events. We also have our Women’s event planned for September. Join us also for a Mariners baseball game with one of our group suites! Visit our Chapter Events Calendar for more information: Washington-Alaska (cvent.com).
Thank you to Jesse Maier, Mike Smith, and the many others that have helped with my orientation/learning curve and continue to serve as mentors to me. We have a wonderful Officer team in place that is dedicated to chapter membership! Always feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Cheers to a great new chapter year!
Ann Peterson, FHFMA
HFMA Student Scholarship
In June 2024, HFMA launched the new Student Scholarship Program. This is an excellent opportunity for students to broaden their exposure to the Healthcare Finance industry, collaborate with seasoned professionals, network with colleagues across a wide variety of organizations, and to build your resume.
This opportunity is available to current students with studies focused on Healthcare, Finance or a related field.
Scholarship Benefits
- Complementary Annual Membership for one year with the opportunity to extend
- Professional Networking with Healthcare Leaders
- Optional Board Meeting Attendance
- Chapter Committee Involvement
- Live Event Volunteer Opportunities/Participation
- Social Media Engagement
Get Started: Current students who are interested in participating in this opportunity with the Washington-Alaska Chapter should send an email from your student email address to Kim Polanco. Please include your name, the program you are enrolled in, and expected completion/graduation date.
Upcoming Events
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2025 Western Region Symposium registration opens August 1st!
Providers, click on the button below to check out how you can qualify for a discount on registration fees.