HFMA’s Enterprise membership empowers healthcare organizations with practical resources and relevant education to cultivate their finance teams. Since Enterprise Solutions was introduced in 2018, HFMA’s Enterprise membership has grown exponentially.
While HFMA works closely with Enterprise partners to design customized programs, internal Enterprise leads work to promote these resources. Now, these unsung heroes are finally getting the recognition they deserve through the Enterprise Impact Award, established in 2025 to honor individuals who champion HFMA engagement across their organizations.
“Although Enterprise leads work behind the scenes to connect their teams with HFMA resources, they directly influence how employees grow and engage within their field,” said Craig Nesta, one of the winners who will be recognized at the upcoming HFMA Leadership Summit, April 26-28 in Austin, Texas.
2025 HFMA Enterprise Impact Award winners
Here is a look at the 2025 Enterprise Impact Award winners and how they are strengthening their workforces through HFMA Enterprise membership.
Kevin Barron, vice president of payer relations at University Health. Barron enhanced Enterprise engagement at University Health by integrating HFMA membership benefits into departmental onboarding, performance planning and corporate strategy. Through continuous communication and a dedicated intranet hub, Barron amplified engagement across all operational areas of the organization. Within 18 months, HFMA membership at University Health expanded from one active member and four certifications to 219 active members and 63 certifications.
Jackie Chalarca, director of revenue integrity at Moffitt Cancer Center. Chalarca elevated HFMA participation as a cornerstone of Moffitt’s finance education strategy by embedding membership into the culture. Beyond encouraging attendance at local HFMA chapter events, Moffitt hosts its own annual education event with participation exceeding 230 attendees. Incorporating certifications into onboarding modules and advancement pathways helped expand participation to 1,374 employees across the clinical, research and administrative teams.
Nikki Harper, chair of revenue cycle – automation, analytics and diversified revenue at Mayo Clinic. Harper created a comprehensive communication strategy that highlights HFMA resources and celebrates individual achievements to showcase the value of membership. Her structured campaigns increased elearning utilization by 50%, boosted webinar registrations and attendance at 656 events in 2025, supporting 488 certified professionals across the organization. Harper also encouraged extensive chapter involvement, resulting in 16 chapter committee roles and five national HFMA leadership roles filled by Mayo staff.
Craig Nesta, vice president of Emerson Practice Associates at Emerson Health. Nesta elevated HFMA chapter involvement by integrating professional networking, volunteer leadership and career development into Emerson’s workforce strategy. He reinforced Emerson’s commitment to professional growth by promoting enterprise membership in monthly meetings and recruiting events, while recognizing employees through social media and internal communications for their involvement.
Hannah Perez, manager of revenue cycle operations at Corewell Health. Perez strengthened engagement at Corewell Health through constant communication and supportive outreach that made HFMA resources easily accessible. She coordinated a centralized hub, monthly email newsletters, and educational events — including a record-setting mentorship session that drew nearly 700 attendees. Her efforts grew HFMA membership within her organization from under 1,000 to 4,187 over five years, with 629 revenue cycle team members earning or maintaining certifications last year.
Chelsea Suschanke, director of revenue quality and performance improvement at Phelps Health. Suschanke transformed HFMA engagement by embedding education and certification into departmental operations. Her leadership expanded HFMA participation from 13 members to 268, increasing membership at Phelps Health by 57% in 2025. She designed custom learning dashboards aligned to specific revenue cycle roles, driving 112% growth in e-learning completions from 164 in 2024 to 347 in 2025. Her enterprisewide initiatives resulted in 33 new certifications last year.
Theresa Wagenman, CFO (formerly controller) at Grand River Hospital District. Wagenman expanded HFMA engagement within a rural critical access hospital by removing financial and educational barriers to create meaningful development opportunities for staff. By implementing certification incentive programs, Wagenman achieved approximately 75% staff engagement, with 55 members enrolled, 37 education courses completed and 13 certified employees.
In addition to these seven honorees, HFMA has an award for Mary Kirkendall, recognizing her individual efforts in promoting the benefits of HFMA membership. She has guided peers in effectively leveraging HFMA resources to drive meaningful outcomes, applying strategic planning and systematic processes to address both operational and individual needs.
How to participate in next year’s awards
Get ready to share your engagement strategies and successes by nominating your organization’s Enterprise lead when HFMA calls for applications in October 2026.
5 takeaways to drive enterprise engagement
The success stories of these winners of HFMA’s inaugural Enterprise Impact Award offer best practices to inspire Enterprise leads at other healthcare organizations. Try some of these tactics to engage your team:
- Embed HFMA participation, eLearning completion and certification into onboarding programs and performance goals.
- Develop centralized resource hubs and customized dashboards to create accountability and track progress.
- Communicate consistently across channels to spread awareness of HFMA programs and opportunities.
- Celebrate HFMA achievements to recognize employees and encourage participation.
- Promote chapter leadership and volunteer involvement as pathways to professional development.
