Maryland Chapter

President’s Welcome

Welcome from the FY25 President
Katie Eckert, CPA, FHFMA
President, HFMA Maryland Chapter

Welcome to the 2025–2026 HFMA Maryland Chapter year! I’m honored to serve as your Chapter President and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such an exceptional community of healthcare finance professionals.

Chapter Focus FY25

Our Chapter’s focus in the coming year will center on connection, resiliency, and sustainability. Together, we will:

Deepen Member Engagement by fostering meaningful relationships and mentorship to build personal and professional resilience.
Strengthen Industry Readiness by delivering timely thought leadership on the latest trends, policy shifts, and strategic approaches to lead through disruption.

Key Upcoming Events

We have an exciting year ahead, and I encourage you to mark your calendars now for two key events: Click here to register for the 2025 MD HFMA Fall Conference.

1. Maryland Fall Annual Conference — October 1 – 3, 2025 | Ashore Resort, Ocean City, Marland
This year’s annual conference is shaping up to be our best yet, featuring national-caliber speakers and timely content designed to help you lead through change. The featured sessions will include:

The Present and Future State of Healthcare Finances in Maryland, presented by Erik Swanson, Managing Director of Data Analytics at Kaufman Hall. He is a regular contributor to Kaufman Hall’s thought leadership and publishes the National Hospital Flash Report.
The Future of Healthcare, presented by Rachel Woods, Vice President and national spokesperson at the Advisory Board.
AI: Step Aside, Status Quo — The Future of Healthcare Is Not What It Used to Be, presented by Tom Lawry, global transformation leader and bestselling author of Hacking Healthcare: How AI and the Intelligence Revolution Will Reboot an Ailing System. Formerly National Director for AI in Health & Life Sciences at Microsoft, his work has been featured in Forbes and Harvard Business Review.
A Story of Resilience and Recovery, shared by Brian Boyle, a motivational speaker whose incredible journey has been featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, NBC’s Today Show, ESPN, CNN, and more.
Payer Contracting Strategies, presented by Berkeley Research Group (BRG).
State-Level Priorities, featuring HSCRC Executive Director Jon Kromm and CRISP Leadership.

A big thank you to past President Ted Giovanis for sponsoring this nationally focused conference and helping us bring these renowned speakers to Maryland.

2. HFMA National Annual Conference 2026 — Coming to National Harbor!
For the first time in recent memory, HFMA’s flagship national conference will be held in our own backyard — June 8–11, 2026, at National Harbor. Let’s show the strength of our Maryland community! Learn more and register here. Mark your calendars now and consider submitting a presentation proposal to showcase Maryland’s talent on the national stage!

The Power of Connection in HFMA

Finally, I want to highlight what has made HFMA so meaningful for me: the people. The relationships and friendships I’ve built through this Chapter have been the most valuable part of my journey. If you’ve been looking for a way to get more involved, now is the time. Whether you volunteer on a committee, mentor a new member, or simply attend an event — your engagement matters, and we’d love to have you and welcome your input on how to maximize the value of HFMA for you.

Let’s make this year one of growth, connection, and impact.

Warmly,
Katie Eckert, CPA, FHFMA
President, HFMA Maryland Chapter