The first graduates of a new Washington State University certificate program designed to equip professionals to succeed in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape are already driving real-world improvements for patients across Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Master of Healthcare Administration and Leadership<\/a> (MHAL) program, a partnership between the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and Carson College of Business, celebrated its first graduation in May. Each graduate designed and carried out a capstone project exploring solutions to a healthcare challenge in their field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe point of the capstone is to take everything students have learned from our faculty mentors and apply it to something practical in their professional lives\u2014so they leave with something truly tangible,\u201d said Tad\u00e9 Ayeni, EdD, director for leadership education at the College of Medicine. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing students move from informal leadership into formal roles because they can now demonstrate their impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One learner created an initiative to increase cancer screening rates among eligible patients, reducing her clinic\u2019s backlog of approximately 10,000 unscreened individuals to about 3,000. The project has the potential to catch cancer cases early, improving outcomes for thousands of patients and their families. The graduate behind the project has since been promoted from a coordinator role to a leadership role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program\u2019s 10 graduates hail from a variety of healthcare backgrounds, including practicing physicians, nurse managers, patient advocates, healthcare attorneys, and other professionals. They\u2019re now putting their new leadership skills and business acumen into practice at healthcare systems statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis first cohort represents the kind of leadership our healthcare system needs\u2014individuals who can turn insight into action and drive meaningful change,\u201d said Luisita Francis, MD, associate dean of leadership development at the College of Medicine. \u201cOur goal is to prepare graduates to not only identify problems but to feel empowered to develop solutions within their own organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For her capstone, Jessica Gallien, MBA, MHAL, PMP, an experienced clinical and medical education project manager, partnered with a free clinic serving uninsured patients in Puget Sound to modernize their specialty referral tracking system. She turned more than 20 separate tracking systems for different specialties into one streamlined operational dashboard supported by AI tools to reduce administrative burden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe MHAL program sharpened my leadership skills and exposed me to methodologies meant to expand an organization’s capacity for service and reinvention,\u201d Gallien said. \u201cWhat began as a one-quarter capstone project has continued well beyond graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s now lending her change management expertise to multiple Washington nonprofits. Gallien also presented her operational dashboard system at this year\u2019s Washington State Nonprofit Conference to help more healthcare organizations improve operational efficiency and better connect patients with the care they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program is designed as an online stackable certificate program to be flexible for working professionals seeking to advance their careers. Students can complete individual certificates that meet their needs or complete the series and a capstone project to earn a master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Managing the Business of Healthcare Certificate has proven popular, reflecting the complex demands facing healthcare administrators and other middle and upper-level managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOffering the certificate in partnership with the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine creates a unique opportunity for students to develop strong business acumen that complements their clinical expertise,\u201d said Matt Beer, director of master\u2019s programs at the Carson College. \u201cThe program\u2019s flexible online format, insights from faculty with industry experience, and focus on foundational business skills allow working professionals to deliver greater service to their patients and organizations in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Melissa Peterson, RN, BS, MHAL, a registered nurse and director of clinic services for the Columbia County Health System in southwestern Washington, the MHAL program\u2019s leadership courses have been the most valuable for her professional development. While she brings extensive clinical and operational experience to her role, she recognized the need to expand her administrative skillset to address challenges like financial sustainability, regulatory complexity, and strategic planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe MHAL program has already influenced how I approach my work by shifting my perspective from primarily operational to strategically focused,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cRural health systems face unique challenges, and my goal is to help organizations adapt and thrive rather than merely survive. The program helped me develop the skills and confidence to lead with both competence and compassion, and I intend to use that foundation to advocate for thoughtful, pragmatic solutions to healthcare challenges\u2014particularly for rural and underserved populations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Applications for Fall 2026 are open and accepting international students. Visit the Master of Healthcare Administration and Leadership<\/a> website to learn more and apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMedia Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n