Fleming Center for Healthcare Management

The HealthSpark

Welcome to ”The HealthSpark: Igniting Healthcare Management Change with Dr. Raya,” a dynamic podcast series where we delve into the minds of trailblazing healthcare industry leaders. Hosted by Dr. Ginger Raya, a seasoned expert in healthcare management and organizational leadership, this podcast shines a light on those who are driving innovation and transformation in the healthcare sector. Each episode features in-depth conversations with subject matter experts who share their unique perspectives and experiences, offering listeners a rich tapestry of insights on managing and improving healthcare systems.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, executive, student, or someone passionate about the future of healthcare, this podcast is designed for you. Our ideal audience includes healthcare executives, policy makers, medical practitioners, and aspiring leaders who are eager to stay ahead of industry trends, learn from real-world experiences, and be inspired by stories of change and innovation.

Listen Now!

• Season 2

  Ep1 - Saving Rural Healthcare: Syracuse’s Award-Winning Strategy

  In this episode of Healthspark, we break down an award-winning strategy developed by Syracuse University’s first-place Fleming Case Competition team that offers a bold, data-driven blueprint for rural healthcare sustainability.

  PodBean   YouTube

  Ep2 - Fixing Patient Access: Turning Healthcare Data into Decisions with Peyton Fry

  Coming 2/12/2026!

• Season 1

  Ep1 - AI for Good: Transforming Healthcare Responsibly

  Generative AI is changing healthcare—are we ready? Former global tech leader and AI strategist Rebecca Gonzalez reveals the risks, rewards, and responsibilities of AI-driven medicine.

  PodBean   YouTube

  Ep2 - Leading with Heart: A CEO’s Journey in Healthcare

  What does it take to lead in healthcare? Former hospital CEO Allie Trimble Lozano shares her journey of running microhospitals, building strong teams, and transforming patient care

  PodBean   YouTube

  Ep3 - AI & the Law: Navigating Healthcare’s Legal Frontier

  AI is reshaping healthcare—are the laws keeping up? Lawyer & tech expert Alex Shahrestani breaks down the legal landmines of AI in medicine, from privacy risks to ethical dilemmas

  PodBean   YouTube

  Ep4 - Airing It Out: Humor, Healing & Reinvention

  A raw, hilarious take on life, leadership, and reinvention! Former hospital CEO Allie Trimble Lozano joins us to share her deeply personal journey—from divorce and career upheaval to self-discovery and empowerment.

  PodBean   YouTube

  Ep5 - Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health & Healing

  Celeste Nevarez is a dedicated mental health professional and healthcare leader, currently serving as the Chief of Clinical Services at Emergence Health Network in El Paso, Texas. With over a decade of experience, she has significantly contributed to the mental health sector, particularly in addressing impact of trauma.

  PodBean  YouTube

  Ep6 - Leveling the Playing Field: Negotiating Physician Salaries with Ethan Nkana

  In this episode of Healthspark, we sit down with Ethan Nkana — attorney, MBA, and founder of Rocky Mountain Physician Agency — to talk about why doctors deserve the same contract advocacy as professional athletes.

  PodBean   Youtube

  Ep7 - Innovating for Impact: Entrepreneurship and Health Innovation with Dr. Joshua Ortiz-Guzman

  In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Joshua Ortiz-Guzman — scientist, entrepreneur, and systems builder — whose work spans biotechnology, clinical research, environmental innovation, and space technology.

  PodBean   YouTube

Why should you listen?

"The HealthSpark" is more than just a podcast—it's a catalyst for thought-provoking discussions and actionable ideas. Tune in to discover how leading experts are navigating the complexities of healthcare, pioneering new solutions, and ultimately shaping a better future for patients and providers alike.

Interested in being a guest on the podcast?

Schedule a pre-screening call with Dr. Raya today!

The George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management is at the forefront of transforming healthcare management education and leadership. Our mission is to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge, skills, and innovative mindset needed to excel in today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

What we offer

We are thrilled to unveil a series of redesigned programs and certificates launching later this year, specifically crafted to enhance the capabilities of healthcare leaders. These new offerings cover essential areas such as Leadership & Management, Change & Strategic Management, Finance & Strategic Financial Management, Ethics & Compliance, and Emerging Technologies. In 2025, we will introduce an exciting new program that will succeed the Academic Medical Department Leadership program, further solidifying our commitment to educational excellence.

Beyond our educational programs, we offer specialized consulting services and leadership training designed to help healthcare organizations overcome leadership challenges and successfully navigate change. Our customized curriculum development services ensure that your leadership training programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Engage with us

We are also excited to present our podcast series, The HealthSpark: Igniting Healthcare Management Change with Dr. Raya. This series is a hub for groundbreaking ideas and insightful discussions, featuring industry leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare. Additionally, don’t miss our annual Fleming Center Healthcare Management Case Competition, which kicks off with a keynote from an inspiring leader in the field.

Join us as we explore new horizons in healthcare management, providing you with the tools and knowledge to lead with confidence and make a lasting impact.

Practicum and Intern Opportunities

The Fleming Center for Healthcare Management offers a range of competitive practicum and internship opportunities designed to provide students with hands-on experience in various aspects of healthcare management. These opportunities include managing historical case competition data, participating in podcast production, and taking on specialized roles in career coaching and executive leadership training. Students can expect to engage in activities such as historical management, abstract preparation, guest coordination for podcasts, client support in career coaching, and more. Each practicum is tailored to enhance students' professional development through real-world applications, mentorship, and networking opportunities, with options for both remote and on-site participation.

Interested in real world experience? Apply for a Fleming Center Practicum:

• Executive Certificate Intern
• Career Coaching Practicum
• Fleming Center Capstone Practicum
• HealthSpark Podcast Practicum
• Academic Medical Department Leadership Practicum
• Virtual Capstone Announcement 

Meet the Fleming Center Interns

Zoe Guillot Zoe Guillot is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, with an expected graduation in May 2026. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from The University of Texas at Austin, along with a Pre-Health Professions Certificate, and participated in the accelerated master’s program between UT Austin and UTHealth Houston. Zoe has a strong interest in healthcare operations and systems improvement, with exposure to frontline care through her volunteer work in the Emergency Department at Memorial Hermann. These experiences have shaped her interest in patient flow, care coordination, and operational efficiency in complex healthcare environments. She is especially passionate about advancing access to care, affordability, quality, and patient-centered delivery models. Zoe is currently completing her practicum under Ginger Raya, EdD, MHA, MPA at the George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management. Her practicum focuses on alumni engagement and outcomes evaluation for the Executive Certificate Program, including analyzing survey data related to program satisfaction, perceived value, and career impact. Through this work, she aims to support continuous improvement and strengthen the Center’s impact on current and future healthcare leaders Guillot LinkedIn

Zoe Norkiewicz Zoe is currently pursuing an MPH in Healthcare Management at UTHealth Houston and is set to graduate in the spring of 2026. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Climate Change at Texas A&M University, graduating summa cum laude. Her professional background is rooted in clinical research and includes experience with adult and pediatric populations with a wide variety of health indications. Zoe is passionate about patient care and contributing to finding cures and treatments for diseases through clinical research. Zoe is currently completing her practicum experience under Dr. Ginger Raya at the George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management. Her work centers on compiling sources notes on scholarly articles, policy reports, and credible news sources related to the Texas House Bill 18 and the Rural Health Stabilization and Innovation Act to provide a foundational background for the broader research project as well as analyzing potential relationships between participants in the Executive Certificate in Healthcare Management and Leadership program to provide preliminary insights into how professional experience and roles may influence project selection and outcomes. Norkiewicz LinkedIn

Past Interns

Executive Certificate in
Healthcare Management & Leadership

The Executive Certificate in Healthcare Management & Leadership is an eight-week hybrid program designed to strengthen leadership, strategic management, financial, and performance improvement skills for healthcare professionals. 

Who Should Apply

• Emerging and mid-level professionals (administrators, clinical leaders, or those moving into management).
• Rural and underserved health professionals, including those in hospitals, tribal health systems, public health departments, and rural-serving organizations.
• Corporate healthcare and consulting professionals.

Learn More Today!

Spring 2025 Cohort Recap
The program concluded on May 30, 2025, with participants representing a wide range of roles and geographies:

·         Clinical Leadership: Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Family Nurse Practitioner, Surgical Oncologist

·         Operations & Quality: Clinical Operations Manager, Pediatric Quality Manager

·         Strategy & Innovation: Business Development Manager, Managing Director in healthcare analytics

Proposals included:

·         Sepsis Coordinator Expansion

·         Breast Center of Excellence

·         Pediatric Weight Loss Clinic

Geographic Reach:
Participants came from Texas (Houston, El Paso, Frisco, Pearland), New Mexico (Albuquerque), and Nebraska (Omaha). This varied background fostered a dynamic learning environment grounded in cross-functional collaboration and shared leadership challenges.

View highlights from our most recent Spring 2025 cohort: Photo Gallery

Healthcare Leaders & Innovators

Target audience: Ideal for emerging and mid-level professionals, including administrators, clinical leaders, and those transitioning into management. Especially valuable for professionals in rural or underserved settings, including those working in rural hospitals, critical access facilities, tribal health system.

Course description: Participants will master critical business and leadership concepts, empowering them to analyze their organizations, prioritize strategic initiatives, lead effective change, and confidently manage teams. The course also includes the planning, communication, and implementation of strategic projects tailored to the unique needs of their healthcare environment.

Format: Available to healthcare organizations, our courses are fully customizable to meet the specific needs and goals of your team. The format and number of sessions can be adapted accordingly to ensure the most impactful learning experience.

Expanded Offerings

We are excited to announce the launch of a new and innovative program that will replace the Academic Medical Department Leadership program in 2025. In addition to this new offering, we provide specialized consulting services and leadership training for your healthcare organization. Our focus is on delivering tailored solutions that help healthcare organizations navigate leadership challenges and successfully manage change. We also offer curriculum development services, customizing leadership training programs to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Executive Leadership Team

Ginger Raya, EdD, MHA, MPA

Aanand Naik, MD

Robert Morrow, MD, MBA

Linda Cole, DNP, TN, APRN, CCNS, SNE, CPHQ

Theresa Tran, MD, MBA, FACEP

Lariza McBean

Opportunities to lead, collaborate and learn

The Fleming Center offers students many activities emphasizing leadership, teamwork, and learning from industry leaders, further enriching their academic experience.

Annual Fleming Center Case Competition

The annual case competition, co-sponsored by The Board, provides students with an exciting way to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a real-world problem. Teams of students compete to develop the best solution to a healthcare management-related case study. In the process, they bridge the academic and practice worlds, collaborate with their peers and take on leadership roles in a competitive setting.

Click here to learn more about the Spring 2026 Fleming Center Case Competition.

The Board

A student organization focused on leadership and management, The Board seeks to enrich students academically, professionally and socially as they transition into their careers. The organization offers course selection help, peer to peer coaching, alumni networking and opportunities for involvement in professional organizations including the American College of Healthcare Executives and Healthcare Financial Management Association. The Board also sponsors career development workshops, and provides activities that encourage students to forge relationships with their peers and successful professionals in their field.

Contact The Board: 
[email protected]
LinkedIn

Practicum and Intern Opportunities 

The Fleming Center for Healthcare Management offers a range of competitive practicum and internship opportunities designed to provide students with hands-on experience in various aspects of healthcare management. These opportunities include managing historical case competition data, participating in podcast production, and taking on specialized roles in career coaching and executive leadership training. Students can expect to engage in activities such as historical management, abstract preparation, guest coordination for podcasts, client support in career coaching, and more. Each practicum is tailored to enhance students' professional development through real-world applications, mentorship, and networking opportunities, with options for both remote and on-site participation.

Interested in real world experience? Apply for a Fleming Center Practicum:

• Career Coaching Practicum
• Fleming Center Capstone Practicum
• HealthSpark Podcast Practicum
• Academic Medical Department Leadership Practicum
• Virtual Capstone Announcement