EvergreenHealth Chief Financial Officer Chrissy Yamada was recently selected as one of Northwest Asian Weekly’s Women of Color Empowered luncheon honorees.

Yamada’s accomplishments were recognized along with 12 others as part of the panel, “Women & Money Making a Difference,” on September 18 at China Harbor Restaurant in Seattle.

Three times each year, the award program celebrates women from diverse backgrounds who have broken through race and gender barriers in the workplace. The organization hosts industry-themed luncheons, inviting successful businesswomen as panelists to share best practices and inspiration with attendees.

“Once again, Chrissy is an inspiration for the entire EvergreenHealth system, ensuring our organization’s growth amid our accountability to be stewards of our community’s resources,” said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. “We are so happy to see her gain community recognition along with other outstanding women of color for her executive leadership and service to all.”

Earlier this year, Yamada was selected as one of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2015 CFOs of the Year for her innovation and strategic guidance in the midst of health care reforms and changing financial structures to the healthcare field.

Under her leadership, EvergreenHealth has seen a $34 million turnaround. When Yamada joined the organization as CFO in 2004, the hospital system was facing significant financial challenges, having reported a net loss of $9.8 million in 2003.

Today, EvergreenHealth has the highest bond rating of public hospital districts statewide, and the organization has realized net gains of $22.8 million and $24.2 million, respectively for 2013 and 2014, which mark the best years in the hospital’s history.

Yamada’s strategic leadership has also funded an extraordinary expansion of services, including new construction and continual acquisition of leading-edge, multimillion-dollar medical technologies, underpinning EvergreenHealth’s ability to offer medical care that is recognized nationally for its quality, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction.

Yamada is noted for creating support systems for those who are under insured or not insured at all, while also protecting EvergreenHealth’s financial needs when providing charity care. As her six-year tenure on the board of Project Access Northwest demonstrates, she is committed to expanding care for underserved populations and to increasing access to high-quality medical care for those in the community who are most in need.

Outside of her professional life, Yamada is an avid runner, training for and completing several marathons a year, balancing time between her own health and the well-being of the communities she serves.