Our Team

Leadership
Rick Reid, MPA, FHFMA, CHFP, CPA
"Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should." - Ian Malcolm, PhD
Rick has over thirty years of expertise in the healthcare finance and reimbursement service areas. He has worked in a variety of roles in hospital finance departments, including ten years as a CFO for Acute Care and Rural hospitals. Additionally, he has consulted for multiple national healthcare consulting firms and worked for a healthcare payor. Rick prides himself on providing the high level of service that is synonymous with The Rybar Group.
Experience:
- Strong understanding of both present and future reimbursement and payment issues and strategies to ensure providers are optimizing their opportunities
- In-depth knowledge of accounting, budgeting, reimbursement and revenue cycle functions, including Medicare and Medicaid Cost Reporting, Third-Party Reimbursement, Contractual Modeling, Corporate Compliance, Strategic Planning, Financial Analysis, Budgeting, Decision Support and Payor Reimbursement Systems
- Specialization in ensuring rural health providers are optimizing their opportunities and that they qualify for all potential Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Former Chapter President, Western Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Former Board Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Member, Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Julie Hardy, MSA, CRCE, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P
"What other people think of you is none of your business."
Julie draws upon her extensive experience acquired while working in executive-level positions at academic medical centers, integrated health systems, children’s hospitals, and hospital-owned medical groups.
With a focus in revenue cycle management including coding, billing, compliance, reimbursement, and vendor management, Julie has helped to enhance provider financial performance, resulting in improved reimbursement and increased physician compensation while maintaining compliant practices. She has a special interest in process improvement, project management, and operational optimization, regularly providing guidance as to best practices and methods that support processes leading to optimal revenue.
Experience:
- Identification of revenue opportunities through improved revenue cycle processes and the optimization of physician contracts
- Assistance throughout third-party audits to ensure providers have the resources needed to support documentation, coding and billing.
- Expert testimony on behalf of physicians related to coding and compliance matters
Associations:
- Member, Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)
- Business Committee Chair, Michigan Medical Group Management Association (MiMGMA)
- Member, American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Member, American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Member, American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM)
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Jesse C. Parker, CPA
"Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity."
Jesse offers extensive healthcare regulatory reimbursement and payment experience. Through his work for one of the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC), Jesse offers experience with financial and governmental reimbursement audits for healthcare organizations and government entities.
Utilizing his first-hand experience within the MAC, Jesse provides our clients with a current understanding as to what the auditors are requesting and how providers can work to optimize their reimbursement while meeting the regulatory requirements. He is instrumental in assisting our clients in identifying revenue opportunities through analysis of their cost reports and the application of regulatory opportunities.
Experience:
- Healthcare regulatory reimbursement and payment experience
- Analysis of cost report structures, statistical allocations, and data to ensure proper reimbursement for facilities in multiple states
- Medicare and Medicaid cost report regulatory requirements and optimization
Associations:
- Member, Florida Association of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA)
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Steve Sprague, CHFP, CPA
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain
Steve has assisted numerous rural hospitals in ensuring that they benefited from the special reimbursement opportunities available through their designation. His innovative problem-solving capabilities and the ability to link business strategies to successful outcomes is invaluable as he supports clients through the appeal process. He has been deeply involved in several cost report preparations and optimization engagements and has analyzed cost report structures, statistical allocations, and data to ensure proper reimbursement for facilities in multiple states. Steve holds expertise in all facets of accounting, including corporate budgeting, financial reconciliations, and financial reporting. His experience includes multiple years as a Corporate Controller for a national business strategy organization.
Experience:
- Healthcare regulatory reimbursement experience
- Numerous Successful Volume Decrease Adjustment requests
- Perform system-wide analysis of the potential impact of payer policy changes
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Claudine Hildreth
"You'll laugh about it one day, so why not laugh now?"
As a seasoned Client Relationship Professional, Claudine works as the business liaison of the organization, focusing on the success, satisfaction, and growth of our clients. She has developed an in-depth knowledge of the healthcare industry, having worked in various operational and administrative roles within the hospital, clinical office, pharmaceutical distribution, and consulting settings. Over the years, Claudine has helped shape the strategic direction of a number of organizations, working with several non-profits and for-profits through restructuring and change, developing strategies to ensure stability while creating a new framework and plan for growth. She has proven experience in directing business efforts, working to align resources and services to meet the needs of organizations and lay the groundwork for future growth and stability.
Experience:
- Development of mutual beneficial strategic relationships
- Contract analysis and negotiations
- Strategic direction and organizational alignment through restructure and growth
- Marketing and promotion of services
Associations:
- Member of the Board of Directors for numerous non-profit organizations
Managers
Caren Puvalowski, CHFP
"Whatever you do, do it well." - Walt Disney
Caren is passionate about serving rural health providers. Having spent her career working with Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and other Rural Hospitals, she offers strong financial, accounting, revenue cycle, and reimbursement experience. Her prior provider experience and hands-on knowledge of the issues impacting rural hospitals allows her to identify both present and future reimbursement and payment opportunities.
Areas of focus have included financial, reimbursement, cash flow analysis, pro-forma scenarios, accounting, general ledger, financial statements, contractual allowance, contract management and negotiations, operational efficiency, and revenue cycle analysis.
Experience:
- Financial and accounting expertise from Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Hospitals
- Ensures that rural health providers optimize their payments under their designations
- Assisted several health systems to implement strategies for optimizing the opportunities of their rural hospitals
- Worked in a variety of roles in the finance departments of CAHs, including multiple years as a Chief Financial Officer
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Timothy M. Jodway, CPA, COC
"There are three sides to every story…mine, theirs, and the truth."
Having worked with national healthcare consulting firms and in a variety of roles in the finance departments of hospitals and health systems, including multiple years as a Chief Financial Officer, Tim provides a range of strategic initiatives centered on the complexities of reimbursement and the use of the cost report for optimizing reimbursement.
Tim offers a hands-on knowledge of the issues impacting providers allows him to identify both present and future reimbursement and payment opportunities. This includes an in-depth knowledge of accounting, budgeting, reimbursement, contract negotiation and revenue cycle functions, including Medicare and Medicaid Cost Reporting, Third-Party Reimbursement, Contractual Modeling, Corporate Compliance, Strategic Planning, Financial Analysis, Budgeting, Decision Support and Payor Reimbursement Systems.
Experience:
- Assisted several hospitals on turnaround related activities, resulting in significant system changes and improvements
- Redesign initiatives for both financial and revenue cycle related functions, resulting in improved revenue, processes and outcomes
- Active role from both the buyer and seller side in hospital and health system pre-acquisition due diligence as well as work implementing changes post acquisition
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Member, American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
Brooke A. Yowell
"The purpose of our lives is to be happy" - Dalai Lama
Brooke offers extensive expertise related to Medicaid programs. Through her work for a State Medicaid program, she developed and implemented methodologies for Medicaid supplemental payments as well as coordinated with federal regulators, state legislators, industry stakeholders, other state agencies, and agency upper management to resolve any pending issues, working toward a fair outcome for all involved parties, and has proven to be instrumental in negotiations with CMS to get new payment programs approved.
Currently, Brooke is focusing on Medicaid payment optimization for our clients, reviewing Medicare and Medicaid DSH issues, Medicaid DSH Audits, Uncompensated Care, Medicaid Reimbursement Appeals, and assisting entities with high concentration of Medicare and Medicaid utilization. She is instrumental in obtaining additional Medicaid enhanced reimbursement for providers.
Experience:
- Medicaid reimbursement and optimization
- Development and implementation of supplemental payment programs, including negotiations with CMS
- Coordination with federal and state legislators
Associations:
- Member, Florida Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Clair Kelley, CPC, CPMA, COBGC, RH-CBS
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop
Clair offers a range of expertise in the area of professional service coding, auditing, and education. Over the years, she has worked in several settings, and her experience includes working with a robust residency program and a multitude of specialties, including internal medicine, family medicine, maternal fetal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry. Clair’s experience with the various aspects of professional coding allows her to assist clients in developing solutions that yield measurable results. Through her activities she has developed an extensive knowledge of coding, offering a valuable balance of revenue and compliance expertise.
Experience:
- Documentation compliance optimization
- Identification of missed charges and coding opportunities
- Assist with the completion of payer audit-based corrective action plans
Associations:
- Member, American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Member, National Alliance of Medical Auditing Specialists (NAMAS)
- Member, National Rural Health Association (NRHA)
Consultants
Sue Allison, CPC, COBGC
"I am a very strong believer in listening and learning from others." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Sue offers a range of expertise in the area of professional service coding, billing, auditing, and education. Her extensive knowledge of the coding and billing process offers a valuable balance of revenue and compliance expertise, including hands-on experience with billing operations and denial management. She has a special strength in pediatrics, surgery and obstetric-related specialties including general OB, maternal fetal medicine, urogynecology and gynecologic oncology.
Experience:
- Professional service coding, billing, auditing, and education
- Identification of missed revenue opportunities
- Completion of audits of professional documentation
- Educate on regulatory requirements
Associations:
- Member, American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Member, National Alliance of Medical Auditing Specialists (NAMAS)
James L. Hedges, CPA, CHDA, CIAP-T, MSCIS
"What goes around comes around."
Jim’s extensive knowledge of the third-party payor reimbursement systems is continually in high demand. He is recognized as an expert in the hospital reimbursement community on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the underlying claims data, and how it impacts payment and the reimbursement process. With a focus on the technical aspects of commercial payer reimbursement, Jim works to position clients to identify both present and future opportunities.
Experience:
- Expert hospital reimbursement consultant on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
- Third-party payor reimbursement systems
- Identification and resolution of underpaid claims
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Member, American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
Deb Kenney, CPC, CPMA, CRC, CPEDC
"Improvise, adapt and overcome" - U.S. Marine Corp
Deb’s experience in revenue cycle management, coding, billing, compliance and auditing allows her to assist clients in implementing sustainable solutions related to optimizing revenue and workflows, establishing and maintaining reporting methodologies and ensuring compliance. She has worked at numerous medical centers, physician groups, hospitals and national healthcare consulting firms, including work as the Director of Revenue Management for a multi-location Federally Qualified Health Center that provided primary care and Integrated Behavioral Health services.
As a consultant, Deb has assisted several multi-specialty practices and hospital-based physician groups in an array of payer reimbursement-related needs. Through her activities she has developed expertise in risk and compliance, medical records management, multi-specialty physician coding, chart auditing, medical billing and payer contracting.
Experience:
- Developed expertise in risk and compliance, medical records management, multi-specialty physician coding, chart auditing, medical billing and payer contracting.
- Assessment of revenue cycle activities, developing and implementing workflow and process improvements
Associations:
- Member, American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Member, National Alliance of Medical Auditing Specialists (NAMAS)
Terri Kalinski
"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt
With over thirty-five years of experience, Terri offers extensive experience in the areas of healthcare finance, reimbursement and revenue cycle. Her work in the finance and revenue cycle departments of hospitals provides her with a clear understanding of system integration and its effect on clinical and financial outcomes.
She has served as the liaison between executives, clinical managers and staff to understand the impact of clinical processes on the revenue cycle. With a strong understanding of the front-, middle- and back-end of the revenue process, Terri uses a teamwork approach to implement solutions to improve overall workflow processes.
Terri’s systematic approach to reviewing hospital revenue cycle process, results in efficiency and financial gain.
Experience:
- Evaluate and implement improvements to the revenue cycle by optimizing available software
- Improved efficiency and financial outcomes
- Implementation of Cerner Soarian EMR and Patient Accounting
- Implementation of a clinical documentation improvement program to decrease inpatient denials and identify the appropriate level of care
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Eric Stec, CPA
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. "The rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage." - Dale Carnegie
Eric started his career in Public Accounting working as a senior-level accounting professional, focusing in the areas of tax and healthcare across multiple markets. He has worked with a variety of Medicare Administrative Contractors to optimize reimbursement for a range of healthcare providers including hospitals, nursing facilities, home health agencies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Rural Health providers.
Currently, Eric assists providers in optimizing their reimbursement and payment opportunities. His focus includes work with contractual reviews, preparation of various cost reports, cost report strategies and governmental and third-party appeals and reopens.
Experience:
- Public Accounting
- Reimbursement optimization through cost report strategies
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Sarah Martinez
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." - C.S. Lewis
Sarah holds expertise in various facets of accounting, finance, and revenue cycle. This includes work as a Revenue Cycle Specialist for a rural referral center and teaching hospital and as a Financial Analyst as part of a health system. Over the years, Sarah has provided analytical support for process improvement initiatives, as well as assisted with the annual budget, monthly close processes, and bank and G/L general ledger reconciliation.
Currently, Sarah works with a variety of providers, assisting them in optimizing their reimbursement opportunities. Her focus includes work with contractual reviews, preparation of various cost reports, cost report strategies and governmental and third-party appeals and reopens.
Experience:
- Analytical support for process improvement initiatives
- Preparation of Medicare cost reports for critical care hospitals and rural health clinics
- Appeals and re-opens to obtain optimal reimbursement
Associations:
- Member, Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)

The Rybar Group, Inc. was awarded
“Best Client Experience” by BDO Alliance.
The Rybar Group was awarded the Excellence in Client Experience Award at the annual BDO Alliance Conference in Las Vegas. This award recognized our commitment to making our clients the center of every process, team, and technology decision, especially in the context of a challenging work environment.
Please join us in celebrating this recognition.

The Rybar Group is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms with similar client goals.