Christy Roy’s dynamic career has traversed diverse sectors and landscapes. She entered the public sector after nearly two decades in the private financial services industry, transitioning from her role as an accounting systems analyst to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Malawi Department of Forestry in 2013.  After two years in the Peace Corps, Christy combined her finance skills with her affinity for the public sector and joined New Hampshire Medicaid as the senior finance director, where she has been for over five years.  

As the senior finance director, she leads a team charged with determining rate methodologies that are consistent, based on allowable costs, support access for members, encourage provider participation, and follow federal and state regulations. We recently caught up with Christy to learn more about her transition to the world of Medicaid financing and what connects her to the public sector. 

Q. What do you love about working in the public health sector?

A. Working in the public sector feeds my intrinsic values and a desire to use my analytical skills in a way that supports others. My interactions with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, through my experience as a foster parent and navigating my grandmother’s nursing facility care, further cemented my interest in working in the public sector.

Q. What led you into your current role?

A. My grandmother, Memere, whom I adored, had a great experience with nursing services in a long-term care facility. She was in a non-profit facility that accepted Medicaid. The facility was great for her and our family. When I saw a financial analyst role working with nursing facility rate setting in Medicaid, I felt a personal tug toward the opportunity. I was also curious about Medicaid and the role that finance plays in providing health care to those who need it most. With rate setting, we work to find the “sweet spot” to maintain access to care (rates high enough to support providers in delivering quality service), within reasonable allowable costs (rates efficient enough to remain in budget) and comply with state and federal regulations.

Q. What’s a success — big or small — that you experienced recently?

A. My team recently did an amazing job with residential rates, which are payments for services for youth under 21-years-old in residential placements. Residential providers have a variety of specialties, and each facility has different costs, locations, staffing, among other things, which makes it especially challenging to navigate. My team worked together, researched rules, collaborated with other departments and community providers, and hit our deadlines. Our team continues to prioritize collaboration given how important relationship building is to improve care delivery. 

Q. What keeps you motivated, especially on the difficult days?

A. Everyone that I work with works very hard, and that pushes me to keep going on the difficult days. Every show of appreciation is motivating. I’m very lucky to have a team that is open with me. When they have challenges, need to bounce ideas around, or explain why something isn’t working, we talk openly.

Having a respectful team, that truly enjoys humor and each other really helps, too. We have an appreciation for laughter and keep things as light as possible, knowing that what we do matters and is not the only thing that matters at the same time.

Q. How do you get reenergized outside of work?

A. Have you ever spent time with sheep or bees? I call it barn therapy, and spending time working on my parents’ farm is often all I need to put me in a different mindset. Whether it’s preparing wool, cleaning wax, or harvesting in the garden, it’s rewarding.