Chrystal Fugett

When Chrystal Fugett graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science biology, pre-med, she knew she would pursue a career in the healthcare field. She contemplated medical school and veterinary school before discovering the world of healthcare recruiting. For Fugett, it was a logical choice, enabling her to combine her pre-med background with her love for people.

She started as a recruiter at Aya Healthcare, the nation’s largest healthcare staffing company, nine years ago. Today, she is the executive VP of recruitment, rising through the ranks at a steady clip. “I don’t believe in waiting for a seat at the table,” Fugett says. “I believe in building your own chair — piece by piece, nail by nail.”

At Aya, the mission is simple: to care for people who care for people. And Fugett is currently caring for many people — between March 2020 and April 2023, Aya’s team of healthcare recruiters and assistants grew by 249%, and Fugett herself currently leads a team of over 1,000. Since the onset of the pandemic, they helped to fill hundreds of thousands of clinical and nonclinical travel positions nationwide. Fugett’s commitment to quality and excellence, for her employees and their clinicians they serve, is apparent in a department retention rate of 97.7% in 2022 and a candidate experience-based Net Promoter Score of 75, which is in league with some of the best businesses in the world.

Fugett recognizes that healthcare systems are entrusting her with a massive responsibility, and the awareness that motivates her. “I wake up each day knowing that this is meaningful work,” she says. “I take that incredibly seriously, and I show up every day bringing my best for my team, our clinicians and our hospitals that we serve.”