Leadership Team
Brad Ewalt President & CEO
Brad is not only the President and Chief Executive Officer of ClaimTrak, but also its original founder. Brad has established a knowledge-based “Culture of Quality” within ClaimTrak, focusing on achieving a superior level of customer satisfaction while improving performance across all processes within the company.
Brad has served in numerous IT roles and capacities. In the late 1980s, Brad resigned as MIS Manager to work independently as a System Solutions Consultant. This move proved to be very strategic and beneficial not only for Brad, but also for his clientele. With a handful of behavioral health customers, Brad discovered a need for customizable claims processing and client management software that was effective and affordable to all behavioral health agencies, regardless of agency size or annual budget. In 1990, Brad founded ClaimTrak Systems, Inc.
Brad brings more than twenty-five (25) years of technology, consulting and behavioral healthcare experience to the company. Brad conceptualized and developed the company’s first product, ClaimTrak Classic, and continues to play a pivotal role in accelerating the evolution of ClaimTrak’s product strategy by leveraging its advanced architecture, technology and functionality to meet the growing needs of behavioral health providers.
As the ClaimTrak representative to Software and Technology Vendors’ Association (SATVA), Brad works with colleagues in the behavioral health industry to create and move forward important national initiatives centered on electronic health records (EHR) and the establishment of universal technology standards specific to behavioral health.
Brad graduated from Western Illinois University with a BS in Marketing.
Nicole Passage Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Nicole has worked in several realms of healthcare consulting. Her healthcare career began in 1998 when she went to work as an analyst for Mercer Human Resource Consulting, formally William M. Mercer, Incorporated (Mercer). While at Mercer, Nicole specialized in capitation rate development and other actuarial services for many State Medicaid agencies. Her projects also included financial, operational and clinical reviews of various health plans. In addition, she was responsible for several business development initiatives.
In 2001, Nicole left Mercer to join ClaimTrak as a Management Consultant. In this role, Nicole provided consulting services to ClaimTrak customers in the areas of finance and operations. Additionally, she managed implementation projects with new customers.
In 2004, Nicole was promoted to Director of Sales & Marketing and in 2008 to Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Nicole oversees the marketing and sale of existing and enhanced ClaimTrak products and services. She also directs all pricing and strategic product branding decisions as well as contracts management. Additionally, Nicole is responsible for strategic relationships and new business opportunities, investor relations and developing alliances with key industry associations.
Nicole holds a BS in Economics from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Arizona State University.
Dr. Stephen C. Zuniga Executive Vice President
In 2012, Dr. Stephen Zuniga (“Dr. Z”) joined the ClaimTrak team as Director of Implementation Services and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2013. Dr. Z has extensive experience in program development, strategic planning and executive management for providers of behavioral health and substance abuse services. For over thirty-three (33) years, Dr. Z has served in various clinical, administrative and consulting roles and now oversees ClaimTrak’s Operations, Implementation Services, Customer Service, Business Solutions and Human Resources. Dr. Z also provides consultation services to organizations that are pursuing CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation or re-accreditation. In addition, Dr. Z is an active behavioral health surveyor for CARF.
Prior to ClaimTrak, Dr. Z was Chief Executive Officer of Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC), a Hawaii-based behavioral health provider, from September 2004 to June 2012. During his tenure at BISAC, Dr. Z expanded the agency’s services to two (2) additional Hawaiian islands, initiated a program for US Vets and sub-program services in a homeless shelter. Dr. Z also led the agency through the implementation of a new electronic health record (ClaimTrak) in order to improve efficiency and quality of consumer documentation. Lastly, Dr. Z served as a CARF Surveyor and conducted reviews of organizations currently CARF accredited as well as those seeking accreditation and had a role in the ongoing development of CARF standards and the accreditation process.
From 2002 – 2004, Dr. Z served as a Program Consultant for CARE Hawaii, Inc. were he negotiated various contracts and implemented a statewide case management services program.
From 1979 – 2001, Dr. Z served in several positions at many different mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities including that of Clinical Director, Program Director, Assistant Superintendent, Intake and Aftercare Coordinator and Counselor.
Dr. Z earned a BA in Sociology and a MA in Education from University of Pennsylvania and a Psy.D in Psychology from The American School of Professional Psychology.
Shawn Smith Vice President, Research & Development
Shawn joined the ClaimTrak team in 2003 as an Application Developer. Shawn was promoted to the position of Director of Operations in 2006 and to the position of Vice President of Research and Development in 2013.
Ensuring the overall integrity of software development, Shawn oversees quality assurance / testing including application development projects and the standardization of ClaimTrak core forms & reports. In addition, Shawn is directly responsible for all new product lines within the Research & Development department, ensuring industry best practices and methodologies are continually integrated in order to improve efficiencies and better serve each ClaimTrak customer.
Prior to ClaimTrak, Shawn spent six years as a Crew Foreman for Diversified Excavation, Incorporated. Shawn managed an excavation crew and was responsible for maintaining good customer relationships. Shawn oversaw project billing and resolved all customer concerns.
Shawn holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from DeVry University.