Working in law enforcement in the U.S. Navy gave Crystal Boyd the chance to serve others, igniting a passion for public service that she lives out every day.
Originally from Mississippi, Crystal met her husband, Justin, a Weirton native, when they were both stationed in Guam. They moved back to the Ohio Valley in 2007, settling in Richmond. Married for 20 years, the couple have two sons, Quinton, 18, and Colton, 16.
When the boys were 3 and 5 years old, Crystal decided to use her GI Bill funds to help pay for higher education, choosing the field of nursing for its job stability and because she could continue to serve others as she had been doing in the military.
Crystal enrolled in Franciscan’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (BSN), attending classes during the day and studying after her boys went to bed.
“Franciscan has the best nursing school in the area,” she says, noting how she appreciates the program’s emphasis on holistic care, compassion, respect for life, faith, and accountability.
Upon earning her BSN in 2015, Crystal worked for several health care providers and also taught Franciscan’s medical-surgical clinicals for a year. She decided to return to the University in 2018 to earn her master of science in nursing while continuing to work full time.
Crystal currently works at East Liverpool City Hospital in the Wound Care Department. She is a family nurse practitioner, board certified and wound-care certified, providing expertise in wound care and hyperbaric medicine.
“I love my job, and I look forward to going to work every day,” she says. “My patients become like family.”
Her patients think a lot of her, too. In November 2023, Crystal received a WOW Star award from the hospital, based on the high amount of positive feedback from her patients.
This summer, she’ll begin volunteering a few hours each month at Steubenville’s Ohio Valley Health Center, which offers medical care to the uninsured or underinsured regardless of their ability to pay. She also devotes many hours of her time to the Indian Creek High School Band Boosters, serving on the scholarship committee, as a chaperone, and as a band camp nurse.
“I enjoy giving back to the community, using the values and skills I gained throughout my years at Franciscan,” Crystal says.
Melissa Zifzal writes from Wintersville, Ohio.
