120 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know

Becker's Hospital Review has named the following female leaders to its annual list, "120 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know." These 120 women demonstrate outstanding leadership within the hospital and healthcare industry and were chosen based on a wide range of management and leadership skills, including oversight of hospital or health system operations, financial turnarounds and quality improvement initiatives. Note: Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on the list. Names are presented in alphabetical order.
Carmen Acker. CFO of Morton Hospital (Taunton, Mass.). Ms. Acker joined Morton Hospital as CFO in August 2012. She has more than 27 years of healthcare leadership experience, having served in administrative roles at various healthcare organizations, including St. Cloud (Fla.) Regional Medical Center and St. Cloud Physician Management Group.

Nancy Howell Agee. President and CEO of Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Ms. Agee has served as president and CEO of Carilion Clinic, an integrated healthcare organization, since July 2011. She oversees a multi-specialty physician group, eight hospitals, the Jefferson College of Health Sciences and a joint-ventured medical school with Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. Ms. Agee began her career in healthcare as a nurse for Carilion Clinic and has served in various management roles over the past 20 years.

Carolyn Allen. Vice President and CFO of Southcoast Hospitals Group and Southcoast Health System (Fall River, Mass.).
Ms. Allen became vice president and CFO of Southcoast Hospitals Group and Southcoast Health System in February 2012. Prior to joining Southcoast, Ms. Allen was CFO of Sharon (Conn.) Hospital. She has also served as CFO of Clark Regional Medical Center in Winchester, Ky., and of St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kan.

Katherine Arbuckle. Senior Vice President and CFO of Ascension Health (St. Louis). Ms. Arbuckle joined Ascension Health as CFO in February 2012. She came to Ascension from Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, where she was executive vice president and CFO since 2006. Prior to joining Bon Secours, she was vice president of finance at Ascension beginning in 2002.

Sandra Badinger. CFO of Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital. Ms. Badinger began serving as CFO of Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital in July 2012. She has worked in healthcare accounting and finance at hospital systems in the greater New Orleans area for more than 17 years. Before joining the 182-bed Slidell Memorial, Ms. Badinger served as CFO of Cypress Pointe Surgical Hospital, a 24-bed physician-owned hospital in Hammond, La., which opened in December 2010.

Jenny Barnett-Sarpalius. CFO of Catholic Health East (Newtown Square, Pa.). As CFO, Ms. Barnett-Sarpalius oversees financial planning for Catholic Health East's 33 acute-care hospitals. Previously, she served as the system's vice president and chief accounting officer before being promoted to CFO in 2010. Ms. Barnett-Sarpalius also served as director of finance and corporate controller at CHRISTUS Health in Irving, Texas.

Cathy Barr, MBA, RN. Senior Vice President of Community Services for HealthEast Care System and President of Bethesda Hospital (St. Paul, Minn.). Ms. Barr is the senior vice president of community services of HealthEast Care System and president of the system's Bethesda Hospital. In addition to her responsibilities at Bethesda and HealthEast, Ms. Barr is a member of the Community Health Charities Board and the American Hospital Association Governing Council.

Elaine Batchlor, MD. CEO of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (Los Angeles).
Dr. Batchlor began serving as CEO of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in October 2012. She has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, previously serving as CMO for L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest public health plan in the nation.

Sydney Bersante, RN. President of St. Joseph Medical Center (Tacoma, Wash.). Ms. Bersante has served as president of St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Franciscan Health System, since November 2007. She also provides regional executive oversight for the Franciscan's women's care, cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging and pharmacy service lines. Ms. Bersante joined Franciscan in 1990 as a registered nurse and held executive positions at a few of its hospitals before becoming president of St. Joseph.

Tanya Blackmon. President of Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville (N.C.). Ms. Blackmon has served as president of Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville since July 2009. She began her career at the hospital in 1992 as director of inpatient discharge planning and has held a variety of leadership roles since then.

Marna Borgstrom. President and CEO of Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Health System and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital. Ms. Borgstrom has served as president and CEO of Yale-New Haven Health System and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital since 2005. She originally joined Yale-New Haven Hospital in 1979 as an administrative fellow, holding numerous executive positions up to her appointment as president and CEO.

Tammie Brailsford, RN. COO of MemorialCare Health System (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Brailsford has served as COO of MemorialCare Health System since 2003. She has overseen the system's electronic medical record adoption and implementation of wellness initiatives and Lean management techniques. Before joining MemorialCare, Ms. Brailsford served as executive vice president and COO of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif. She also previously served as administrator and COO of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, and CEO of Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach.

Ruth Brinkley. CEO of KentuckyOne Health (Louisville). Ms. Brinkley was named CEO of KentuckyOne Health in January 2012. The organization formed that same month from the merger of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville and Saint Joseph Health System in Lexington, Ky. Previously, Ms. Brinkley served in an advocacy role with St. Louis-based Ascension Health, the parent company of Kansas City, Mo.-based Carondelet Health Network. Prior to that appointment, she served as president and CEO of Carondelet Health.

Sue Brody. President and CEO of Bayfront Medical Center (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Prior to coming to Bayfront as COO in 1987, Ms. Brody served as vice president for support services and vice president for patient care management at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, N.C. Before then, she worked for healthcare consulting firm Arthur Young & Co. Ms. Brody is a previous recipient of the American College of Healthcare Executives Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award, which recognizes early careerists for outstanding achievements.

Denise Brooks-Williams. President and CEO of Bronson Battle Creek (Mich.) Medical Center.
Ms. Brooks-Williams was named CEO of Bronson Battle Creek in 2009. In July 2011, the health system — then named Battle Creek Health System — entered into a partnership with Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Bronson Healthcare Group, and Ms. Brooks-Williams was chosen to serve in the leadership role of the resulting entity. She has more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience at Michigan hospitals, including St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, Mich., and Detroit Medical Center.

Sandra Bruce. President and CEO of Presence Health (Chicago).
Ms. Bruce serves as president and CEO of Presence Health, the result of a merger between Provena Health in Mokena, Ill., and Resurrection Health Care in Chicago. She previously served as president and CEO of Resurrection since 2008. Ms. Bruce has a wealth of healthcare leadership experience, serving in CEO positions for more than 25 years and in key roles for several state and national healthcare associations, commissions and task forces.

Maureen Bryant. President and CEO of Provena Mercy Medical Center (Aurora, Ill.). Ms. Bryant has served as president and CEO of Provena Mercy Medical Center since February. She has more than 24 years of leadership experience in healthcare executive positions. Prior to her appointment as Provena Mercy CEO, Ms. Bryant served two years as president and CEO and 10 years as executive vice president and COO of Morton Hospital and Medical Center in Taunton, Mass.

Cindy Buck. CFO of Rutherford Regional Health System (Rutherfordton, N.C.). Ms. Buck officially joined Rutherford Regional in September 2011 and manages the 143-bed hospital's financial operations, which included more than $249 million in total gross revenue in fiscal year 2011. Previously, she was CFO of Nevada (Mo.) Regional Medical Center for eight years. In 2008, Ms. Buck received the "CFO of the Year" award from Quorum Health Resources in Brentwood, Tenn., the hospital management company that operates Nevada Regional.

Janice Burger. CEO of Providence St. Vincent Medical Center (Portland, Ore.).
Ms. Burger has served as CEO of Providence St. Vincent Medical Center since 2005. She oversees roughly 3,500 employees working in hospitals in Oregon and Washington. Ms. Burger has worked for the hospital's Renton, Wash.-based parent, Providence Health & Services, since 1986.

Peg Burnette. CFO of Denver Health. Ms. Burnette has been with Denver Health as CFO since 1996. The system serves as the primary safety-net organization for both Denver and the state of Colorado. Ms. Burnette has found ways to keep the health system viable despite its challenging payor mix. Before joining Denver Health, Ms. Burnette served in various financial executive roles at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health in Denver.

Carolyn Caldwell. President and CEO of Centerpoint Medical Center (Independence, Mo.). Ms. Caldwell has served as CEO of Centerpoint Medical Center since 2007. Prior, she served as CEO of Lee's Summit Medical Center in Belton, Mo., and turned the facility around, increasing patient satisfaction scores and upgrading the facility. She was recently elected to a three-year term on the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees, beginning Jan. 1, 2013.

Barbara Carveth. CFO of St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center (Pueblo, Colo.).
Ms. Carveth has held many leadership positions within Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health, the largest hospital network in Colorado. She has served as CFO of St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center since January of this year. Before St. Mary-Corwin, she served as interim CEO/CFO of Centura's St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster, Colo. She was St. Anthony North's CFO since November 2004, and also worked as the vice president of finance and controller at St. Anthony North.

Kimberly Chavalas Cripe. CEO of the Children's Hospital of Orange County (Orange, Calif.). Ms. Cripe has served as CEO of the Children's Hospital of Orange County since 1997, but she has been an employee of CHOC Children's, as it is called, since 1991. She initially served as executive vice president and COO before accepting the position of CEO. Prior to joining CHOC Children's, she held several positions with Humana, where she oversaw strategic planning, business development, physician relations, marketing and public affairs.

Joan Coffman. President and CEO of St. Joseph's Hospital (Chippewa Falls, Wis.). Joining the hospital as COO in April 2008, Ms. Coffman began her duties as CEO in March 2010. Prior to her work at St. Joseph's, she held various administrator roles, including administrator of the business office and ancillary services at East Tennessee Heart Consultants in Knoxville, assistant administrator of Lindy Boggs Medical Center in New Orleans, assistant administrator and director of outpatient services of St. Charles General Hospital in New Orleans and CEO of Orleans Orthopaedic Associates, also in New Orleans.

Diane Corrigan. CFO of Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). Ms. Corrigan has been CFO of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, since 2000. When Ms. Corrigan came on board, the hospital had experienced three straight years of losses. In her first year, HUP achieved an operating margin of 5.7 percent and has maintained a margin of more than 10 percent for the past four years.

Kathleen Crawford, MSH, MBA, FACHE. COO of Ashtabula (Ohio) County Medical Center. Ms. Crawford has been COO of the hospital, which is an affiliate with Cleveland Clinic, since February 2010. In this role, Ms. Crawford oversees the operations of the 214-bed hospital, which had 700 inpatient surgeries, 3,900 outpatient surgeries and 4,443 discharges in 2011.

Sara Criger. Senior Vice President of Allina Health, President of Mercy Hospital (Coon Rapids, Minn.). Ms. Criger was named senior vice president of Allina Health and president of Mercy Hospital in May. Previously, she served as vice president of HealthEast Care System in St. Paul, Minn., and CEO of its St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul. Ms. Criger has more than 28 years of experience managing large hospitals and clinics.

Pamela Davis. President and CEO of Edward Hospital (Naperville, Ill.). Ms. Davis has served Edward Hospital as president and CEO since 1988. Her arrival marked the beginning of dramatic growth and innovation, resulting in Edward becoming a high-quality hospital in Chicago's west and southwest suburbs. Ms. Davis also played a crucial role in a five-year investigation into Illinois corruption that led to the arrest and imprisonment of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and other state officials.

Faye Deich, RN, MS. COO of Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire, Wis.). Ms. Deich serves as the COO of Sacred Heart Hospital, which is the ninth largest employer in the region. Under her leadership, the hospital won the Wisconsin Forward Award, which is awarded to organizations that demonstrate excellent business practices. Ms. Deich has overseen multi-million dollar building projects and was instrumental in the launching of a successful strategic cost reduction project that reduced expenses by $5 million. She was the CNO of Sacred Heart prior to becoming COO.

Gail Donovan. Executive Vice President and COO of Continuum Health Partners (New York City). Ms. Donovan was appointed executive vice president and COO of Continuum Health Partners in December 2001. Prior to this position, she was the executive vice president and COO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City from 1994 to 2003. In 2000, she also served as executive vice president and COO of St. Luke's Hospital Center in New York City for one year in addition to her duties at Beth Israel.

Marie Droege. President and COO of Guthrie Healthcare System and President of Robert Packer Hospital (Sayre, Pa.).
Ms. Droege was appointed COO of Guthrie Healthcare System in July 2010. She has administrative oversight of Guthrie's three hospitals — Robert Packer Hospital, Corning (N.Y.) Hospital and Troy (Pa.) Community Hospital — as well as Guthrie Same Day Surgery in Horseheads, N.Y., and Guthrie Hospice in Towanda, Pa. Prior to joining Guthrie, Ms. Droege was COO of Kaiser Oakland (Calif.) Medical Center. She also has 14 years of experience in senior level executive management roles with Bon Secours Maryland Health System in Marriottsville.

Stephanie Doughty. CFO of Poudre Valley Health System (Fort Collins, Colo.).
Ms. Doughty joined Poudre Valley in 1998 and has led the charge to keep the private, non-profit health system financially viable. Prior to her time with Poudre Valley, she served as CFO of St. Anthony's Hospital, part of the BayCare Health System, in St. Petersburg, Fla. She also worked at Bayfront Medical Center, also in St. Petersburg, for 10 years as the controller and vice president of finance, and at Englewood (Fla.) Community Hospital as the controller.

Laurie Eberst, RN. President and CEO of Catholic Healthcare West Ventura County Market Service Area and St. John's Regional Medical Center (Oxnard, Calif.). Ms. Eberst has served as president and CEO of Catholic Healthcare West's Ventura County market and St. John's Regional Medical Center since July 2010. She previously served as president of Mercy Gilbert (Ariz.) Medical Center for six years.

Linda Efferen, MD. Senior Vice President and CMO of South Nassau Communities Hospital (Oceanside, N.Y.). Dr. Efferen serves as senior vice president and CMO of South Nassau Communities Hospital, where she holds responsibility for facilitating medical staff interactions with hospital administration and overseeing strategic planning and execution, among other duties. Prior to her appointment at South Nassau, Dr. Efferen was associate chair in the department of medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., for more than eight years.  

Melinda Estes, MD, MBA. CEO of Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, Mo.). Dr. Estes has been the CEO of Saint Luke's Health System since June 2011. Prior to joining Saint Luke's, Dr. Estes served at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt., for nearly eight years, eventually becoming president and CEO. She also previously served in a leadership position at the Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston and Naples.

Teri Fontenot. CEO of Woman's Hospital (Baton Rouge, La.). Ms. Fontenot is president and CEO of Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge, La. — the only freestanding, non-profit women's hospital in the United States — and she is also the chair of the American Hospital Association's board of trustees. She has served a six-year term as a member of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health for the National Institutes of Health and has received several accolades, including the Baton Rouge Woman of Achievement Award.

Ruthita J. Fike, MA. CEO and Administrator of Loma Linda (Calif.) University Medical Center; executive vice president for hospital affairs of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center. Ms. Fike assumed her responsibilities as CEO and administrator of Loma Linda University Medical Center and executive vice president for hospital affairs of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences in 2004. She was formerly executive vice president of operations and support services for Centura Health in Englewood, Colo. From 1996 to 2002, she was CEO of Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver and Littleton (Colo.) Adventist Hospital.

Georgia Fojtasek, RN. President and CEO of Allegiance Health (Jackson, Mich.). Ms. Fojtasek has been with Allegiance Health since 1989. She served as the 480-bed system's senior vice president and COO until 1994, when she was appointed president and CEO.

Mary Ann Freas. CFO of Southwest General Health Center (Middleburg Heights, Ohio). Ms. Freas has been at Southwest General as CFO since 2008 and has played an integral part in establishing financial assistance to the hospital's uninsured and underinsured patients. Ms. Freas has more than 25 years of hospital financial experience.

Mary Freyer. COO of Little Company of Mary Hospital (Evergreen Park, Ill.). Ms. Freyer has served as COO of Little Company of Mary Hospital since 2003. Before her current role, she served as the hospital's vice president and director of quality resource management, manager of laboratory services and supervisor of the microbiology department, among other roles.

Rachel Gonzales. CEO of Madison Memorial Hospital (Rexburg, Idaho). Ms. Gonzales, a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 15 years of experience, was named CEO of the 69-bed Madison Memorial Hospital in March. Before assuming her current role, she served as the hospital's interim CEO for 10 months and as the hospital's COO before then.

Kathleen Chavanu Gorman. Executive Vice President of Patient Care Services and COO of Children's National Medical Center (Washington, D.C.). In August 2012, Ms. Chavanu Gorman was named executive vice president and COO of Children's National Medical Center. She rejoined Children's National after serving as senior vice president of patient care services and CNO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia since 2009. Prior to that, Ms. Gorman served Children's National as vice president of quality and support services.

Pauline Grant. CEO of North Broward Medical Center (Pompano Beach, Fla.). Ms. Grant leads the 409-bed North Broward Medical Center, which is the second-largest hospital in Broward Health System. 

Barbara Greene. President of Franciscan Physicians Hospital (Munster, Ind.). Ms. Greene serves as president of Franciscan Physicians Hospital, which is a joint venture between hospital physicians and the Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance.

Gail Hanson. CFO of Aurora Health Care (Milwaukee). Ms. Hanson joined Aurora in 2011 and has served on the system's board of directors since 2009. Previously, she served as deputy executive director for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board for six years, where she managed more than $83 billion in assets for the Wisconsin Retirement System, the State Investment Fund and several other trust funds.

Diana Hendel. President and CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach (Calif.). Ms. Hendel has led the Long Beach campus for MemorialCare Health System since 2009. Before then, she served as COO of Long Beach Memorial, the same hospital where she began her career as a clinical pharmacy resident.

Pamela Hess. CFO of Middle Tennessee Medical Center (Murfreeboro). Ms. Hess joined Middle Tennessee Medical Center as CFO in April. Prior, she was CFO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems. Ms. Hess received a 2009 CFO Leadership in Excellence award from CHS while serving St. Joseph.

Beth Hughes. President and CEO Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center (Joliet, Ill.). Ms. Hughes assumed her role as Provena's president and CEO in August 2011 after serving as the system's COO. She also previously served as executive vice president and COO of Elliot Health System in Manchester, N.H., and held administrative roles at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill.

Linda Hoff. CFO of Meriter Hospital and Meriter Health Services (Madison, Wis.). Ms. Hoff, a certified public accountant, joined Meriter Health Services in January 1995 as director of internal audit. She rose to her current position in June 2005 after serving as director of contracting and vice president of financial operations. Prior to Meriter, Ms. Hoff served as a manager at a major accounting firm. In addition to her duties as CFO of Meriter Hospital and the parent organization, Ms. Hoff oversees Physicians Plus Insurance Corp., a for-profit HMO that is 67 percent owned by Meriter Health.

Michelle Hood. President and CEO of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (Brewer, Maine). Ms. Hood has served as president and CEO of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems since 2006. Before then, she was president and CEO of Sisters of Charity Leavenworth Health System's Montana region and president and CEO of the system's flagship facility in Denver, St. Vincent Healthcare.

Constance A. Howes, JD. President and CEO of Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (Providence, R.I.). Before assuming her position as president and CEO of Women & Infants Hospital, Ms. Howes was executive vice president and COO of the hospital. She also previously served as vice president and general counsel for Providence, R.I.-based Care New England Health System, which is the parent of Women & Infants Hospital.

Charlotte Ipsan, RNC, MSN. President of Norton Women's Hospital and Kosair Children's Hospital (Louisville, Ky.). Ms. Ipsan began serving as president of Norton Women's Hospital and Kosair Children's Hospital in May 2012. She has more than 26 years of experience in maternal and pediatric healthcare. Ms. Ipsan was appointed by the American Hospital Association to serve as its representative to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Hospital Care for the 2012 to 2014 term.

Laura Irvine. President of Methodist Dallas Medical Center. In March 2011, Ms. Irvine was appointed president of 515-bed Methodist Dallas Medical Center. She joined Dallas-based Methodist Health System in 1996 as an administrative resident at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. In three years, she advanced to vice president of Methodist Charlton Medical Center in Dallas and was named senior vice president of planning and marketing for the Methodist system in 2001.

Cathy Jacobson. President of Froedtert Health (Milwaukee). Ms. Jacobson was appointed president of Froedtert Health in June 2011 after serving as executive vice president of finance and strategy. She came to Froedtert Health in 2010 after 14 years with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where she guided the organization through long-term strategic planning while building innovative partnerships with healthcare providers and insurance companies.

Sally Jeffcoat. President and CEO of St. Alphonsus Health System (Boise, Idaho). Ms. Jeffcoat is president and CEO of four-hospital St. Alphonsus Health System. In 2010, she spearheaded the integration of three former Catholic Health Initiatives hospitals in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon to create the system, part of Novi. Mich.-based Trinity Health. Prior to joining St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in 2009 as president and CEO, Ms. Jeffcoat was executive vice president and COO of healthcare operations at Ascension Health in St. Louis.

Jani Johnson. President and CEO of Saint Luke's South Hospital (Overland Park, Kan.). In September 2012, Ms. Johnson became president and CEO of Saint Luke's South Hospital. She has been with Saint Luke's since 1985 and was most recently vice president of the hospital's cardiovascular service line.

Sylvia Smith Johnson. President and CEO of Maryland General Hospital (Baltimore). Ms. Smith Johnson was named Maryland General's president and CEO in June 2006. Ms. Smith Johnson has nearly 30 years of hospital experience. In 2004, she became COO of Maryland General, where she was responsible for 400 employees and a $30 million budget.

Laura Kaiser. Executive Vice President and COO of Intermountain Healthcare (Salt Lake City). Ms. Kaiser joined Intermountain Healthcare as executive vice president and COO in January 2012. She previously served as president and CEO of Pensacola, Fla.-based Sacred Heart Health System and ministry market leader for the Gulf Coast and Florida region of Ascension Health, based in St. Louis.

Donna Katen-Bahensky. President and CEO of University of Wisconsin Hospital (Madison). Ms. Katen-Bahensky has served as president and CEO of University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, part of UW Health, since February 2008. Before this, she served as CEO of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, based in Iowa City, and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at University of Iowa Health Care since 2002.  

Jane Keller, RN. CEO of Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (Indianapolis). Ms. Keller has led the physician-owned Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital since 2006. Before then, she served as the hospital's CNO as well as the executive director and nursing director for surgery centers within Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy.

Raji Kumar. CEO of Dallas Medical Center. Ms. Kumar has served as CEO of Dallas Medical Center since April 2010 and brings more than 13 years of experience in healthcare/hospital management to her role. Ms. Kumar was instrumental in physician leadership recruitment in her previous role as director of business development and marketing for Select Specialty Hospital in Macomb and Pontiac, Mich.

Phyllis Lantos. CFO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (New York City). Ms. Lantos has been CFO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital since 2000. Before joining the hospital, she served as deputy COO at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and as vice president of financial management services at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

Margaret Lewis, RN. President of HCA Capital Division (Richmond, Va.).
Ms. Lewis has served as president of HCA Capital Division since 2006. In this role, she oversees the operations of HCA hospitals and outpatient facilities in Virginia, New Hampshire, Indiana and Kentucky. Previously, Ms. Lewis served as CEO of CJW Medical Center in Richmond.

Gwen M. MacKenzie. President and CEO of Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Health Care System. Ms. MacKenzie began serving as CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in 2005. Since then, she has worked to reverse its financial losses while guiding the organization to high honors. With 25 years of experience at the nine-hospital Detroit Medical Center, Ms. MacKenzie started as an advanced nurse practitioner and worked her way to executive vice president and COO of DMC before coming to Sarasota Memorial.


Joan Magruder. President of Missouri Baptist Medical Center (St. Louis). Ms. Magruder was named president in May 2006. She previously directed strategic planning, physician services and market research efforts for St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare and its affiliated hospitals. Prior to joining BJC, Ms. Magruder was the administrator of the Department of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Michelle Mahan. CFO of Frederick Memorial Hospital (Maryland).
Ms. Mahan has more than 30 years of healthcare experience behind her and assumed the role as CFO of Frederick Memorial Hospital in 2008. Before joining Frederick Memorial, Ms. Mahan served as CFO of St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, Md., and CFO of Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Julie Manas. President and CEO of Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire, Wis.). Ms. Manas joined Sacred Heart Hospital as president and CEO in March 2012. At that time, she also began serving as president of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System's Western Wisconsin Division. Most recently, she served as president of Genesis Medical Center and senior vice president of Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa.

Patricia Maryland, DrPH. President and CEO of St. John Providence Health System (Warren, Mich.). Ms. Maryland has served as president and CEO of St. John Providence Health System, which includes 365-bed Providence Hospital and Medical Center in Southfield, Mich., since January 2008. Previously, Ms. Maryland served as executive vice president and COO of St. Vincent Health and president of St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services in Indianapolis.

Barbara Martin. President and CEO of Vista Health System (Waukegan, Ill.). Ms. Martin has served as president and CEO of Vista Health System since 2006. As president and CEO, Ms. Martin oversees two hospitals in Waukegan — Vista Medical Center East and Vista Medical Center West — with a total of more than 400 beds as well as a campus in Lindenhurst, Ill., physician practice offices and diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation satellite locations.

Kristen Murtos. President and CEO of Skokie (Ill.) Hospital. Ms. Murtos has served as president of Skokie (Ill.) Hospital, a part of NorthShore University HealthSystem, since 2009, but has been with NorthShore since 1998 when she began her career as vice president of its medical group. She also served as senior vice president of strategy and business development for NorthShore. As president and CEO, she is managing an ongoing, $300 million project at Skokie Hospital to expand clinical services, enhance and improve patient care and upgrade technology.

Elizabeth Nabel, MD. President of Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston).
Dr. Nabel has been president of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston since January 2010. Before assuming her current role, Dr. Nabel was the director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health. She is a nationally recognized scholar and author of 250 publications. While serving as president, Dr. Nabel has helped reduce the hospital's base expenses by $125 million.

Peggy Naleppa, PhD. President and CEO of Peninsula Regional Health System and Peninsula Regional Medical Center (Salisbury, Md.). Dr. Naleppa has served as president and CEO of Peninsula Regional Health System as well as Peninsula Regional Medical Center since January 2010. Prior to that appointment, Dr. Naleppa served as executive vice president and COO for five years. During which time she oversaw a $100 million expansion project, patient safety initiatives and more.

Robin Norman. CFO of Virginia Hospital Center (Arlington). Ms. Norman has served in a financial capacity for Virginia Hospital Center for the past 33 years. She became CFO of Virginia Hospital Center in 1998, but her first position within the hospital was as an accounting manager in 1979. She progressively became controller and financial project director before taking on the CFO role.

Sally Nelson. CEO of Huntsville (Texas) Memorial Hospital. Ms. Nelson has served as CEO of Huntsville Memorial since 2008. Prior to that, she served as executive vice president and CFO of Texas Children's Hospital in Houston for 18 years. She also has experience with PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a senior manager and spent time as a board member and officer for the American Red Cross and United Way in the Houston area.

Sharon O'Keefe, RN. President of the University of Chicago Medical Center. Ms. O'Keefe has been president of the University of Chicago Medical Center since February 2011. Prior to her current role, Ms. O'Keefe was president of Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. She has also been executive vice president and COO of Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and COO of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Barbara R. Paul, MD. Senior Vice President and CMO of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Dr. Paul, a board-certified internist, became senior vice president and CMO of Community Health Systems in August 2006. She previously served as senior vice president and CMO of Fort Smith, Ark.-based Beverly Enterprises, a skilled nursing organization, and directed the Physicians' Regulatory Issues Team at CMS. She also previously practiced full-time in northern California for 12 years.

Megan Perry. President of Sentara Potomac Hospital (Woodbridge, Va.).
Ms. Perry began her career with Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare in 1990 as an administrative assistant and now serves as president of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge, previously known as Sentara Potomac Hospital. She also serves as corporate vice president of Sentara Healthcare's northern Virginia Market. Before this, Ms. Perry served as Sentara's senior vice president for business development from 2007 to 2010.

Judith Persichilli, RN, BSN, MA. President and CEO of Catholic Health East (Newton Square, Pa.). Ms. Persichilli has served as president and CEO of Catholic Health East since May 2010. She joined Catholic Health East in 2003 as executive vice president of the mid-Atlantic division. She was promoted to executive vice president of acute care for the system in 2008 and then to executive vice president and COO in December 2009, before assuming the role of CEO.

Dr. Ora Pescovitz, MD. CEO of University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor, Mich.). Dr. Pescovitz became the first female CEO of University of Michigan Health System and executive vice president for medical affairs in May 2009. Prior to her current role, Dr. Pescovitz served as an executive associate dean for research affairs at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, as president and CEO of Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and as interim vice president for the research administration at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Bonnie Phipps. President and CEO of Saint Agnes HealthCare (Baltimore). Ms. Phipps is the president and CEO of Saint Agnes HealthCare, which includes Saint Agnes Hospital, also located in Baltimore. She also serves as a ministry market leader for St. Louis-based Ascension Health. Prior to joining Saint Agnes in January 2006, Ms. Phipps served as president and CEO of Saint Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta. She also served as president and CEO of former Marietta, Ga.-based Promina Health System, and as CFO of DeKalb Medical Center and Egleston Children's Hospital, both in Atlanta.  

Claire Pomeroy, MD, MBA. CEO of UC Davis Health System (Sacramento).
As CEO, Dr. Pomeroy oversees the 631-bed UC Davis Medical Center, the School of Medicine, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and an 800-member physician practice group. She is also a professor of internal medicine, microbiology and immunology. She joined UC Davis in 2003 as executive associate dean of the School of Medicine and became vice chancellor and dean in 2005. Dr. Pomeroy is chair of the board of directors of the Association of Academic Health Centers and of the council of deans for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Alice Pope. CFO of Wellmont Health System (Kingsport, Tenn.). Ms. Pope was named CFO of Wellmont Health System in August. She previously served as Wellmont's senior vice president of finance, managed care and revenue cycle. From 2003 to 2008, Ms. Pope was CFO of Kingston, Tenn.-based Holston Valley Medical Center — the largest hospital within the Wellmont system. Before joining Wellmont, Ms. Pope was CFO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Baptist Memorial Health Care's Mississippi market and was also an audit manager with accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

Andrea Price. President and CEO of Mercy – Northern Region (Toledo, Ohio). Ms. Price was named CEO of the seven-hospital Mercy – Northern Region in August 2010. She joined the system in 2009 as its COO. Ms. Price has held other executive roles at Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Mich., Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Mich., and Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Deborah Proctor, RN. President and CEO of St. Joseph's Health System (Orange, Calif.).
Ms. Proctor took the helm as president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health System in 2006, and since then has focused on promoting a patient-centered focus of care. She began her career as an intensive care unit nurse and previously held leadership positions at Ascension Health in St. Louis and Voluntary Hospitals of America in Dallas.

Mary Prybylo. President and CEO of St. Joseph Hospital (Bangor, Maine).
Ms. Prybylo assumed her role as president and CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in September 2011. She previously served as COO of Waterbury (Conn.) Hospital and has served in executive roles for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut and St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury.

Dorothy Puhy. Executive Vice President and COO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston). Ms. Puhy was named executive vice president and COO in August after serving as CFO and assistant treasurer of Dana-Farber since 1994. Before her time with the cancer institute, Ms. Puhy was CFO of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, formerly known as New England Medical Center, and she also was a senior manager at Ernst & Whinney before it became Ernst & Young.

Ann Pumpian. CFO of Sharp HealthCare (San Diego, Calif.).
Ms. Pumpian has been the senior vice president of finance and CFO of San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare since 1993. Ms Pumpian first joined Sharp HealthCare in 1984, and since then, she has received several awards, including the Sharp HealthCare Leadership Award and the Young Women's Christian Association Tribute to Women in Industry Award.

Ann Madden Rice. CEO of University of California Davis Medical Center (Sacramento). For the past five years, Ms. Rice has been the CEO of University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, a 631-bed teaching hospital with an annual budget of more than $1 billion. She has served as a financial analyst with the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont in Burlington, now known as Fletcher Allen Medical Center, as CFO with Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, and as CFO of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Judy Rich, RN. President and CEO of Tucson (Ariz.) Medical Center. Ms. Rich has served as president and CEO of Tucson Medical Center since 2007. She previously served as the hospital's COO from 2003 to 2005. Ms. Rich started her career as a hospital staff nurse and progressed through the ranks to her current leadership positions.

Joan K. Richards. President and CEO of Crozer-Keystone Health System (Springfield, Pa.). Ms. Richards has served as president and CEO of the five-hospital Crozer-Keystone Health System since January 2007. Before then, Ms. Richards was executive vice president and COO of the system, which includes a physician network and sports science and technology center.

Mimi Roberson, JD. CEO of Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center & Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (Denver). Ms. Roberson, JD, began her role as CEO in 2000. Before then, Ms. Roberson served as CEO of Women's & Children's Hospital in Lafayette, La., and the Medical Center of Southwest Louisiana, also in Lafayette. Ms. Roberson practiced law for 11 years before her career in hospital administration.

Dawn Rudolph, RN. President and CEO of Saint Thomas Hospital (Nashville, Tenn.). Ms. Rudolph assumed her position as president and CEO of 541-bed Saint Thomas Hospital in November 2010. Before then, she served as CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., where she successfully expanded the medical staff and developed a multi-cultural roundtable to improve health indicator metrics in the community.

Kathryn Ruscitto. CEO of St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center (Syracuse, N.Y.).
Ms. Ruscitto has been serving St. Joseph's since 2001, when she was named senior vice president for strategic, development and governmental affairs. In 2009, she was named executive vice president before being named the hospital's 13th CEO in January 2011.

Linda Russell. CEO of The Woman's Hospital of Texas (Houston). Ms. Russell serves as CEO of The Woman's Hospital of Texas and has reinforced the hospital's vision since 1994. Ms. Russell's work extends beyond the hospital, as she has championed health in her community: In 2007, Ms. Russell was named outstanding volunteer fundraiser for the Texas chapter of the March of Dimes. In 2009, she was named administrator of the year at the Houston Business Journal's inaugural Health Care Heroes awards event.

Valinda Rutledge. CEO of Jewish Hospital and KentuckyOne Market Leader (Louisville, Ky.). In July 2012, Ms. Rutledge was named president of Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Ky., and leader of newly-formed parent company KentuckyOne Health's Louisville market. Before this appointment, Ms. Rutledge served as director of Patient Care Models Group for CMS' Center for Innovation. Ms. Rutledge previously spent time as CEO of CaroMont Health in Gastonia, N.C., and Bon Secours Saint Francis Health System in Greenville, S.C.

Christina Ryan. CEO of The Women's Hospital (Newburgh, Ind.). Before assuming her role as CEO of The Women's Hospital, Ms. Ryan was an administrator at Evansville, Ind.-based Deaconness Health System, owner of The Women's Hospital. She was recruited to help with the initial plans, construction and opening of the 74-bed hospital. Ms. Ryan is also active in civic and community organizations, serving as the southwest division chair for the March of Dimes and on the American Hospital Association Governing Council for Maternal Child Health.

Margaret Sabin. President and CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Ms. Sabin joined Penrose-St. Francis Health Services as president and CEO in November 2008. In July 2009, she was named the south state hospital group president for Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health, overseeing operations at all three Centura hospitals in southern Colorado: Penrose-St. Francis; St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo; and St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City. Additionally, Ms. Sabin serves as chair of Centura Health's Trauma Council.

Cheryl Sadro. CFO of Memorial Health Care System (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Ms. Sadro was named CFO of Memorial Health Care System this past January, and she is now responsible for one of the financially strongest health systems in the area. Prior to Memorial, she was senior vice president and chief of finance and strategy of Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. In total, she has more than 12 years of healthcare leadership with St. Louis-based Ascension Health and is a certified public accountant.

Rachel A. Seifert, JD. Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Ms. Seifert serves as executive vice president, secretary and general counsel for Community Health Systems, where she is responsible for the legal aspects of a variety of areas within the company, including acquisitions and development, corporate governance and litigation and management of the legal department. Prior to joining CHS in 1998, Ms. Seifert worked with Columbia/HCA as vice president and associate general counsel since 1992. She also spent seven years in private law practice in Dallas.

Nancy Schlichting. President and CEO of Henry Ford Health System (Detroit). Ms. Schlichting is president and CEO of the Henry Ford Health System, where she previously served as executive vice president and COO. Prior to joining Henry Ford in 1998, Ms. Schlichting was executive vice president and COO of Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio. She has also served as president of the Eastern region of Catholic Health Initiatives, president and CEO of Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and executive vice president and COO of Akron City Hospital.

Brigitte Shaw. COO of Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute (Tampa). Ms. Shaw oversees the operations of Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, a freestanding cardiovascular institute that provides comprehensive heart care. Before her current role, Ms. Shaw served as CEO of Pepin Heart Hospital and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute in Tampa.

Debbie Simon. President and CEO of Methodist Medical Center (Peoria, Ill.).
Ms. Simon began serving as president and CEO of Methodist Medical Center in December 2011. She began her career with Methodist in 1976 and has served in administrative leadership roles with the hospital since 1978. Her first leadership position was head nurse in the cardiac surgical unit and she progressively served as senior director of nursing, assistant vice president of patient care services and COO/CNO.

Kerri Ruppert Schiller. CFO of Children's Hospital of Orange County (Orange, Calif.).
When Ms. Schiller joined the Children's Hospital of Orange County as senior vice president and CFO in 1998, the hospital had suffered the largest operating loss in its history at $19 million. Within two years, Ms. Schiller was able to lead the financial turnaround through tighter financial controls, renegotiated contracts with payors and medical groups and other various strategic initiatives.

Sherrie Sitarik. President and CEO of Orlando (Fla.) Health. Ms. Sitarik was named to lead Orlando Health, a eight-hospital system, in February 2010. Prior to her current role, she served as Orlando Health's executive vice president for roughly two years. Ms. Sitarik has also served as president of Orlando Regional Medical Center and Lucerne Hospital, both located in Orlando.

Diana Smalley. President and CEO of Mercy's West Communities (Chesterfield, Mo.). Ms. Smalley has served as the regional president of Mercy's West Communities since 2007. In March, she was elected the 2012 to 2013 chairman-elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Prior to serving Mercy, Ms. Smalley served in various leadership roles with Alegent Health in Omaha, Neb. She has more than 40 years of healthcare experience.

Bernadette Spong. CFO of Rex Healthcare (Raleigh, N.C.).
Ms. Spong has served as CFO of the 660-bed Rex Healthcare since 2005. Ms. Spong, a certified public accountant and former controller at Rex Healthcare, serves on the boards of many local organizations, including the Elon (N.C.) University Love School of Business.

Deb Staples. COO of Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia). Ms. Staples has served as COO of Pennsylvania Hospital since February 2011. She previously served as vice president of the hospital's allied health and professional services among other management positions she has held throughout her 18 years with the organization.

Pamela Stoyanoff, MBA. Executive Vice President and COO of Methodist Health System (Dallas). Before Ms. Stoyanoff assumed her role at four-hospital Methodist Health System, she served in senior management and executive positions with Mokena, Ill.-based Provena Health, Vista Health in Waukegan, Ill., and St. Vincent Health System, based in Little Rock, Ark.

Debra Sukin. CEO of St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital and St. Luke's Lakeside Hospital Woodlands (Texas). Debra Sukin is the CEO of St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital and St. Luke's Lakeside Hospital in Woodlands. She also serves as senior vice president of St. Luke's Episcopal Health System in Houston. In 2005, she led the development of the heart program at St. Luke's The Woodlands that brought the first open-heart surgery to the hospital.

Barbara Tachovsky, RN. President of Paoli (Pa.) Hospital. Ms. Tachovsky, a registered nurse, leads all aspects of the 222-bed community hospital. She has directed several major initiatives at Paoli since becoming president, including the implementation of cardiac surgery and therapeutic cardiology programs and the development of two ambulatory sites. Ms. Tachovsky was CNO for Main Line Health in Bryn Mawr, Pa., Paoli's parent organization, before serving her current role.

Elaine Thompson, PhD. President and CEO of Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Medical Center. Dr. Thompson joined Lakeland Regional in September 2010. Currently, she is leading the medical center in a conversion to electronic medical records in its emergency department and perioperative services areas. Before her appointment as CEO, Dr. Thompson served as president of Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa., and executive vice president and COO of St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network in Coaldale, Pa.

Peggy Troy. CEO of Children's Hospital and Health System (Milwaukee). Ms. Troy has led Children's Hospital and Health System as president and CEO since 2009. Before then, she served as COO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tenn. She was also CEO of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center for three years and held senior positions at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Margaret Van Bree, DrPH. CEO of St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Senior Vice President of St. Luke's Episcopal Health System (Houston). Dr. Van Bree joined St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in 2009. At that time, she was also named senior vice president of the health system. Prior to her role at St. Luke's, Dr. Van Bree served as senior vice president and COO at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison. She has held similar roles since 1999 at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville and Fairview-University Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Sandra A. Van Trease.
Group President of BJC Healthcare (St. Louis). Ms. Van Trease oversees the strategic direction and leadership for 10 of BJC Healthcare's community and rural hospitals. She joined the system in 2004 after serving as president and CEO of the managed care company UniCare and holding executive positions with other managed care organizations.

Anita S. Vaughn, RN. Administrator and CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women (Memphis, Tenn.). Ms. Vaughn's time with Memphis-based Baptist Memorial Health Care spans more than 30 years. She has led Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women as administrator and CEO since 1998. Before then, she served as the director of practice management for Baptist Memorial Health, which included overseeing the operations of 11 medical centers and six physician practices.

Nancy Vish, RN, PhD. President and CNO of Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital (Dallas).
Dr. Vish has managed Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital since she was named president in 2005. Dr. Vish joined Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System in 1996 as the program manager and director for the cardiac catheter lab, coronary care unit and interventional cardiology unit at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. She served as vice president of clinical operations and CNO of the heart and vascular hospital in 2001 before accepting her current position.

Kelly Wallace. CFO of Seattle Children's Hospital. Ms. Wallace has been CFO of Seattle Children's Hospital since 1995. Over the past five years, Seattle Children's has expanded its research facilities and ambulatory network, implemented an electronic health record system and established plans for a new 80-bed patient tower, which is expected to open in April 2013. Before joining the hospital in 1987, Ms. Wallace was an audit manager specializing in healthcare at Arthur Anderson in Seattle.  

Kate Walsh. President and CEO of Boston Medical Center. Ms. Walsh became the president and CEO of Boston Medical Center in March 2010. Prior to her appointment, she served as executive vice president and COO of Brigham and Women's Hospital for five years. During her tenure, the hospital moved its patient satisfaction scores to the 95th percentile.

Carolyn Wilson, RN. President and CEO of University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, and Amplatz Children's Hospital (Minneapolis). Ms. Wilson assumed her role as president and CEO of University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, and Amplatz Children's Hospital in November 2011. Before then, she served as associate dean and COO of the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she held a variety of other leadership roles over 13 years. Prior to her executive positions, Ms. Wilson spent a year as a staff nurse with the National Institutes of Health.

Phyllis Wingate-Jones. President of Carolinas Medical Center – NorthEast (Concord, N.C.). Ms. Wingate-Jones has led the 457-bed Carolinas Medical Center – Northeast as president since April 2010. Before then, Ms. Wingate-Jones served as president of Carolinas Medical Center – Mercy in Charlotte, N.C., for three years.


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