Here are the marketing executives of the 10 largest nonprofit health systems:
Nick Ragone. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Executive Vice President of Ascension (St. Louis): Mr. Ragone has overseen brand strategy, marketing, public relations and social media strategy for the 139 hospitals and its subsidiaries since 2016. Mr. Ragone has led the national rebranding of Ascension’s local health systems and sites of care to adopt the unified Ascension name, the largest such undertaking ever in the health system space. Mr. Ragone optimized the marketing and communications approach to strengthen its brand and mission across more than 2,600 care facilities and with a workforce of more than 150,000 employees. Mr. Ragone has a bachelor's degree in political science from Brunswick, N.J.-based Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor from Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University.
Adam Rice. Senior Vice President of Marketing at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago): Mr. Rice has held executive marketing roles at the system of 137 hospitals since 2013. Prior to joining the system, he was the director of marketing and consumer sales at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, where he served for nearly 12 years. With the payer, he defined strategy as well as developed and executed sales and marketing strategies to target growth markets.
Julie Spencer Washington. Chief Marketing, Communications and Experience officer at Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.): Ms. Spencer Washington enhances strategic marketing, brand building, demand creation and digital communication for the system's 92 hospitals. Before joining Trinity, she was the chief marketing officer for Champion Petfoods, where she drove revenue growth, expanded global and e-commerce distribution and launched the company’s brand campaigns. She earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry and psychology from Atlanta-based Emory University and her MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.
Nikki Moll. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas): Ms. Moll has served with the system of 52 hospitals since 2004. She has served in her current role since 2017. She previously was the vice president of public relations, where she was responsible for news, social media and public relations management. Before transitioning to marketing, Ms. Moll held several reporter and producer positions at local television stations. She has a journalism degree from University Park, Texas-based Southern Methodist University.
Vickie White. Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.): Ms. White has worked for the system of 50 hospitals since 2000. She was appointed marketing chief in February 2020. She previously held executive marketing and innovation positions at the system's Florida division. Ms. White has a marketing degree from the University of Central Florida in Orange County.
Colette Manning. Vice President of Marketing at Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.): Ms. Manning joined Sanford Health in 2012 as a digital project manager. She served in various marketing leadership roles at the system befoe being named its vice president of marketing in April. Ms. Manning earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and management the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Dean Walters. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at UPMC (Pittsburgh): Mr. Walters has served as UPMC's vice president and chief marketing officer since 2012. Prior to this role, he served as the system's vice president of regional and national clinical marketing for three years. From 1995-2009, Mr. Walters served as the vice president of public and government affairs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which has since merged with UPMC. He earned a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Pittsburgh-based Duquesne University.
Joseph Kelly. Executive Vice President and Transformation and Business Development Officer at Mercy (St. Louis): Mr. Kelly joined Mercy in 2014 as senior vice president and chief marketing officer. His title changed to executive vice president and chief marketing and business development officer in 2018. Prior to joining Mercy, Mr. Kelly served as the senior vice president of international marketing at Aetna and held marketing leadership roles at Swiss Re’s commercial business, as well as General Electric’s global asset protection and industrial risks businesses. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from DePaul University in Chicago.
Kristy LoRusso. National Chief Marketing Officer at Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.): Ms. LoRusso began serving as Kaiser Permanente's interim national chief marketing officer in March 2020, and the title became permanent five months later. She joined the system in 2007 as its vice president of digital and direct marketing. Ms. LoRusso previously served in marketing leadership roles at Yahoo!, Time and the Walt Disney Co. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut in Storrs.
Kendra Calhoun. Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Communications and Public Relations at Avera Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.): Ms. Calhoun has served as Avera Health's senior vice president of strategic marketing, communications and public relations since 2013. Previously, she served as the corporate vice president of Minneapolis-based Allina Health and the president and CEO of the Amputee Coalition of America. Ms. Calhoun earned a master’s degree in journalism and bachelor’s degrees in English and business administration from Morgantown-based West Virginia University.