143 women leaders of hospitals and health systems | 2018

Becker's Hospital Review named the following female leaders to its annual list of 143 women hospital and health system leaders to know.

These women are hospital and health system executives for institutions across the nation. Whether they lead multistate health systems or 25-bed critical access hospitals, these leaders face the challenges of running healthcare organizations head-on. Many wear multiple hats within their health system to promote organizational growth and drive innovation.

The leaders on this list were selected based on editorial judgment after evaluation of their management and leadership skills, as well as career accomplishments. Becker's Healthcare accepted nominations for this list.

Note: Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Names are presented in alphabetical order.

Please contact Laura Dyrda with questions or comments on this list at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. You can find the nomination form for our 2019 "Women hospital and health system leaders to know" here.

Josie Abboud, BSN, RN. President and CEO of Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women's Hospital (Omaha, Neb.). Ms. Abboud joined Methodist Hospital as a critical care nurse in 1996 and has worked her way through the ranks over the past two decades. A member of the Medical Group Management Association and a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Ms. Abboud has been recognized for her outstanding leadership over the years. In 2017, she received the American College of Healthcare Executives' Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Award and the American Cancer Society's National St. George Award, which recognizes individuals for outstanding service to the community in support of the society's mission to save lives from cancer.

Nancy Howell Agee. President and CEO of Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Since 2011, Ms. Agee has served as president and CEO of Carilion Clinic, a seven-hospital system with more than 13,000 employees. Ms. Agee, who is chair of the American Hospital Association, has received several leadership awards in recent years, including being named the Virginia Business Person of the Year in 2017.

Dawn Ahner. Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Ms. Ahner is responsible for Renown Health's nonclinical services, including human resources, marketing and communication. Ms. Ahner, who joined Renown Health in 1993, also oversees the health system's transitional services division. Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Ahner helped launch Transformation Health Care at Renown, a model of continuous improvement based on lean methodology, in 2010.

Lisa Allen, PhD. Chief Patient Experience Officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore). With more than 25 years of healthcare industry experience, Dr. Allen served in leadership roles at several nonprofit and for-profit healthcare systems before becoming Johns Hopkins Medicine's first chief patient experience officer in 2014. Before joining Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Allen was the vice president for quality, patient experience and patient safety at Boston-based Steward Health Care.

Gina Altieri. Enterprise Senior Vice President and Chief of Strategy Integration at Nemours Children's Health System (Jacksonville, Fla.). Ms. Altieri has been with Nemours Children's Health System for 22 years, and she is responsible for guiding the health system's strategic planning process and corporate services, which include IT, health informatics and enterprise intelligence. In 2017, Ms. Altieri was named to Connect World's annual Women of M2M list, which recognizes a group of internet of things executives who are helping drive the industry forward.

Rhonda Anderson. Senior Vice President and CFO of Ascension (St. Louis). Ms. Anderson was named senior vice president and CFO of Ascension in 2014, and she has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare finance. She previously served as president of business development and CFO of Columbia St. Mary's in Milwaukee. Before that, she spent 20 years at Saint Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore, where she served in financial management roles.

Suzanne Anderson. President of Virginia Mason Medical Center and Executive Vice President of Virginia Mason Health System (Seattle). Ms. Anderson oversees all patient care services at Virginia Mason Medical Center and holds responsibility for a variety of other areas, including finance, human resources and information systems. She joined Virginia Mason in 2007 and served as CFO and CIO of the medical center until she was promoted to president in 2016. Ms. Anderson is chair of the executive board of the National Board of Medical Examiners and has held volunteer positions at several organizations, including chair of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

Jean Anthony, RN. President and CEO of Hills and Dales General Hospital (Cass City, Mich.). Ms. Anthony has been with Hills and Dales General Hospital for more than four decades, serving as the hospital's COO for 14 years before she was promoted to president and CEO in 2014. In her current role, Ms. Anthony oversees operations of the 25-bed hospital. Under Ms. Anthony's leadership, Hills and Dales General Hospital embarked on a $6 million expansion project in 2017.

Pamela Arora. Senior Vice President of Information Services and CIO of Children's Health (Dallas). Ms. Arora, who has more than 30 years of experience in IT, joined Children's Health in 2007. A member of the Children's Hospital Association, CHIME and HIMSS, Ms. Arora previously served as senior vice president and CIO of Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health Care and CIO of Dallas-based Perot Systems. She was named the 2016 John E. Gall Jr. CIO of the Year by CHIME and HIMSS.

LaVone Arthur. Chief Strategy Officer of Baylor Scott & White (Dallas). Ms. Arthur, who has been part of the Baylor Scott & White team for more than three decades, was named chief strategy officer in November 2017. Before her promotion, Ms. Arthur served as chief integration officer. In that role, she oversaw the formation of Baylor Scott & White through the 2013 merger of Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare.

Kathy Bailey, PhD, BSN. President and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge (Morganton, N.C.). Dr. Bailey helms Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge, a community health system with physicians in more than 30 specialties. Before taking over as CEO in 2013, Dr. Bailey was COO of Blue Ridge HealthCare. She also served as the inaugural CEO of The Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head, N.C.

Elaine Batchlor, MD. CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital (Los Angeles). Dr. Batchlor has led Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital since the private, nonprofit safety-net facility opened in 2015. She played a key role in the opening of the 131-bed hospital, which serves 1.3 million residents in South Los Angeles. Before taking on her current role, Dr. Batchlor was CMO of L.A. Care Health Plan, one of the largest public health plans in the U.S.

Amy Beiter, MD. President and CEO of EvergreenHealth (Kirkland, Wash.). Dr. Beiter helms EvergreenHealth, a health system based in the Pacific Northwest with nearly 3,000 staff members, 950 physician partners, and 1,100 volunteers. A senior physician executive, she brought 25 years of healthcare experience to EvergreenHealth in August. She previously served as president and CEO for Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Ariz.

Cynthia Bentzen Williams. Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and President of Mercy Health Foundation (Chesterfield, Mo.). Ms. Bentzen Williams became senior vice president of human resources in January 2011 and her role was expanded to include chief administrative officer responsibilities in 2013. She is responsible for government relations, community relations and workforce health of Mercy Health Foundation. Prior to joining Mercy, Ms. Bentzen Williams was chief human resources officer for Ameristar Casinos, a national gaming and hospitality organization.

Karima Bentounsi. CEO of DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital (Commerce Township, Mich.). Ms. Bentounsi is the CEO of DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, where she is responsible for strategic, operational and clinical activities. In 2018, she earned the Female CEO of the Year Gold award at the CEO World Awards, a testament to her leadership abilities. The hospital has improved quality performance under her leadership. Prior to joining DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, Ms. Bentounsi served as COO and then CEO of Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Josette Beran. Chief Strategy Officer for Cleveland Clinic. Ms. Beran holds a master's degree in executive healthcare business administration from Berea, Ohio-based Baldwin Wallace University and has worked at Cleveland Clinic for 17 years. In that time, Ms. Beran served as an administrator in the neurology and infectious disease departments and as the director of cardiothoracic affiliate programs. From 2008-11, she served as senior director of clinical operations and executive director of medical operations. From 2011-14, Ms. Beran served as the executive administrative officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she built an operating model for executive administration from the ground up. Ms. Beran returned to the Cleveland Clinic's main campus in 2014 as executive director of strategic partnering and network integration.

Jan Bergen. President and CEO of Lancaster (Pa.) General Health. Ms. Bergen is president and CEO of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, a 786-bed nonprofit health system and part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. She joined Lancaster General Hospital nearly two decades ago after serving as senior vice president of Jefferson Health's 400-bed Bryn Mawr (Pa.) Hospital. Ms. Bergen also helmed Main Line Health System's Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital in Malvern, Pa.

Syd Bersante. Market President of CHI Franciscan Health, Pierce County Region (Tacoma, Wash.). Ms. Bersante has more than 35 years of healthcare management experience. She is currently the market president of CHI Franciscan Health, Pierce County Region, where she oversees three hospitals and 2,724 team members. She is also responsible for the health system's cardiovascular, neurosciences and women's and children's systemwide strategic service lines. Prior to her current role, Ms. Bersante was president of St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash.

Leslie Bingham. CEO of Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville (Texas). Ms. Bingham has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience. She has led Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville for more than 12 years as CEO. During her tenure, the hospital was designated a Texas Ten Step Program facility by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This means the hospital has implemented the World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a group of evidence-based practices designed to improve maternity care. Before starting her current role, Ms. Bingham was COO of the hospital.

Mary Blackburn. Vice President for Growth and Market Development and Chief Nursing Officer of Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital (Elkin, N.C.). Ms. Blackburn joined Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in 2007 as the medical/surgical unit manager and then became the chief practice officer in 2008, playing an integral role in expanding the hospital's four outpatient locations to now include 27 locations. In her current role, as vice president of growth and market development, Ms. Blackburn is the senior executive with overall responsibility for the heath system's strategic plan development and implementation. She is also CNO, overseeing the department of nursing and clinical ancillary departments.

Colleen Blye. Executive Vice President and CFO of Montefiore Health System (New York City). Ms. Blye oversees financial aspects of the 11-hospital Montefiore Health System, as well as its affiliated medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During her tenure, she has played a key role in Montefiore's healthcare reform leadership, including expertise in relevant policy considerations such as funding to address social determinants of health. Ms. Blye previously served as executive vice president and CFO of Catholic Health Services of Long Island, an integrated healthcare delivery system based in Rockville Centre, N.Y. She also spent time as executive vice president for finance and integrated services at Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives.

Adrienne Boissy, MD. Chief Experience Officer of Cleveland Clinic. In her role as chief experience officer, Dr. Boissy leads Cleveland Clinic's office of patient experience and its initiatives. She also serves as a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. Ethical issues in neurological disease are part of her clinical focus. Dr. Boissy previously served as medical director of Cleveland Clinic's Center of Excellence in Healthcare Communication and is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Patient Experience.

Mary Boosalis. President and CEO of Premier Health (Dayton, Ohio). Ms. Boosalis is responsible for leading Southwest Ohio's largest health system, which includes Miami Valley Hospital, the flagship facility. In this role, she is instrumental in ensuring the health system's financial stability, enabling Premier Health to carry out its mission. Ms. Boosalis is the first female president of Premier Health. Ms. Boosalis has experience serving on the University of Dayton Board of Trustees, where she was named chair-elect, and the Dayton-based Sinclair Community College Board of Trustees.

Marna Borgstrom. President and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health System. Ms. Borgstrom has had a 30-year career with Yale New Haven Health. She was appointed president and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital and the health system in 2005. In this role, she helms an organization with 25,000 employees. Outside of Yale-New Haven, she serves on national boards of the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Healthcare Executives Study Society and Irving, Texas-based group purchasing organization Vizient.

Tammie Brailsford, RN. Executive Vice President and COO of MemorialCare (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Brailsford was named executive vice president and COO of MemorialCare Health System in 2003. In this role, she is responsible for clinical, quality, financial and operational performance of the health system's Southern California hospitals, numerous outpatient care locations and the MemorialCare Medical Foundation—all of which have appeared on many “best of” lists, including Best Hospitals and Top Workforces. Ms. Brailsford holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from Pacific Union College in Angwin, Calif., and a master's degree in healthcare management from California State University in Los Angeles.

Ruth Williams-Brinkley. President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest (Oakland, Calif.). Ms. Williams-Brinkley is responsible for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente's care delivery and health plan operations in Oregon and markets in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Longview/Kelso, Wash. She was previously CEO of Louisville-based KentuckyOne Health, a division of Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives. She also served as president and CEO of Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Ariz., and as president and CEO of Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Katherine Bunting-Williams, PhD, MSN, RN. CEO of Fairfield (Ill.) Memorial Hospital. For nearly the last two decades, Dr. Bunting-Williams has served at the head of Fairfield Memorial Hospital. She is a past president of the Illinois Hospital Association and currently serves on the IHA Small and Rural Hospital Steering Committee. Dr. Bunting-Williams recently added to those accolades in 2018 with her election to the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board. She is also an American College of Healthcare Executives member.

Carol H. Burrell. President and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System (Gainesville). Ms. Burrell became president and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System in 2011 and has lead the organization to achieve national recognition. She oversees the nonprofit community health system's three hospital campuses that include 713 beds and more than 700 medical staff members. She earned the 2018 Atlanta Business Chronicle's Women Who Mean Business recognition.

Debra Canales. Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Providence St. Joseph Health (Renton, Wash.). As a leader of the country's third largest health system, Ms. Canales is responsible for creating a stable work environment, and her efforts have been successful. In a 2017 survey, 84 percent of the system's 119,000 employees said they planned to stay with Providence St. Joseph. Ms. Canales has implemented several initiatives during her tenure, notably increasing the frequency of employee surveys, which has lowered the health system's nurse turnover rate and creating $10.4 million in savings.

Paula Carynski, BSN, MSN. President of OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center (Rockford, Ill.). Ms. Carynski joined the health system in 1985, and OSF saw her early on, awarding her a spot in the OSF Leadership Academy where she was recognized for demonstrating superior leadership characteristics and a capacity for growth. During her career, she served as vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer before ascending to the president role in July 2013. Illinois Nurses Association District Three awarded Ms. Carynski its Distinguished Nurse Advocate Award.

Joan Coffman. President and CEO of St. Tammany Parish Hospital (Covington, La.). Ms. Coffman became president and CEO of Tammany Parish Hospital in June 2018 after serving 10 years as president and CEO of HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur, Ill. A native of New Orleans, Ms. Coffman began her hospital career as assistant administrator of Lindy Boggs Medical Center in New Orleans, which she moved on from when the hospital closed in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Ms. Coffman is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Karen Collins, BSN, RN. CEO of Lady of the Sea General Hospital (Cut Off, La.). Ms. Collins stands at the helm of the 25-bed critical access, nonprofit Lady of the Sea General Hospital. She joined the hospital in 1982, rising through the ranks until she became CEO in 2013. Ms. Collins was recognized at the Lafourche Chamber of Commerce's Best of Lafourche Excellence in Healthcare awards in April.

Amy Compton-Phillips, MD. Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of Providence St. Joseph Health (Renton, Wash.). Joining Providence in August 2015, Dr. Compton-Phillips brought a wealth of experience with her from her time at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, where she held various roles before ending her tenure as chief quality officer of the Permanente Foundation Dr. Compton-Phillips now oversees and improves the care process for Providence's entire five-state system as executive vice president and chief clinical officer.

Susan Davila. CEO of Desert View Hospital (Pahrump, Nev.). Ms. Davila joined Desert View Hospital when it opened over a decade ago and rose in the ranks to eventually serve six years as CEO. Ms. Davila also served as CEO of Gardnerville, Nev.-based Carson Valley Medical Center for a brief period. She is a former chair of the Nevada Hospital Association and has held multiple board positions with the American Hospital Association.

Leslie Davis. Senior Vice President of UPMC and Executive Vice President and COO of UPMC's Health Services Division (Pittsburgh). Joining UPMC in 2004, Ms. Davis has accumulated a wealth of knowledge from her more than 30 years in healthcare. She helps lead the entire UPMC portfolio as senior vice president of UPMC and executive vice president and COO of the health system's health services division. Along with her time at UPMC, Ms. Davis was president of Philadelphia-based Graduate Hospital and COO of Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania Hospital. She started her career at New York City-based Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Takeisha Davis, MD. CEO of New Orleans East Hospital. Dr. Davis leads New Orleans East Hospital, a hospital opened in 2014 and managed by New Orleans-based LCMC Health. In her current role, she oversees hospital operations for the facility, which includes more than 120 physicians and nearly 300 employees. Under her leadership, the hospital achieved financial stability and expanded services to the New Orleans East area. She also launched a dedicated physician group to serve the 90,000 residents of the area. Dr. Davis serves on the mayor's healthcare advisory board and earned the City of New Orleans Women in Leadership recognition.

Pam Delagardelle, BSN, RN. President and CEO of UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital (Waterloo, Iowa). Beginning her career in healthcare in 1983, Ms. Delagardelle rose through the ranks from director of patient care all the way to president and CEO. In addition to overseeing UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital, she has also served as an assistant professor at Waterloo-based Allen College. Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Mount Mercy University, where Ms. Delagardelle received her bachelor's in nursing, awarded her its Distinguished Service Award in 2012 and a spot in its "Success Follows" alumni outcomes project.

Patti DePompei. President of University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's and MacDonald Women's Hospitals (Cleveland). Ms. DePompei is responsible for the growth of University Hospitals Rainbow & Babies Children's and MacDonald Women's hospitals as president of the organizations. Under her leadership, UH Rainbow expanded to offer services at six community hospitals and 20 health and surgery centers. Ms. DePompei also leads a team of more than 2,800 physicians and clinical staff members, and she works closely with the department chairs, clinical directors and nurse leaders. Crain's Cleveland Business named her among the Notable Women in Healthcare for 2018.

Lani Dickinson. CEO of Emanuel Medical Center (Turlock, Calif.). Ms. Dickinson maintains a commitment to quality, patient experience and evidence-based best practices as CEO of Emanuel Medical Center. She joined the hospital in March and has already made significant changes, including improvements to the emergency department. She previously served as CNO of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare's former Western Region and COO of Lakewood (Calif.) Regional Medical Center.

Lori Donaldson. CFO of UC San Diego Health System. Tasked with the financial decisions for the entire UC San Diego Health System, Ms. Donaldson oversees a budget of more than $1 billion. Under her leadership, UC San Diego Health consistently exceeds industry standard margins. Because of her exceptional efforts, the San Diego Business Journal bestowed its CFO of the Year award on her in 2015. Ms. Donaldson joined UC San Diego Health in 1990, becoming CFO in July 2010.

Kelly Driscoll, RN. President and CEO of Faith Regional Health Services (Norfolk, Neb.). Promoted to the CEO position in September 2018, Ms. Driscoll has more than 23 years of experience in healthcare and has held senior leadership positions for more than 20 years. Ms. Driscoll joined Faith Regional in 2011 as chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services, rising through the ranks until her permanent appointment as CEO. She is an American College of Healthcare Executives fellow.

Aphreikah DuHaney-West. CEO of Teche Regional Medical Center (Morgan City, La.). Ms. DuHaney-West manages the day-to-day operations of Teche Regional Medical Center as the 167-bed hospital's CEO. She is in charge of ensuring patient safety, promoting quality and patient satisfaction. As a certified professional in patient safety and a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Ms. DuHaney-West has become a champion of patient engagement and involving communities in their healthcare. She previously served as COO of Mercy Regional Medical Center in Ville Platte, Calif.

Liz Dunne. President and CEO of PeaceHealth (Vancouver, Wash.). Ms. Dunne oversees operations for PeaceHealth, a nonprofit health system in the Pacific Northwest that includes around 16,000 caregivers and a multispecialty medical group practice with more than 900 physicians. Her leadership focus is addressing social determinants of health and removing barriers to wellness for patients at PeaceHealth's 10 hospitals and other facilities. She also serves on the American Hospital Association board of directors and the Oregon Business Council.

Paige Dworak. CEO of East Orange General Hospital (Orange County, N.J.). Ms. Dworak oversees hospital activity and community integration at East Orange General Hospital as its CEO. She took the helm of the 211-bed acute care hospital in 2017 after spending time as interim CEO and COO of the organization. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience, previously serving as vice president of operations improvement for Waterbury (Conn.) Hospital and Manchester-based Eastern Connecticut Health Network. In 2017, NJBiz honored Ms. Dworak with the 40 Under 40 Award.

Melinda Estes, MD. President and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, Mo.). Dr. Estes held executive healthcare leadership positions long before she became president and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System in 2011. A board-certified neurologist and neuropathologist, Dr. Estes previously served as CEO and president at Burlington, Vt.-based Fletcher Allen Health Care, as well as CMO and then CEO at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston. In 2018, the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees selected Dr. Estes as its chair-elect designate, which is a three-year commitment. Dr. Estes will begin her term in 2019 as chair-elect before becoming chair in 2020 and immediate past chair in 2021.

Gabrielle Finley-Hazle. CEO of St. Mary's Medical Center and Palm Beach Children's Hospital (West Palm Beach, Fla.). Ms. Finley-Hazle became CEO of the 464-bed St. Mary's Medical Center in January 2016, and currently also oversees Palm Beach Children's Hospital. Under her leadership, the hospital achieved several recognitions for it's stroke and heart care, including the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines awards. The hospital also expanded its level 1 trauma center and became the first Palm Beach County hospital to earn Joint Commission certification for spine surgery.

Teri Fontenot. President and CEO of Woman's Hospital (Baton Rouge, La.). Ms. Fontenot serves as president and CEO of Woman's Hospital, which is home to the largest birthing and neonatal intensive care health system in the state of Louisiana. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Ms. Fontenot has been the recipient of numerous business leadership awards, including Baton Rouge Business Report's Businesswoman of the Year in 2013 and the Louisiana Hospital Association's Golden Pelican President's Award in 2010 and 2016. Ms. Fontenot currently serves on the boards of publicly traded companies Amerisafe and Landauer, as well as the Louisiana Healthcare Quality Forum and Louisiana Hospital Association Professional and General Liability Trust Funds.

Laura Forese, MD. Executive Vice President and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). Dr. Forese joined NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in 2003 as vice president of medical affairs. Since then, she has taken on various leadership roles within the organization and currently serves as vice president and COO. Dr. Forese is responsible for achieving NewYork-Presbyterian's operating targets as well as implementing the organization's patient-centered strategic vision and culture. Dr. Forese also serves as an associate clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Columbia University in New York City.

Mary Ann Fuchs, DNP, MSN, RN. Vice President of Patient Care and System Chief Nurse Executive at Duke University Health System (Durham, N.C.). Ms. Fuchs was promoted to chief nursing and patient care services officer of Duke University Hospital in 1999, and in September 2001, her role was expanded to vice president of patient care and system chief nurse executive of the entire Duke University Health System. In this role, Ms. Fuchs led Duke University Health System's endeavor to achieve Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2014. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Wharton Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, and is a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse fellow. In 2007, Ms. Fuchs was one of 25 women on the Triangle Business Journal's Women in Business list.

Nancy Gaden, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Boston Medical Center. Ms. Gaden joined Boston Medical Center in 2014 after having served as system vice president and patient care services/chief nursing officer at Hallmark Health System in Medford, Mass. While at Hallmark, Ms. Gaden led the health system to achieve Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Ms. Gaden previously served in patient care services and chief nursing officer roles at Boston-based Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and Milton (Mass.) Hospital.

Kristi Gatrell. CEO of Big Horn County Memorial Hospital (Hardin, Mont.). Ms. Gatrell became CEO of Big Horn County Memorial Hospital in 2014 and has since helped the hospital grow and scale. A long-time resident of Big Horn's community, Ms. Gatrell led efforts to expand the hospital's emergency department to meet the increased demand from patients in the high trauma region.

Kris Gaw. COO of Maricopa Integrated Health System (Phoenix). Ms. Gaw joined Maricopa Integrated Health System, one of Arizona's only public healthcare systems, in 2016. Ms. Gaw arrived at Maricopa with previous health leadership experience, including executive vice president and chief administrative officer of hospital operations at Dallas-based Parkland Hospital and Health System and a six-year COO tenure at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev. In 2018, Ms. Gaw was named to AZ Big Media's list of Most Influential Women in Arizona. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Ms. Gaw is a certified Rapid Process Improvement Workshop Leader and a member of the executive leadership team of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign to end heart disease and stroke among women.

Maggie Gill. CEO of Palm Beach Group for Tenet Healthcare and CEO of Delray Medical Center (Delray Beach, Fla.). Ms. Gill joined Dallas-based Tenet as CEO of its Palm Beach Group and Delray Medical Center in September. She previously served as CEO of Novant Health UVA Health System in Culpeper, Va., where she designed and implemented the functional organization of the system, including cultural integration, branding and financial turnaround. She also has experience developing long-term strategic quality and growth plans and establishing regional payer partnerships to create opportunities for value-based care.

Laurie Glimcher, MD. President and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston). Dr. Glimcher oversees the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as president and CEO. She is also president of Dana-Farber/Partners Cancer Care and the principal investigator of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. She is a passionate advocate for researchers and physicians and has mentored several post-doctoral students who have achieved distinction in academic medicine and cancer treatment. Dr. Glimcher has achieved several distinctions throughout her career, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Immunologists.

Audrey Gregory, PhD, MSN, RN. President of Saint Francis Healthcare Memphis Market. Dr. Gregory serves as Memphis market president and CEO of Saint Francis Healthcare, part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare. With more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, Dr. Gregory has held various positions within Tenet, including chief nursing officer and department director. An active member of her community, Dr. Gregory is a member of her community's chamber of commerce, which she works with on support services such as nursing retirement. Dr. Gregory has recruited more than 50 registered nurses from the Caribbean with valid work visas to the Memphis market, and in 2017, she was awarded the Diversity Champion Award by the Tennessee Hospital Association.

Lisa E. Harris, MD. CEO of Eskenazi Health (Indianapolis). Dr. Harris has practiced medicine for 30 years at Eskenazi Health. As CEO, she has remained engaged in patient care, research and training in the health system as well as her local community. Dr. Harris serves as president of the board of directors of the American Red Cross of Indiana, and she is a member of the board of directors for the Regenstrief Institute, Julian Center, Second Helpings and Managed Emergency Surge for Healthcare. In 2015, Dr. Harris was chair of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women initiative.

Margot Hartmann, MD, PhD. President and CEO of Nantucket (Mass.) Cottage Hospital. Before becoming president and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital in 2010, Dr. Hartmann worked as an emergency physician at the health system for more than a decade. As the sole medical provider on Nantucket, an island located 30 miles out to sea, the hospital expanded its care services under Dr. Hartmann's leadership to include a partnership with Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. In February 2018, Dr. Hartmann announced she will retire in summer 2019.

Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN. COO of Mission Health and President of Mission Hospital (Asheville, N.C.). Dr. Hoggard Green began her career in healthcare as a registered nurse and went on to receive a doctorate in healthcare leadership and quality from Salt Lake City-based University of Utah's College of Nursing. Dr. Hoggard Green now oversees physician practice at Mission Hospital and Mission Medical Associates in addition to overall system operations. She first joined Mission Health from Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth, where she served as COO for the Oregon region. Previously, she led Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare as an assistant vice president.

Diane Holder. Executive Vice President of UPMC, President of UPMC Insurance Services Division, and President and CEO of UPMC Health Plan (Pittsburgh). Ms. Holder is the executive vice president of UPMC, president of the UPMC Insurance Services Division and CEO of the UPMC Health Plan, which oversees health coverage and manages benefits for 3.2 million people. The division includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC for You, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization and WorkPartners, which manage benefits for CMS, behavioral health and workers compensation programs. Prior to her current role, Ms. Holder spent time as CEO of UMPC's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Ms. Holder was also the founding CEO of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization.

Tasha Hopper. CEO of The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus (El Paso, Texas). Ms. Hopper has served The Hospitals of Providence for more than 20 years and currently serves as CEO of the system's Transmountain campus. She oversaw construction of the hospital and was the associate administrator when it opened in January 2017. Previously, Ms. Hopper served as assistant CNO of THOP's Memorial Campus in El Paso, where she implemented the GetWellNetwork and achieved Pathway to Excellence designation for the hospital's nursing department.

Cynthia Hundorfean. President and CEO of Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh). Ms. Hundorfean joined Allegheny Health Network in 2016 after spending around 30 years at Cleveland Clinic. Since her arrival, the health system has made several high-profile capital investments, including five new hospitals that will be built in the next three years. She also launched several services unique to the market, including micro-hospitals and a same-day appointment initiative. Under her watch, the health system has undergone a dramatic turnaround and now reports financial stability.

Charlotte Ipsan, DNP, RN. Chief Administrative Officer of Norton Women's & Children's Hospital (Louisville, Ky.). Ms. Ipsan has more than 30 years of experience in maternal/child and pediatric healthcare. In 2009, Ms. Ipsan was named the vice president of Norton Children;s Medical Center and was promoted to system vice president of pediatric services in 2011. Ms. Ipsan also served as a course director for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Tract at the University of Louisville Graduate School of Nursing and as the manager of the advanced neonatal nurse practitioner team for the university's pediatrics department. Ms. Ipsan was also named the University of Louisville School of Nursing's Alumni of the Year and in 2014 was recognized for being among the Top 40 University of Louisville School of Nursing Outstanding Alumni. Ms. Ipsan was named the chief administrative officer of Norton Women's & Children's Hospital in 2012, participating in the creation of the region's first women's and children's hospital. In 2013, Ms. Ipsan was named the Most Admired Woman in Healthcare by Today's Woman magazine.

Catherine Jacobson. President and CEO of Froedtert Health (Milwaukee). Ms. Jacobson spent more than 20 years with Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center before joining Milwaukee-based Froedtert Health as executive vice president of finance and strategy, CFO, and chief strategy officer in 2010. In 2011, she was named president, and she took on the CEO role in 2012. Ms. Jacobson currently holds board appointments at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, the Greater Milwaukee Committee, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Wisconsin Hospital Association Board, among others. In 2013, the Milwaukee Business Journal named Ms. Jacobson in its Women of Influence series. Ms. Jacobson earned an honorary doctor of healthcare leadership degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2015.

Cristina Jimenez. CEO of Coral Gables (Fla.) Hospital. As CEO of Coral Gables Hospital, Ms. Jimenez is responsible for all strategic, operational and clinical initiatives. She first joined the hospital more than 30 years ago as a phlebotomist and worked her way up to serve as COO and then CEO in 2017. Under her leadership, the hospital earned The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for total hip and knee replacements as well as recognition among Dallas-based Tenet's 2018 Circle of Excellence.

Barbara Joers. President and CEO of Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare (St. Paul, Minn.). Ms. Joers became the president and CEO of Gillette Children's in 2013. Previously, she served as the vice president of Milwaukee-based Children's Hospital of Wisconsin from 2010-13 and held various executive roles at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Gaye Jolly. President and Chief Administrative Officer of LeConte Medical Center (Sevierville, Tenn.). Ms. Jolly was appointed CAO at Roane County, Tenn.-based Roane Medical Center in 2012 while the facility was under construction to add 54 more beds before joining LeConte Medical Center in 2017. Ms. Jolly is respected for her innate ability to lead change and facilitate process improvements. Ms. Jolly oversaw the hospital's conversion of IT systems and implementation of Chicago-based Covenant Health's computerized physician order entry system. Previously, Ms. Jolly served as Covenant Health's vice president for corporate materials management, where she oversaw centralized purchasing, contracting and database management.

Laura Kaiser. President and CEO of SSM Health (St. Louis). Ms. Kaiser joined SSM Health as the president and CEO in 2017, providing more than 30 years of experience in healthcare strategy, improving clinical quality, fueling innovation, managing operational performance and growth, and leading and facilitating healthcare integration. Previously, Ms. Kaiser served as the executive vice president and COO for Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare and served at St. Louis-based Ascension Health in several leadership roles. Ms. Kaiser is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Pat Keel. Senior Vice President and CFO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, Tenn.). Ms. Keel was appointed senior vice president and CFO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in February 2016. Previously, Ms. Keel served as senior vice president and CFO of Christus Schumpert Health System in Shreveport, La., and held leadership roles at Longview, Texas-based Good Shepherd Health System and Mokena, Ill.-based Provena Health, now Presence Health. Ms. Keel holds a master's degree in healthcare administration from San Antonio-based Trinity University.

Kathleen Kinslow, CRNA, EdD. Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer of Jefferson Health and Aria Health-Torresdale (Philadelphia). Ms. Kinslow was named CEO and executive vice president and chief integration officer of Jefferson Health and Aria Health-Torresdale in 2010. Before Ms. Kinslow joined Jefferson Health and Aria Health-Torresdale, she served as CEO and executive director of Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Hospital. In 1992, she joined the Pennsylvania Hospital as a director of the School of Nurse Anesthesia and rose to other leadership positions, including vice president, chief nursing officer and COO.

Jan Kleinhesselink, RN. Chief Quality Officer of Lincoln (Neb.) Surgical Hospital. As chief quality officer, Ms. Kleinhesselink oversees the leadership of Lincoln Surgical Hospital's medical records department and EHR, as well as its laboratory services, quality improvement, safety, risk management, infection prevention, credentialing and regulatory compliance. Before joining the hospital, Ms. Kleinhesselink served as director of quality services for the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Surgical Center and Surgical Management Professionals. She is a member of the National Association for Healthcare Quality, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Debra Knapheide. CEO, CNO and COO of Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital (Nogales, Ariz.). Ms. Knapheide is CEO, COO and CNO of Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital, where she is responsible for operations, executive planning, clinical services and medical staff direction. She had a 30-year career in nursing, working for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. During her time at Holy Cross, the hospital earned recognition for innovative emergency medical services and received the Critical Access Hospital Recognition Certificate from the National Rural Health Resource Center.

Carolyn Koenig. Chief Administrative Officer of SSM Health (St. Louis). Ms. Koenig is responsible for the direction and oversight of SSM Health's human resources, governance and marketing and communications team as the chief administrative officer. She has more than 30 years of experience in business and human resources, having overseen global HR for publicly traded organizations. She previously led the human resources efforts during SSM's integration with Fond du Lac, Wis.-based Agnesian Healthcare and Monroe (Wis.) Clinic in 2018.

June Komar. Corporate Executive Vice President, Strategy and Administration of Scripps Health (San Diego). Ms. Komar joined Scripps Health in 1997 as vice president, and she has held numerous leadership roles since, including senior vice president of strategic planning and business development. She has held her current role — corporate executive vice president of strategy and administration — since 2010, and is charged with supervising strategic planning, government and community relations and information services. Before joining Scripps, Ms. Komar served as director of strategic planning at Mercy Health in Cincinnati.

Sue Korth, PhD, RN. Former Vice President and COO of Methodist Women's Hospital (Omaha, Neb.). In 2007, Dr. Korth was appointed vice president and COO of Methodist Women's Hospital, a 162-bed facility of which she oversaw the construction, implementation of services and hiring of personnel. She recently retired from her role. Her efforts to establish Methodist Women's Hospital earned her the 2010 Woman of Distinction Award presented by Midlands Business Journal, an award that recognizes exceptional contributions from one local businesswoman each year. Dr. Korth has more than 30 years of clinical and medical management experience, including a five-year stint as a clinical supervisor in high-risk OB/GYN at Methodist Hospital.

Sarah Krevans. President and CEO of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). Before joining the Sutter Health network in 1999 as senior vice president of managed care, Ms. Krevans served as senior vice president and area manager at Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente and as acting director of Medicaid, health planning and licensure programs for the state of Maine. She become president and CEO of Sutter in 2016, after holding various leadership roles, including regional executive officer and president of Sutter's multicounty Sacramento Sierra region and systemwide COO.

JoAnn Kunkel. CFO of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. Kunkel has been with Sanford Health for 25 years, starting as a budget analyst and working her way up to CFO, a position she assumed in 2012. As the system's CFO, Ms. Kunkel supervises the financial operations of Sanford's 45 hospitals and hundreds of clinics. Under her leadership, Sanford has grown from a $300 million hospital into a $4.5 billion system.

Phyllis Lantos. Special Adviser to the President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York). Ms. Lantos serves as special adviser to the president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, where she previously served as executive vice president, CFO and treasurer. Ms Lantos served as CFO for 18 years. As special adviser, Ms. Lantos collaborates closely with President and CEO Steven Corwin, MD, on topics related to public policy. Additionally, she is the chair of the board of trustees of MCIC Vermont, NewYork-Presbyterian's malpractice captive.

Brittany Lavis. CFO of Michigan/Illinois Group of Tenet Healthcare (Dallas). Ms. Lavis was promoted to CFO of the Michigan/Illinois Group of Tenet Healthcare recently, after having served as the group CFO in Southern California since 2015. She is currently responsible for the operations of Tenet facilities in Michigan and Illinois. Her previous experience includes working with physicians and clinical teams to improve total joint care under the CMS Comprehensive Joint Replacement program.

Jacklynn Lesniak, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer of Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Zion, Ill.). Since 2013, Ms. Lesniak has served as senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, where she is responsible for providing strategic leadership for nursing and other patient care areas. Her leadership helped the hospital receive a five-star Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System score from CMS in its most recent review. Before assuming her current role at the cancer treatment centers, Ms. Lesniak served as CNO and COO for Watertown (Wis.) Regional Medical Center.

Lee Ann Liska. CEO and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Augusta (Ga.) University Medical Center. As the first female CEO of Augusta University Medical Center, Ms. Liska took the helm in August 2016 and led the hospital to achieve several recognitions. During her time as CEO, Augusta-based Children's Hospital of Georgia experienced its highest year of growth in clinical revenue under her leadership and increased its bed capacity by 29 beds. She previously served as president and CEO of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Carol Lovin, MSN, RN. Executive Vice President and System Chief of Staff of Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Ms. Lovin brings more than 30 years of experience to Atrium Health, where she serves as the executive vice president and system chief of staff. Ms. Lovin is responsible for strategic planning and business development processes, which include corporate communications, marketing and outreach, innovation and strategy execution. Before taking her current role, Ms. Lovin served as chief strategy officer, executive vice president of planning and communications, and president at NorthEast Medical Center, which integrated with Atrium in 2007.

Ann Lucena. CEO of San Ramon (Calif.) Regional Medical Center. Ms. Lucena became CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center after serving as a senior director within Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and chief of staff for the system's president of hospital operations. She was instrumental in executing Tenet's vision and strategy and ensured the team followed through with strategic initiatives. She currently oversees all hospital operations at San Ramon, engages in executive planning and directs medical services, challenging her team to think creatively about resource utilization.

Stacey Malakoff. Executive Vice President and Treasurer of Hospital for Special Surgery (New York). Ms. Malakoff joined Hospital for Special Surgery as director of reimbursement in 1990. She was promoted in 1998 to her current role, executive vice president, treasurer and CFO, but held numerous administrative positions in the interim, including controller and vice president of finance. Hospital for Special Surgery is the oldest orthopedic hospital in the U.S. and completes more than 30,000 surgical procedures each year.

Marcia Manker. CEO of MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Manker serves as CEO of both MemorialCare Saddleback and Orange Coast Medical Centers, which have a combined 470 beds and 6,500 employees. Under her leadership Orange Coast and Saddleback have established prominent outpatient facilities, developed new models of care and named several years as the two best Orange County hospitals by Orange County Register readers. In 2016, Ms. Manker earned the title of Woman of the Year from California State Assembly and Soroptimist International, and Orange County Vietnamese American Lions Club Business Leader of the Year.

Patricia Maryland, DrPH. Executive Vice President of Ascension and President and CEO of Ascension Healthcare (St. Louis). Dr. Maryland became the president and CEO of Ascension Healthcare and the executive vice president of Ascension in July 2017. She brought her expertise in strategic planning, patient care operations and service line management to her new position. Before taking on her current role, Dr. Maryland served as the president of St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital and executive vice president and COO of St. Vincent Health, where she helped to create six centers of excellence and an agreement with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to bolster the pediatric subspecialty services to St. Vincent Children’s Hospital.

Mary Lou Mastro, RN. President and CEO of Edward-Elmhurst (Ill.) Health. Ms. Mastro initially joined Edward-Elmhurst Health as the director of cardiovascular services. From 2002 to 2013, she was president of Linden Oaks at Edward (now Linden Oaks Behavioral Health), and for two years she served as president and CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, where she contributed to record volume growth and financial stability. Ms. Mastro is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where she advocates for the rights of people with mental illness.

Tara McCoy. CEO of Good Samaritan Medical Center (West Palm Beach, Fla.). Ms. McCoy is CEO of 333-bed Good Samaritan Medical Center, a role she took on in October 2017 after spending six years as service line administrator focused on heart and vascular programs for Dallas-based Tenet's South Florida hospitals. She has a strong background in physician development and recruitment as well as experience in integrating strategy and vision. Under her leadership, the hospital opened a step-down unit to reduce burden on the intensive care unit and improved on-time starts with a consistent run rate of over 85 percent.

Margaret McKenzie, MD. President of Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital (Warrensville Heights, Ohio). Dr. McKenzie became president of Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital in 2017, and made her first priority to grow patient volume. In her current role, she developed a leadership team and transformed hospital culture. She joined Cleveland Clinic's OB/GYN & Women's Health Institute in 1995 and became section head of general obstetrics and gynecology in 2008.

Betsy McVay. Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer of UnityPoint Health (West Des Moines, Iowa). Ms. McVay focuses on partnering with business and clinical leadership to solve healthcare challenges. She splits her time between UnityPoint's locations in Madison, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, working with her team to use predictive and descriptive analytics to shape UnityHealth's performance measures.

Ana Mederos. CEO of Palmetto General Hospital (Hialeah, Fla.). Ms. Mederos has spent 10 years as CEO of Palmetto General Hospital, responsible for strategic, operational and clinical initiatives. In 2018, the hospital earned a place among Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare's Circle of Excellence. Ms. Mederos has a clinical background as a nurse, and she believes in creating a strong, supportive environment for employees and patients. She previously served as CEO of North Shore Medical Center in Miami.

Rhonda Medows, MD. President, Population Health, Providence St. Joseph Health, and CEO, Ayin Health Solutions (Renton, Wash.). Dr. Medows oversees the Providence Health Plan, payer strategy and contracting and population health informatics. She also serves as a member of the Physician-focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee that makes recommendations to the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services on current and future physician payment models. Before joining Providence Health, Dr. Medows was executive vice president and chief medical officer of UnitedHealth Group, and she previously practiced medicine at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.

Anne Meisner, RN. President and CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America (Newnan, Ga.). Ms. Meisner has worked for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America for over 20 years and serves as chief hospital operations officer for the organization a and president and CEO of the treatment centers in Atlanta. During her tenure at the treatment centers , Ms. Meisner has grown patient services and introduced patient-centric programs in advanced radiation therapies, cell therapies and immunotherapies for the health system's Midwestern locations. The Atlanta hospital has achieved accreditation from the Joint Commission, Commission on Cancer and National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.

Redonda Miller, MD. President of the Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Dr. Miller is the first woman to hold the position of president of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Prior to taking on her current role, Dr. Miller served as vice president of medical affairs for Johns Hopkins Hospital and senior vice president of medical affairs for Johns Hopkins Health System. During that time, Dr. Miller collaborated with the vice presidents of medical affairs and other health system colleagues on credentialing, medical staff, peer review, health information management and formulary processes.

Sheri Milone. CEO of Lovelace Women's Hospital (Albuquerque, N.M.). Ms. Milone joined Lovelace Health in 1992, and previously served as CEO of Lovelace Westside Hospital in Albuquerque before becoming CEO of Lovelace Women's Hospital. Under her leadership, Lovelace Women's Hospital added a maternal-fetal program for high-risk pregnancies, natural birthing center, minimally invasive robotic surgery program and a breast cancer center.

Jennifer Mitzner. CEO of Hoag Orthopedic Institute (Irvine, Calif.). As a veteran healthcare executive, Ms. Mitzner has served on the Hoag Orthopedic Institute's board of directors since its inception. Prior to her current role as CEO, Ms. Mitzner was the senior vice president and CFO of St. Joseph Hoag Health. She also served in an executive capacity on several governance committees, including the finance committee and the audit and compliance committee.

Cynthia Moore-Hardy, BSN. President and CEO of Lake Health (Concord Township, Ohio). Ms. Moore-Hardy became president and CEO of Lake Health in 1997. In her role, she has grown the health system from six to 14 facilities. Ms. Moore-Hardy started a lean program in 2012, which has saved over $11 million and saved $2.5 million in extral construction costs by improving patient flow. In 2016, she was elected board chairwoman of the Ohio Hospital Association after serving as the board's chairwoman-elect and chairwoman of the board's governance committee.

Sheri Montgomery. CFO of Tenet Palm Beach Group and Delray Medical Center (Delray Beach, Fla.). Ms. Montgomery has been CFO of Delray Medical Center since 2014, responsible for overseeing financial operations of the 493-bed institution. She has more than 20 years of experience in financial healthcare, previously serving as CFO of Coral Gables (Fla.) Hospital.

Elizabeth Nabel, MD, President of Brigham Health (Boston). Dr. Nabel has served as president of Brigham Health since 2010. In her role, she is leading the development of a model of academic medicine dedicated to restoring health through leadership in scientific discovery, education and compassionate care. A translational research and clinical facility and a $1.5 billion campaign to further lifesaving breakthroughs are part of the initiative. Dr. Nabel is a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Boston-based Harvard Medical School.

Janice Nevin, MD. President and CEO of Christiana Care Health System (Wilmington, Del.). Under Dr. Nevin’s leadership, Christiana Care Health System developed CarelinkCareNow, an award-winning data-driven care coordination platform designed to address patients’ social, behavioral and medical needs. Dr. Nevin led Christiana Care to a founding partnership in eBrightHealth, a first-of-its-kind health system alliance, and eBrightHealth ACO. She was inducted into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

Robin Norman. Senior Vice President and CFO of Virginia Hospital Center (Arlington). Ms. Norman has served Virginia Hospital Center in a financial capacity since 1979. During her tenure as CFO, the hospital’s operating margins have improved from minus 4.2 percent to 7.2 percent, and its market share has grown from 26 percent to 33.5 percent, leading the hospital to earn AA- bond ratings. The Washington Business Journal named Ms. Norman a 2014 CFO of the Year.

Sharon O'Keefe, BSN, MSN. President and COO of UChicago Medicine. Ms. O’Keefe oversees a $1.5 billion clinical enterprise. She has more than 30 years of healthcare experience and previously served as president of Hines, Ill.-based Loyola University Medical Center, executive vice president and COO at Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and as senior vice president for operations at the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore, where her efforts led to the system becoming the first healthcare organization to receive the State of Maryland Quality and Productivity Award. She also served as senior manager for healthcare at the accounting firm Ernst & Young and chaired the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign.

Christina Oh. CEO of Placentia-Linda Hospital (Placentia, Calif.). Ms. Oh is responsible for hospital operations, executive planning, clinical services and medical staff direction at Placentia-Linda Hospital. In 2017, she was instrumental in turning around the hospital's emergency department with a new program that attracted more than 1,200 patients, over 40 percent of whom were new to the hospital. She took on the CEO role in 2016, with the goal of reducing employee turnover and improving patient satisfaction. The hospital is now among Dallas-based Tenet's top five most improved facilities for inpatient satisfaction. She previously served as COO of Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

Susan Peach, BSN. Market President of HighPoint Health System and CEO of Sumner Regional Medical Center (Gallatin, Tenn.). Under Mrs. Peach's leadership, Sumner Regional Medical Center earned chest pain center accreditation, became certified as a primary stroke Center, achieved a provision level 3 trauma designation and was twice recognized as a top performer by the Joint Commission. Mrs. Peach spearheaded the successful implementation of more than $60 million in capital projects at the medical center and was recognized for her efforts with LifePoint Health's CEO of the Year award in 2013.

Amy Perry. CEO of the Hospital Division and Leader of Integrated Care Delivery for Atlantic Health System (Morristown, N.J.). Ms. Perry oversees Atlantic Health System’s six hospitals and develops and manages strategic growth initiatives for specialty service lines and more than 400 ambulatory and post-acute care sites. She previously served as executive vice president of LifeBridge Health and president of Sinai Hospital, both based in Baltimore, and spearheaded the launch of Sinai Hospital's BioIncubator, an innovation hub designed to grow Maryland’s regional biotechnology community. In 2013, The Baltimore Sun named her one of its 50 Women to Watch, and she was spotlighted in a local ABC News series about women advancing in the workforce.

Kelli Powers. CFO of Huntsville (Ala.) Hospital System. Ms. Powers is CFO of Huntsville Hospital System, which includes 1,800 beds and 12,000 employees. Ms. Powers is responsible for uniting systemwide business offices and has consolidated payroll for all hospitals into a single system. She brings a personal approach to leading team efforts and aims to create an environment where employees are most valued. Prior to her current role, Ms. Powers served as CEO of Athens (Ala.) Limestone Hospital.

Marsha Powers. Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Tenet Healthcare (Dallas). Ms. Powers joined Tenet in 2007 and has previously served as CEO of it's Florida Region and Eastern Region-Coastal Division, where she oversaw direction and strategy for 17 hospitals. In her current role as senior vice president and chief strategy officer of Tenet Healthcare, Ms. Powers oversees the health system's telemedicine initiatives, Tenet Physician Resources and service line development.

Gemma Rama-Banaag, BSN, MSN, RN.CNO of Paradise Valley Hospital (National City, Calif.). Ms. Rama-Banaag joined Paradise Valley Hospital as a nurse in 2002, gaining experience as a nurse educator, nurse liaison and nurse manager. She served as director of nursing and director of clinical services at San Diego-based Promise Hospital, she returned to Paradise Valley as CNO in 2011. Ms. Rama-Banaag is an active member of the Philippine Nurses Association of San Diego.

Marsha Rappley, MD. Vice President for Health Services at Virginia Commonwealth University and CEO of VCU Health System (Richmond, Va.). Dr. Rappley previously served as dean of Lansing-based Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine for 10 years. Under her leadership, NIH and other federal research funding doubled, and endowments grew by 80 percent within four years. She was recently elected chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges' board of directors and serves on its research advisory panel. A pediatrician by training, she has been recognized for distinguished service by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Doris Rindels. Vice President of Operations at UnityPoint Health-Grinnell (Iowa) Regional Medical Center. Ms. Rindels began her career as a staff nurse in 1972 and devoted her career to achieving the best outcomes for patients. In her current role as vice president of operations for UnityPoint Health-Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Ms. Rindels is responsible for several hospital departments and is a senior administration team member. She serves on the advisory boards for Marshalltown-based Iowa Valley Community College and Marshalltown (Iowa) Community College nursing programs.

Kim Roberts. Chief Strategy Officer of Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and Stanford Children's Health (Palo Alto, Calif.). Ms. Roberts joined Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in 2010 as vice president of network development and management before becoming chief strategy officer in 2014. She spearheaded development of the Packard Children's Health Alliance, the nonprofit community practice arm of the Stanford Children's Health Physician Network, and received the YWCA Silicon Valley 2015 Tribute to Women award.

Robin Rose, BSN, RN. COO and Chief Clinical Officer of Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services (Gibson City, Ill.). Ms. Rose previously served as CNO at Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services before becoming COO and chief clinical officer. A passionate advocate of healthcare access for underserved rural communities, she is a past president of the Illinois Rural Healthcare Association and became the first woman to receive the Rural Illinois Champion award from the governor's Rural Affairs Council in 2014. Ms. Rose also serves on the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network and the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Congress.

Pamela Rudisill, DNP, MSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Dr. Rudisill develops and shares best clinical practices for Community Health Systems, providing leadership to nursing executives and supporting nurses at affiliated hospitals. She directs the Survey Management/Survey Readiness team, which helps affiliates with regulatory, accreditation and certification surveys. Before joining Community Health Systems in 2014, she served as the vice president and CNO at Health Management Associates and is a past president of the American Organization of Nurse Executives.

Dawn Rudolph. President and CEO of St. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport, Conn.). Ms. Rudolph assumed the president and CEO role at St. Vincent's Medical Center in March. She was previously chief experience officer for St. Thomas Health in Nashville, Tenn. She also the former president and CEO of St. Thomas West Hospital in Nashville and was CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., before that. In 2012, Ms. Rudolph served as chair of the Nashville chapter of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign, which focuses on heart disease among women. She is a board member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Valinda Rutledge. Vice President of Public Payor Health Strategy of the Care Coordination Institute at Greenville (S.C.) Health System. Ms. Rutledge oversees the strategic advisory services related to public payer health strategy for the Care Coordination Institute at Greenville Health System. She has a particular focus on value-based payment reform initiatives such as MACRA and MIPS, bundled payments and alternative payment models. Ms. Rutledge also provides expertise on clinically integrated network and accountable care organization development and supports policy development and advocacy both locally and nationally in her current role.

Cheryl Sadro. Executive Vice President and Chief Business and Finance Officer of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Ms. Sadro joined the $2.2 billion academic medical center in October 2014. During her tenure, the organization has developed its first enterprise data warehouse and finished building f a $438 million, 765-square-foot replacement hospital. She serves on several of the medical center's committees, including the executive committee for institutional planning and clinical leadership committee. She previously served as senior vice president for finance and market CFO at CHI's Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Ninfa Saunders, DHA, MSN. President and CEO of Navicent Health (Macon, Ga.). Prior to her current role as president and CEO of the five-acute care hospital Navicent Health, Dr. Saunders was president and COO of Marlton, N.J.-based Virtua Health. She previously served on the governor's Georgia Cancer Coalition, an initiative to build a statewide network of people and organizations to provide exceptional cancer treatment. She has won several awards, including the American Red Cross' 2012 Outstanding Citizenship and Good Neighbor award and the 2014 Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals' CEO of the Year award. Dr. Saunders is a board member for the American Hospital Association's Institute for Diversity.

Phyllis Sherard, PhD. Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Population Health of Cheyenne (Wyo.) Regional Medical Center. In her role as chief strategy officer and vice president of population health at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Dr. Sherard has spearheaded several strategic partnerships, including a recent management services agreement affiliation with Denver-based UC Health. She also oversees the Wyoming Institute of Population Health, a division of the health system that includes its community health and benefit program as well as palliative care and rural community outreach services. Dr. Sherard is responsible for Wyoming's only Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. In 2012, she won an Innovation Advisor Fellowship from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation for a successful patient-centered medical home pilot proposal.

Lynn Simon, MD. President of Clinical Operations and Chief Medical Officer of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Dr. Simon joined Community Health Systems in 2010, prior to which she was vice president of medical affairs at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Ky., then senior vice president and CMO of Louisville-based Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare after the organizations merged. She serves as chair of the Federation of American Hospitals' Quality Committee and as a member of the Center for Medical Interoperability's Technical Advisory Committee. In 2012, Dr. Simon helped develop a federally listed patient safety organization, CHS PSO, one of 86 patient safety organizations nationally. A neurologist by training, she previously practiced in Louisville.

Maureen E. Sintich, DNP, RN. Chief Nurse Executive of Inova (Falls Church, Va.). Dr. Sintich, chief nurse executive of Inova health system, has 20 years of healthcare experience, during which she has focused on nursing strategy, including models of care and staffing standards. She was the senior vice president and network chief nursing officer for Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health. She now oversees Inova's nursing professional practice team and six CNOs at five hospitals and nursing informatics.

Johnese Spisso, RN. President of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and Associate Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences (Los Angeles). Ms. Spisso became president of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences in 2016. She has previously served as chief health system officer at UW Medicine in Seattle and vice president of medical affairs for Seattle-based University of Washington. While at UW, she helped develop a statewide trauma system. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters on leadership in healthcare.

Julie Sprengel. President of Dignity Health Southern California Service Area (Southern California). Ms. Sprengel oversees operations at six acute care medical centers where she directs multiple initiatives and manages relationships with physicians and external partners. As president of Dignity Health Southern California Service Area, Ms. Sprengel sought to increase productivity, HCAHPS and overall service line quality in 2018, boosting patient safety as well as staff and patient experience. Business Life Magazine has named Ms. Sprengel a Women's Achiever Award winner for her dedication to excellence and helping others. She previously served as chief executive of Providence Burbank, Calif.-based Saint Joseph Medical Center and vice president of physician integration at Dignity Health Southern California in Los Angeles.

Bernadette Spong. CFO of Orlando (Fla.) Health. As CFO of Orlando Health since 2015, Ms. Spong oversees a health system that includes eight hospitals, a medical school, research centers, about 2,200 physicians and multiple joint venture organizations. Ms. Spong was previously senior vice president and CFO of network hospitals for the University of North Carolina Health Care in Chapel Hill and CFO of UNC Rex Healthcare in Raleigh, N.C.

Rebecca Starck, MD. President of Cleveland Clinic Avon (Ohio) Hospital. Dr. Starck oversees the 212,000-square-foot Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital, which opened in 2016 as Cleveland Clinic's first internally built regional hospital. Dr. Starck led the design, programming and construction of the hospital and is responsible for developing practice culture. She previously served as chair of the department of regional oncology at Cleveland Clinic's Women's Health Institute.

Jennifer Strickland, PharmD. Vice President of Operations at Tenet Healthcare (Dallas). Dr. Strickland has extensive experience as a pharmacy clinician and administrator, bringing that background to her current role as vice president of operations at Tenet Healthcare. She is responsible for implementing best practices in labor management, optimizing performance in ancillary services and ensuring consistency when investing in new technology solutions. She previously served as Tenet's vice president of ancillary services.

Nancy Susick, MSN, RN. President of Beaumont Hospital-Troy (Mich.). The 520-bed Beaumont Hospital-Troy named Ms. Susick president in 2012, prior to which she served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. She retired from the Navy Reserve as captain after 24 years of service. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and president of its local chapter. She has won several awards during her career, including the ACHE Regents Award and the Spirit of America award from the city of Troy.

Luanne Thomas Ewald. CEO of DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan (Detroit). Ms. Thomas Ewald has spent her entire career at Detroit Medical Center and currently serves as CEO of DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan. She oversees the hospital's initiatives to fight hunger during the summer months, raising close to 6 million servings of cereal for the local food bank. She was appointed to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's Early Childhood Investment Corporation in 2017, which aims to provide information about and invest in early childhood programs.

Elaine Thompson, PhD. President and CEO of Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Health and President of Lakeland Regional Health Foundation. Dr. Thompson came to Lakeland Regional Health in 2010, and during her tenure at the helm, the health system has established affiliations with Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Care Network; Tampa, Fla.-based USF Health and Jacksonville, Fla.-based Nemours Children's Health System. She spearheaded the development of the eight-story Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children and implementation of a single EHR. Dr. Thompson serves on the Florida Hospital Association's Board of Trustees.

Karen Teitelbaum. President and CEO of Sinai Health System (Chicago). As president and CEO of Sinai Health System, Ms. Teitelbaum oversees a four-hospital system that also includes an epidemiological research institute, a community institute, 800-plus medical staff members and 4,000 employees. In the last year, she oversaw the expansion of the Chicago's first crisis stabilization unit at Holy Cross Hospital. She was recently selected as one of 11 mentors invited to participate in America's Essential Hospitals' Essential Women's Leadership Academy, a new program for female healthcare executives. She has also served on the American Hospital Association Task Force on Ensuring Access for Vulnerable Communities and the American Hospital Association Council on Maternal Fetal Health.

Karen Testman, RN. CFO of MemorialCare (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Testman has more than 20 years of leadership experience. Prior to becoming CFO of MemorialCare in 2013, she was senior vice president of financial operations for the four-hospital health system. She originally joined MemorialCare in 1998 as CFO of the system's MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., and Laguna Hills, Calif.-based MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. Throughout her time at MemorialCare, Ms. Testman has advanced the health system's ambulatory growth and joint venture strategy which includes more than 200 care locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Diemlan "Lannie" Tonnu. Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children (Los Angeles). Ms. Tonnu became CFO of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children and Orthopaedic Institute for Children Foundation in August 2016. In this role, she oversees the organization's financial affairs and staffs the finance, investment and audit committees of the institute's board. She is responsible for strategic and financial projection, decision support, investment and IT for the institute. Ms. Tonnu has previous experience as senior vice president of finance and CFO for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where she spent more than 25 years of her career.

Peggy Troy, MSN, RN. President and CEO of Children's Hospital and Health System of Wisconsin (Milwaukee). Ms. Troy, who was the first female president and CEO of the nearly billion dollar pediatric health system, has leadership experience in adult and pediatric health systems. Before joining Children's Hospital in 2009, she was executive vice president and COO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and president and CEO of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, both based in Memphis. She also was president of Fort Worth, Texas-based Cook Children's Medical Center. Ms. Troy serves on the national board of the Children's Hospital Association and regularly meets with public and elected officials in Washington, D.C., to discuss pediatric healthcare policy.

Monica Vargas-Mahar. Market COO for the Hospitals of Providence and CEO of THOP East Campus (El Paso, Texas). Ms. Vargas-Mahar is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of The Hospitals of Providence East Campus as its CEO. She also serves as market COO of The Hospitals of Providence network, overseeing operations and strategy at the system's Sierra campus in El Paso and outpatient locations. She previously served as COO of the system's Memorial campus and Providence Children's Hospital, both in El Paso.

Elizabeth Vilardo, MD. CEO of Foundations Sutter Health Bay Area (Sacramento, Calif.). With more than 25 years of experience as a practicing physician leader, Dr. Vilardo has gained significant experience as a healthcare provider as well as leader. In her position as CEO of Foundations Sutter Health Bay Area, Dr. Vilardo oversees operations for 114 clinics that include about 2,000 physicians and around 6,000 employees. She previously served as CEO of Palo Alto (Calif.) Medical Foundation and before that, chief of medicine for El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, Calif. Dr. Vilardo is an active community leader and has served on the boards of several nonprofits for women and children, such as Youth Outside, Healthier Kids and Women's Achievement Network and Development Alliance.

Deborah Visconi. President and CEO of New Bridge Medical Center (Paramus, N.J.). Ms. Visconi is the president and CEO of New Bridge Medical Center, overseeing daily operations and the budget. She led the facility's transition from a for-profit to nonprofit hospital model and built a senior leadership team. During her tenure, she improved employee morale and engagement while also transforming the hospital into a competitive community health provider.

Nancy Vish, RN, PhD. President and CNO of Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital (Dallas). Dr. Vish was the first vice president of clinical operations and CNO for the Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital when it opened in 2002 and has over two decades in nursing and management. She joined the health system in 1996 as a program manager and director at Baylor University Medical Center. In her time as president, Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital has received the Press Ganey Summit Award for three consecutive years and achieved Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Dr. Vish is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nursing and previously served as president of its Dallas Chapter.

Vivian von Gruenigen, MD. Regional CMO of University Hospitals of Cleveland Ahuja Medical Center (Akron, Ohio). Before joining the 144-bed community hospital in May, Dr. von Gruenigen was medical director of women's health services for Summa Health System and chair of its OB-GYN departments at the Akron City and St. Thomas hospitals. Previously, she was director of robotic surgery at Cleveland-based University Hospitals Case Medical Center. She has been named one of the best doctors in America by the Consumers Research Council of America and one of America's top oncologists by Cleveland magazine. Dr. von Gruenigen has served as an editorial board member for Gynecologic Oncology and board member of the Foundation for Women's Cancer.

Melissa Waddey. President of Ambulatory and Operations Services at LifePoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.). Ms. Waddey joined LifePoint Health in 2010 and is responsible for leading the multiple departments that drive operations strategy, organic growth and integration of new facilities. As the president of ambulatory and operations services at LifePoint Health, she also oversees physician services for the organization. As an executive leader, Ms. Waddey serves as a mentor to emerging leaders and has played an integral role in LifePoint's expansion into new markets.

Annette Walker. President of City of Hope Orange County (Duarte, Calif.). Ms. Walker comes to the cancer research and treatment center from Renton, Wash.-based Providence St. Joseph Health, where she served as president of strategy and CEO of St. Joseph Health. Ms. Walker developed centers throughout Orange County focused on medical care and services for helping people adopt healthy lifestyles. In 2017, Ms. Walker was named Los Angeles Business Journal's executive of the year and won the Orange County Catholic Foundation's Bishop's Award for exemplary business integrity.

Beth Walker. COO of Ochsner Medical Center-Jefferson Highway (New Orleans). Ms. Walker joined Ochsner Health System in 2002 as an operations fellow and has since served in several leadership roles in physician practice management. She took on the COO role in 2013, where she has administrative responsibility for the hospital's ambulatory clinics and physician group practice. Ms. Walker previously served as vice president of operations for women's and children's services at the medical center and oversaw the relocation of that department to a new $40 million women's pavilion at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center in New Orleans.

Andrea Walsh. President and CEO of HealthPartners (Bloomington, Minn.). Ms. Walsh is president and CEO of HealthPartners, a nonprofit healthcare organization, where she leads a team of 26,000 people. In her current role, Ms. Walsh is responsible for operations of the system's eight hospitals, 55 primary care clinics, 22 urgent care locations and several other specialty practices. She became CEO in 2017, after spending more than 20 years as part of the health system's executive team, including 15 years as executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Kate Walsh. President and CEO of Boston Medical Center. Before becoming president and CEO of the 567-bed academic medical center, Ms. Walsh served as executive vice president and COO of Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital. She also previously held positions in several New York City hospitals and Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital. Ms. Walsh is a member of the Boston Public Health Commission, the Massachusetts Hospital Association and the AAMC Council of Teaching Hospitals.

Elizabeth Ward. Executive Vice President and CFO of Tidelands Health (Murrells Inlet, S.C.). Ms. Ward, who joined the three-hospital system in 2017, is a certified public accountant with over 30 years of experience in healthcare finance. She previously served as CFO of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center's University Hospitals and Clinics in Dallas. Before that, she was executive vice president and CFO of Kingsport, Tenn.-based Wellmont Health System and CFO and treasurer of Greensboro, N.C.-based Moses Cone Health System. Ms. Ward also held financial management positions at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and University on North Carolina Hospitals.

Katy Welkie, BSN. CEO of Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital (Salt Lake City). Before becoming CEO of the 289-bed pediatric teaching hospital and level 1 pediatric trauma center in 2012, Ms. Welkie was the hospital's COO, CNO and nursing director of the pediatric intensive care unit. She leads the hospital's Zero Harm patient safety initiative to reduce and eliminate medical errors, which has expanded to Intermountain's 22 other hospitals. Ms. Welkie has received the Excellence in Nursing Leadership award from the Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders and Osler's Cloak for Excellence in Caring and Curing.

Penny Wheeler, MD. President and CEO of Allina Health (Minneapolis). Prior to her appointment as CEO of the 12-hospital system, Dr. Wheeler served as Allina Health's chief clinical officer. A board-certified OB-GYN, Dr. Wheeler has served patients at Women's Health Consultants in Minneapolis, was the president of Minneapolis-based Abbott Northwestern Hospital's medical staff, chaired the Allina Health Quality Committee and served on Allina Health's board of directors. Additionally, Dr. Wheeler has chaired a regional health quality collaborative and has presented nationally on Allina Health's success in quality advancement and outcomes-based quality payment models.

Cynthia Williams. Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Mercy Health; President of Mercy Health Foundation (Chesterfield, Mo.). Ms. Williams began her tenure at Mercy in 2011 as senior vice president of human resources. She went on to become Mercy's chief administrative officer in 2013 and president of Mercy Health Foundation last year. Before joining Mercy, she was chief human resources officer for Ameristar Casinos in Las Vegas.