The best healthcare delivery requires leadership from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
This list highlights African Americans who have taken on leadership roles across the country at hospitals and health systems as well as in national organizations. Both established and emerging leaders are featured on this list. These individuals influence how their organizations approach healthcare delivery, develop healthcare policy and advocate for the next generation of leaders.
Becker's Hospital Review accepted recommendations and conducted internal research to develop this list. Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on this list, which appears in alphabetical order.
Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com with any questions or comments on this list.
Deborah Addo. President of Inova Loudoun Hospital (Leesburg, Va.). Ms. Addo joined Inova in June 2014 after serving as the senior vice president and COO of Meritus Health in Hagerstown, N.H. She also has previous experience as vice president of patient care services at Washington County (Md.) Health System. As president of Inova Loudoun Hospital, Ms. Addo applies her expertise in financial management, LEAN and strategic planning to boost physician engagement and population health.
Sheila Antrum, RN. Senior Vice President and COO of UCSF Health (San Francisco). Ms. Antrum is senior vice president and COO of UCSF Health, where she oversees the strategic implementation of the system's affiliations, finances, quality and safety for adult patient services. She also has some responsibilities for the system's children's and cancer care services. Ms. Antrum has previous experience as chief nursing and patient care services officer at UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Elizabeth Appling. Chief Diversity Officer of Erlanger Health System (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Ms. Appling is the chief diversity officer at Erlanger Health System, a seven-hospital health system that treats around 600,000 individuals annually. She has a background in nonprofit organizations and coaching as well as team building and diversity training.
Roddex Barlow. COO of The Hospitals of Providence Memorial Campus (El Paso, Texas). Mr. Barlow served as the chief of the department of nursing at William Beaumont Army Medical Center before taking on the role of COO at The Hospitals of Providence Memorial Campus. He also has experience as deputy chief of staff at Brooke Army Medical Center. In his current role, he administers the pharmacy laboratory, environmental services and dietary and nutrition services.
Sereka Barlow. COO of The Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus (El Paso, Texas). Ms. Barlow is the COO for The Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus, a role she took on after 20 years of leadership in the healthcare industry. She has played an integral role in developing clinical administrative standardization and revamping coding services. She has past experience as COO of William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
Bryan Bennett. Executive Director and Founder of the Healthcare Center of Excellence (Buffalo Grove, Ill.). Mr. Bennett founded Healthcare Center of Excellence, which provides research and training on healthcare analytics and leadership. He also serves as a HIMSS Future Care website blogger and is a thought leader in big data and healthcare technology transformation. Mr. Bennett is a speaker and author, as well as an adjunct professor at Chicago-based Northwestern University's School of Professional Studies.
Tanya Blackmon. Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer of Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Ms. Blackmon oversees diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives at Novant Health, strengthening the system's overall efforts to achieve a culture where everyone is valued. She joined the health system in 1992 and previously spent time as the director of clinical improvement and community care as well as director of inpatient discharge planning and COO of the Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital. Ms. Blackmon also served as president of the health system's Huntersville (N.C.) Medical Center.
Mary Blunt. Senior Corporate Vice President of Sentara Healthcare (Virginia Beach, Va.). Ms. Blunt is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of Sentara's Hampton Roads region as the senior corporate vice president. She is responsible for seven hospitals as well as the region's post-acute care service including seven nursing homes. Ms. Blunt has previous experience as vice president of operations with several Sentara hospitals and president of Sentara Life Care, the system's post-acute care division.
Jade Brice-Roshell, MD. CMO of Shelby Baptist Medical Center (Birmingham, Ala.). Dr. Brice-Roshell oversees the medical staff at Shelby Baptist Medical Center, which is part of Brockwood Baptist Health. Shelby Baptist has 252 beds and has earned clinical excellence awards from The Joint Commission. Dr. Brice-Roshell joined the hospital in 2015 after practicing at hospitals in Georgia, Nebraska and New Orleans.
Denise Brooks-Williams. Senior Vice President and CEO of North Market of Henry Ford Health System (Mich.). Ms. Brooks-Williams oversees the north market of Henry Ford Health System as senior vice president and CEO. She previously served as president and CEO of Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, which had around 2,400 employees and 600 medical staff members. In addition to her role with Henry Ford, Ms. Brooks-Williams served as president of the National Association of Health Service Executives and fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Howard Brown. CFO of Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) Medical Center. Mr. Brown oversees the financial department of Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, a 199-bed acute care hospital. He became CFO in 2016 after serving as CFO of North Shore Medical Center in Miami for three years. He also spent time as financial controller at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Children's Hospital.
Michelle Cartwright. CFO of St. Mary's Medical Center (West Palm Beach, Fla.). Ms. Cartwright oversees the financial department at the 460-bed St. Mary's Medical Center. Ms. Cartwright was appointed CFO of the hospital and Palm Beach Children's Hospital in May 2018 after spending time as the senior accountant, assistant controller and controller of St. Mary's. She has more than a decade of experience in healthcare finances and has experience with hospital financial reporting.
Michellene Davis. Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at RWJBarnabas Health (Toms River, N.J.). Ms. Davis plays an integral role in the strategic leadership team at RWJBarnabas Health. She joined the system in 2009 and became the first woman and first person of color to become an executive vice president in the health system's history. She has previous experience as chief policy counsel for former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and acting state treasurer of New Jersey. In her current role, Ms. Davis helps direct the strategic policy decisions of the system as well as oversees public relations, marketing and branding.
Lloyd Dean. CEO of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). Mr. Dean is CEO of CommonSpirit Health, a Chicago-based health system formed as a merger between Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives in 2019. The health system operates hospitals and care centers in 21 states and employs around 150,000 physicians, nurses, caregivers and other staff members. Mr. Dean previously served as president and CEO of Dignity Health, which includes 41 hospitals and more than 400 care centers.
Gregory Duckett, JD. Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care (Memphis, Tenn.). Mr. Duckett provides executive leadership and guidance on legal matters related to Baptist Memorial Health Care. He has a background in risk management, risk financing and corporate compliance. In addition to his responsibilities at Baptist Memorial, Mr. Duckett sits on the University of Memphis Board of Visitors.
Willarda Edwards, MD. Board Member of the American Medical Association (Chicago). Dr. Edwards is a member of the American Medical Association House of Delegates, a role she has had for almost two decades. She also has experience as chair of the AMA Council on Constitution and Bylaws and AMA Women Physicians Congress Governing Council. In addition to more than 30 years of experience in clinical practice, Dr. Edwards has served as the past president of the National Medical Association and Maryland State Medical Society.
Vanessa Ervin. President and CEO of Carobell (Hubert, N.C.). Ms. Ervin oversees Carobell, a private nonprofit organization that delivers 24-hour quality care for individuals with severe or profound intellectual developmental disabilities. The system operates six immediate care facilities that serve North Carolina residents. Ms. Ervin has previous experience fulfilling leadership roles with the American Hospital Association.
Bridgett Feagin. CFO of Detroit Receiving, Harper University and Hutzel Women's Hospitals (Detroit). Ms. Feagin oversees the financial department for three of Detroit Medical Center's seven hospitals. She has experience conducting financial feasibility studies and overseeing initiatives that revolve around patient accounting and information services. She also led a systemwide initiative that resulted in $50 million in savings and currently serves on the hospital's restructuring team, charged with integrating the teams at DMC Receiving, Harper University and Hutzel Women's Hospitals.
Rosland Fisher McLeod. Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of SCL Health (Broomfield, Colo.). Ms. Fisher McLeod joined SCL Health in August 2012, and in her current role as senior vice president and chief legal officer she oversees the health system's legal services and risk management strategy. Ms. Fisher McLeod has previous experience as vice president and chief compliance officer of Biogen-Idec and a healthcare partner at K&L Gates.
Jerry Fox. Senior Vice President and CIO of BJC HealthCare (St. Louis). Mr. Fox is vice president and CIO of BJC HealthCare where he oversees planning and development of the system's information technology and telecommunications projects. He has previous experience as CIO of Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee and chief technology officer and director of global IT at Dana Corp. in Toledo, Ohio.
Garth Graham, MD. President of the Aetna Foundation, Vice President of Community Health & Impact at CVS Health (Hartford, Conn.). Dr. Graham is responsible for the community health initiatives and driving Aetna and CVS Health's efforts to address social determinants of health. He is a cardiologist who previously served as deputy assistant secretary at HHS for both the Obama and Bush administrations. He also sits on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Advocacy Council and Institute of Medicine board on population health.
Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN. President of the American Nurses Association (Silver Spring, Md.). Dr. Grant has spent 30 years in nursing and spent time as the burn outreach coordinator for North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. He is now the president of the American Nurses Association, which includes around 4 million registered nurses. Throughout his career, Dr. Grant has been a dynamic speaker and earned the Nurse of the Year award for treating burn victims from the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. He is the past chair of the National Fire Protection Association board of directors.
Audrey Gregory, PhD. CEO of Detroit Medical Center. Dr. Gregory became the CEO of Detroit Medical Center on Jan. 1 after serving as CEO of DMC's adult central campus for just over a year. Dr. Gregory has previous experience as the market CEO for Tenet's Saint Francis Healthcare System in Memphis and CEO of St. Francis Hospital – Memphis. She was a member of the Tennessee Hospital Association board of directors and earned the 2017 Diversity Champion award from the THA.
Antoinette "Toni" Hardy-Waller, RN, BSN. CEO of The Leverage Network (Chicago). Ms. Hardy-Waller oversees The Leverage Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing African American executives in the healthcare services and life sciences organizations. She also joined the board of stewardship trustees of Chicago-based CommonSpirit health in February 2019. Ms. Hardy-Waller has more than 30 years of experience in building, owning and managing healthcare businesses and previously founded a national consulting firm called Strategic Healthcare Transformations.
Patrice Harris, MD. President of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees (Chicago). Dr. Harris became the first African American woman president of the American Medical Association in June 2019. She oversees the organization's efforts to end the opioid epidemic, having served as chair of its opioid task force since its inception in 2016. Dr. Harris is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Trent Haywood, MD, JD. Founder of Knowality (Chicago). Dr. Haywood founded Knowality, a Chicago-based firm that supports healthcare startups. The company provides services in networking, product strategy, contracts and leadership. Dr. Haywood also joined Myndshft as head of product strategy and innovation in December 2019 after spending time as CMO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Kidada Hawkins. COO of Princeton Baptist Medical Center (Birmingham, Ala.). Mr. Hawkins was named COO of Princeton Baptist Medical Center in October 2018 and is responsible for the hospital's operations and quality care delivery. He provides leadership, direction and assistance in strategy for the hospital and is responsible for plans addressing productivity, operational performance and staff retention. Mr. Hawkins has also served as president of the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
James E.K. Hildreth, MD, PhD. President and CEO of Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Hildreth became the first African American to earn full professorship with a tenure in basic science at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore in 2002. Since then, he has received awards for mentorship, leadership and diversity efforts including recognition from the Institute of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars. His area of research is HIV and AIDS, and he now is the 12th president and CEO of Meharry Medical College.
Denver Hopkins. Chief Human Resources Officer of St. Mary's Medical Center (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Palm Beach Children's Hospital (West Palm Beach). Ms. Hopkins oversees human resources at Palm Beach Children's Hospital, a 138-bed hospital with a level 1 pediatric trauma center and outpatient pediatric centers, and at St. Mary's Medical Center, a 460-bed medical center. She has previous experience as vice president of human resources for a large Nashville-based hospital and a background in performance management.
Daniel Jackson. CEO of Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital (Detroit). Mr. Jackson oversees operations at the 350-bed Sinai-Grace Hospital, which includes more than 1,300 clinical and non-clinical team members. He joined the health system in 2019 after spending time as vice president of administration at WellStar Health System's Atlanta Medical Center.
Sandra Johnson. Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management of Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore). Ms. Johnson is responsible for the revenue cycle at five Johns Hopkins hospitals, which represent around $4.4 billion in net collection. She joined the health system in 2012 and oversaw the system's EHR installation and assisted with creating the shared services center for health information management. Ms. Johnson has more than 25 years of experience in revenue cycle management and has served on the board of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Kenneth Jones. President of Amita Health Saint Francis Hospital (Evanston, Ill.). Mr. Jones leads Amita Health Saint Francis Hospital, a 215-bed hospital, as president. He has previous experience as CEO of Community Health Systems St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., and director of orthopedics, neurosciences and surgical services at Jacksonville, Fla.-based St. Vincent's Healthcare, a member of Ascension.
Quadiru Kent. Group Chief Human Resources Officer of Detroit and Michigan at Detroit Medical Center. Mr. Kent became the group chief human resource officer at Detroit Medical Center in October 2018 and has responsibilities for the system's Detroit market, including the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. He has a background in value-based care, previously serving as the vice president of human resource operations for Conifer Health Solutions. He also spent time as the vice president of human resources for Walmart.
David Kountz, MD. Founding Associate Dean for Diversity and Equity at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University (Edison, N.J.). Dr. Kountz serves as the co-chief academic officer and vice president for academic diversity at Hackensack Meridian Health in addition to his role as the founding associate dean for diversity and equity at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. He works collaboratively with other leaders in the system to support new ideas and develop pathways for growth in to leadership roles. He has earned the Verice M. Mason Community Leader Award for his work to promote community outreach, diversity in healthcare and education for students in the healthcare field.
Wright Lassiter III. President and CEO of Henry Ford Health System (Detroit). Mr. Lassiter oversees Henry Ford Health System, a $7.5 billion system that includes six hospitals, a health plan and other related services. Prior to joining Henry Ford in 2014, Mr. Lassiter served in executive roles at Dallas Methodist Health System and JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas. During his tenure at Henry Ford, Mr. Lassiter increased the system's financial performance to generate an additional $1 billion in revenue and completed two successful mergers.
Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD. President Emerita of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Princeton, N.J.). Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey is the former CEO of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and now serves as its president emerita. She also serves as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PIK Professor of Health Policy and Health Equity at the University of Pennsylvania. She has a background in strengthening the integration of health systems and services into communities to make them more equitable. Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey previously served as chief of geriatric medicine at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine in Philadelphia and worked on the White House Care Reform Task Force.
Shawn Levitt, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and CNO of Detroit Medical Center. Ms. Levitt became the senior vice president and chief nursing officer of Detroit Medical Center in January 2012. She has previous experience as the COO of DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan and was the corporate director of medical and academic affairs for the hospital, playing an important role in its EHR initiative.
George Lewis. President of Kettering Physician Network (Dayton, Ohio). Mr. Lewis is an integral leader of Kettering Physician Network, a subsidiary of Kettering Health Network. He has more than 20 years of experience in financial, operational and strategic planning in the healthcare industry. Before he took on his role at Kettering, Mr. Lewis served as vice president at Scripps Health in San Diego.
Stephan Lillie. CFO of MetroWest Medical Center (Framingham Union, Mass.). Mr. Lillie oversees the financial department of MetroWest Medical Center, a 307-bed hospital. He took on the role in 2017 after serving as controller of Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital in Houston and as a senior financial analyst for Memorial Hermann Health System. He has a background in accounting, financial audits and financial personnel management.
Kevin Lofton. CEO of CommonSpirit (Chicago). Mr. Lofton is a co-CEO of CommonSpirit, which formed in 2019 after Dignity Health merged with Catholic Health Initiatives. He plans to retire in the summer of 2020. Prior to the merger, Mr. Lofton spent more than a decade as CEO of CHI. He also has experience as CEO of two university hospitals and he chaired the American Hospital Association board of trustees in 2007. Mr. Lofton has a passion for social justice and health equity.
Conrad L. Mallett Jr. Chief Administrative Officer of Detroit Medical Center. Mr. Mallett is the chief administrative officer of Detroit Medical Center, a role he took on in 2019 after serving as the president and CEO of Sinai-Grace Hospital. He has a background in strategic communications and relationships, with a primary responsibility being engaging with the system's legacy board to ensure it has the appropriate level of stewardship and governance.
Beverly Malone, PhD, RN. CEO of National League for Nursing (Washington, D.C.). Dr. Malone is a nurse champion with a passion for increasing diversity in nursing as well as nursing education. She built her career mixing clinical practice with healthcare policy, administration and education, and served as the federal deputy assistant secretary for health for President Bill Clinton. Dr. Malone received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alpha Omega Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and the College of Nursing of Adelphi University in 2019.
Lisa McCoy, MD. Medical Director of Aetna Better Health of Virginia (Richmond). Dr. McCoy is medical director for the Medicaid program in Virginia, reviewing prior authorization requests for medical services or therapies as part of Aetna Better Health of Virginia. She ensures that covered individuals receive the right medical services. Dr. McCoy is a certified in preventative medicine and general public health, and previously served as the deputy state epidemiologist for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Wayne McNulty. Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance, Audit and Privacy Officer of Western Connecticut Health Network (LaGrangeville, N.Y.). Mr. McNulty oversees Western Connecticut Health Network's compliance and ethics as well as privacy initiatives, activities and programs. He oversees the day-to-day operations at WCHN and Health Quest's compliance and ethics programs. Mr. McNulty has previous experience as senior assistant vice president and chief corporate compliance officer at NYU Health + Hospitals.
Tonisha J. Melvin, DNP. Director-at-Large of the American Nurses Association (Silver Spring, Md.). Dr. Melvin began practicing as a registered nurse in 2009 and has a passion for building the next generation of front-line nurses. She is a mentor and volunteer in Georgia, her home state. Dr. Melvin also sits on the board of directors for the American Nurses Association.
Jennifer Mieres, MD. Senior Vice President of the Center for Equity of Care and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Dr. Mieres oversees the Katz Institute for Women's Health as well as community health education, wellness and health system diversity for Northwell Health. She has a background in understanding new models of care delivery and is a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement. In 2014, she received the Women in Cardiology mentoring award and regularly appears as an expert on heart health for television programs such as "20/20" and "Good Morning America."
Cynthia Moore-Hardy. President and CEO of Lake Health System (Mentor, Ohio). Ms. Moore-Hardy oversees operations at Lake Health System, which includes 600 physicians and 3,000 healthcare professionals. She became president and CEO in 1997 and since then has opened new medical centers and forged key partnerships to deliver community care. She also was the Ohio Hospital Association board chair in 2016 and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Karen Morrison. President of OhioHealth Foundation and Senior Vice President of External Affairs for OhioHealth (Columbus). Ms. Morrison has spent more than 20 years at Ohio Health, serving as an executive, attorney and lobbyist for the health system. She is currently president of OhioHealth Foundation where she manages local, state and federal advocacy efforts. Ms. Morrison also has served as a board member of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce board of trustees.
Hakeem Olanrewaju. Senior Vice President and CFO of Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Mr. Olanrewaju has more than 20 years of financial leadership experience. As the leader of Renown Health's financial department, Mr. Olanrewaju oversees revenue integrity, corporate services and supply chain operations. He previously served as senior finance officer of the medical group and vice president and regional CFO of the Puget Sound Region for Tacoma, Wash.-based Multicare Health Systems.
Nike Onifade. Senior Director of Operations for Medical Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center (Pittsburgh). Ms. Onifade is responsible for 40 cancer care centers across Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York that have a combined net patient revenue of more than $500 million. Ms. Onifade manages a team of 600 staff members across these locations and has a focus on expanding and developing the system's medical oncology services. She has previous experience as division administrator at Columbia University Medical Center and director of operations at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Marvin O'Quinn. President and COO of CommonSpirit (San Francisco). Mr. O'Quinn is responsible for CommonSpirit's performance improvement, supply chain, market and service management and operational transformation. He previously served as the senior executive vice president and COO of Dignity Health, before it merged with Catholic Health Initiatives to form CommonSpirit.
William Owen Jr., MD. Dean and Chancellor of Ross University School of Medicine (Miramar, Fla.). Dr. Owen became Ross University School of Medicine chancellor and dean in 2017 after serving as the chancellor and senior vice president of health affairs at the University of Tennessee. He also served as the president of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and CEO of Sidra Medical and Research Center in Qatar, the international training site for New York City-based Weill Cornell Medical College.
Terika Richardson. President of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (Park Ridge, Ill.). Ms. Richardson oversees operations at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, a 623-bed facility that includes around 1,320 physicians and 1,640 nurses. She has previous experience as president of two other Advocate hospitals in the Chicagoland area and CEO of Retreat Doctor's Hospital in Richmond, Va. In January, Ms. Richardson also expanded her role to become president of Advocate Aurora Health's central Chicagoland patient services area. Ms. Richardson earned the 2017 Chicago United Leader of Color recognition as well as the 2017 Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Gary Richberg, BSN, RN. Director of Surgery Centers at Kadlec Clinic (Richland, Wash.). Mr. Richberg spent more than 13 years as the administrator of Bellingham, Wash.-based Pacific Rim Outpatient Surgery Center, which was recently acquired by PeaceHealth in Vancouver, Wash. He became the director of surgery centers at Kadlec Clinic, a network of physicians with more than 4,000 caregivers and volunteers, in January.
Samuel Ross, MD. Chief Community Health Officer of Bon Secours Mercy Health (Ashland, Ky.). Dr. Ross is responsible for the community education, prevention and wellness as well as social determinants of health initiatives at Bon Secours Mercy Health. He has previous experience as CEO of Bon Secours Baltimore Health System and executive vice president of Bon Secours Health System. During his tenure with Bon Secours, Dr. Ross was sponsor of the project management office for the system. Prior to joining Bon Secours, Dr. Ross was executive vice president and chief medical officer of Dallas-based Parkland Health and Hospital System.
Jyric Sims. CEO of Medical City Fort Worth (Texas). Mr. Sims is the CEO of Medical City Healthcare, part of HCA Healthcare, a 348-bed hospital that includes around 1,200 employees. During his tenure, Medical City Fort Worth has improved its quality, culture and financial position. He also developed the Leader Ambassador Rounding program and helped the hospital earn a Leapfrog A rating in 2019. Last year, he was named to the LSU Foundation Board of Directors and joined the LSU National Foundation Board. Mr. Sims has previous experience as system vice president and COO of Tulane Health System.
Alric Simmonds, MD. Chief Medical Officer of AdventHealth East Orlando (Fla.). Dr. Simmonds oversees a staff of more than 160 team members as the CMO of AdventHealth East Orlando. He is responsible for the quality, safety and credentialing of the facility while maintaining his general surgery practice and serving as the medical director for Sherman Outpatient Surgery Center. He has previous experience as chief of surgery at AdventHealth. In 2014, he was named among Central Florida's Most Power-Impactful Black Professionals by Legacy Magazine.
Brandi Smith. Vice President of Philanthropy and President of Spectrum Health Foundations (Benton Harbor, Mich.). Ms. Smith is responsible for philanthropy at Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation. The Foundation has a more than 30-year history and a 30-to-1 impact for every dollar that comes through.
Rick Stevens. President of Christian Hospital (St. Louis). Mr. Stevens is president of Christian Hospital, a member of BJC HealthCare. He joined the hospital in June 2016 after working as chief administrative officer and vice president for St. Luke's Hospital in San Francisco, a member of Sutter Health's California Pacific Medical Center. He has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare field and received the National Association of Health Services Executives' Young Healthcare Executive award.
Nikki Sumpter. Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office of Atlantic Health System (Morristown, N.J.). Ms. Sumpter is responsible for human resources at Atlantic Health System, which includes 17,000 employees. She has led a transformation in diversity and inclusion at the health system, ensuring access to leadership and training opportunities for women, minorities and other historically underrepresented groups. The health system has been named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For during her tenure, and she has earned recognition as one of the Most Powerful Businesswomen by the National Diversity Council and Texas Diversity Magazine.
Pamela Sutton-Wallace. Senior Vice President and Regional COO of NewYork Presbyterian. Ms. Sutton-Wallace is responsible for developing and implementing key strategic initiatives for NewYork-Presbyterian, focused on Brooklyn and Queens, as well as the system's medical groups. She joined the health system in 2020 after serving as CEO for University of Virginia Medical Center for around six years, overseeing the strategic operations. She also spent 17 years in leadership roles with Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C., with a focus on ambulatory services.
Nicole Thomas. President of Baptist Medical Center South (Jacksonville, Fla.). Ms. Thomas is the first female hospital president in the history of Baptist Health. She oversees the strategic and operational direction of Baptist Medical Center South. She has previous executive experience at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baptist Neurological Institute. She also worked as assistant vice president of physician operations at St. Luke's Episcopal Health System in Houston and operations administrator at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.
Stephanie Talley. Texas Group Chief Human Resources Officer; Chief Human Resources Officer, The Hospitals of Providence (El Paso, Texas). Ms. Talley is the chief human resource officer at The Hospital of Providence, overseeing the strategic and operational leadership for the HR functions. She has previous experience in other turnaround and fast-paced environments within Tenet Healthcare. Ms. Talley served as the chief human resources officer at Frisco, Texas-based Centennial Medical Center prior to joining The Hospitals of Providence.
Jhaymee Tynan. Assistant Vice President of Integration at Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Ms. Tynan is a leader and champion for women of color in the workplace. She serves as the assistant vice president of integration at Atrium Health and made the goal of sponsoring 100 women of color in healthcare over the next decade. She specializes in post-merger integration, healthcare strategy and portfolio management. In addition to her work with Atrium, Ms. Tynan is on the board of directors for the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development and Women in Healthcare.
Michael Ugwueke. President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare (Memphis). Mr. Ugwueke became president and COO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in May 2014 and then was promoted to president and CEO in January 2017. He is responsible for the health system's strategic and operational leadership. Before joining Le Bonheur Healthcare, Mr. Ugwueke was vice president of operations at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, a 517-bed tertiary hospital in Joliet, Ill.
Lynette Watkins, MD. Texas Group CMO of Tenet Healthcare (Dallas). Dr. Watkins was the chief medical officer and COO of Paris (Texas) Regional Medical Center before taking on her current role of Texas Group CMO of Tenet Healthcare. She also has experience as CMO of Abrazo West and Abrazo Maryvale Tenet campuses and CMO of Phoenix Baptist Hospital and Arizona Heart Hospital, both also affiliated with Tenet. In her current role, she is responsible for working with the organizations in her region to advance high quality care.
Patricia Wilkerson-Uddyback, MD. Vice President of Detroit Medical Center's Academic and Community Affairs. Dr. Wilkerson-Uddyback became the first female emergency department chief at Harper University hospital and first vice president of academic and community affairs at Detroit Medical Center in 2018. She is responsible for overseeing medical students and residents for the hospital, including sharing knowledge of cultural competency and social determinants of health.
Ruth Williams-Brinkley. President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest (Oakland, Calif.). Ms. Williams-Brinkley oversees Kaiser Permanente's care delivery and health plan operations in her region as the president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest. She is responsible for two hospitals, 60 medical centers and 21 dental offices in the northwest region. She joined Kaiser Permanente in 2017 after serving as CEO of KentuckyOne Health, created by a merger that she oversaw.
Andrea Willis, MD. Senior Vice President and CMO of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Dr. Willis is responsible for the clinical initiatives and quality endeavors that support BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members as senior vice president and CMO. She has previous experience as a pediatrician and served as the state of Tennessee director of CoverKids where she helped develop the state's Children's Health Insurance Program.
Eugene Woods. President and CEO of Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Mr. Woods is the CEO of Atrium Health, a 44-hospital health system that includes more than 900 care locations. He joined the health system in April 2016 and among his first orders of business was to redefine the vision for the system's 65,000 teammates. The health system has been recognized as one of the Best Employers for Diversity during his tenure. Mr. Woods has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership, including time as president and COO of Irving, Texas-based Christus Health.