Becker's is excited to honor 75 exceptional hospital and health system chief operating officers.
COOs are focused on clinical and financial growth, employee engagement, organizational improvements and more. These leaders are highly strategic and lead the ideation, development and implementation of initiatives that enhance operational efficiency at their organizations.
Note: This list is not an endorsement of included leaders, hospitals, health systems, or associated healthcare providers. Leaders cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list.
We accepted nominations for this list. Please contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with any questions or comments.
Ron Andro, BSN, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Operations Officer of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, N.Y.). Mr. Andro brings insights from a diverse career in healthcare quality improvement and administration to Roswell Park, one of the first NCI-designated cancer centers. He oversees all medical and surgical clinical operations for Roswell Park, including radiology, perioperative, radiation therapy, pathology/clinical laboratory, pharmacy and dietary services provided through nearly 300,000 annual outpatient encounters. Under his leadership, the number of patients in active care rose 13%. Roswell Park’s already high patient experience scores increased 2.1% overall, including in key areas like ease of access, staff attentiveness and impressions on moving through a care encounter. His contributions were key to the successful opening of the Roswell Park Scott Bieler Amherst Center, the cancer center’s largest freestanding site outside its main campus.
Sheila Antrum. Senior Vice President and COO at UCSF Health (San Francisco). Ms. Antrum ensures that the operations of patient services across the health system align with UCSF's vision and strategic objectives. She oversees implementation of UCSF's affiliations, finances, quality and safety across UCSF's locations and affiliates. Nursing, clinical services, facilities, supply chain, major construction projects, pharmaceutical, women's services and perioperative services report to her. She has been with the University of California system for more than 20 years, most recently serving as chief nursing officer and patient care services officer at UCSF Medical Center.
Michael Ash, MD. Executive Vice President and System COO at Nebraska Medicine (Omaha). In Dr. Ash’s role for this multihospital, comprehensive academic health network, he oversees inpatient, ambulatory and procedural operations as well as IT and information security. Dr. Ash led the implementation of high reliability practices to improve patient quality and safety, which has led to across-the-board improvements. Most recently, Nebraska Medicine – Bellevue Medical Center earned the Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Top Performer Award and placed in the top 10 for Vizient’s community hospital quality and safety rankings. Dr. Ash spearheaded the development of an innovation design unit to serve as a testing platform for care redesign and future campus developments. He has been granted a dozen technology patents ranging from health forecasting to management of complex order sets.
Erin Asprec. Executive Vice President and COO of Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston). Ms. Asprec became Memorial Hermann Health System's executive vice president and COO in January 2020. She oversees operations, service lines, clinical transformation, and consumer experience for the system's 17 hospitals and over 265 care delivery sites. Her leadership has led to a 6% year-over-year growth in inpatient and outpatient volumes, as well as savings of $982 million.Ms. Asprec has been with Memorial Hermann for more than 15 years, having previously served as chief of acute care services and chief transformation officer.
Richard Azar. COO at UCLA Health (Los Angeles). Mr. Azar is responsible for patient care support operations at UCLA Health’s four hospitals and clinical service lines. Since becoming COO in 2018, he has led multiple initiatives to enhance patient access, including the acquisition of a closed hospital and a medical office building that is being converted into a new behavioral health campus. He oversaw the launch of UCLA Health’s first 24/7 Patient Flow Command Center and the development of technology to streamline access for patients requiring transfer to UCLA Health. In addition, his team supported the formation of specialty care service lines across the network and the launch of a homeless healthcare mobile clinic infrastructure. He joined UCLA Health in 2006 as director of transition planning.
Stephen Baldwin. COO at Touro/LCMC Health (New Orleans, La.). Mr. Baldwin oversees multiple departments for Touro, including radiology, pharmacy, laboratory, the imaging center and the ASC. He came to Touro after spending 14 years working at Tulane Medical Center. He spent the last nine years in various leadership roles, most recently holding the position of senior vice president of clinical operations. He helped Tulane to rebuild following Hurricane Katrina.
Nannette Berensen. COO of Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City). Ms. Berensen is COO of Intermountain Health, a position that entails enhancing clinical care and overseeing operations across the system. Previous roles include director of pharmacy services for Intermountain Medical Center, as well as vice president and COO of clinical shared services. During her tenure at the system, she created and launched the clinical shared services model across 13 clinical service lines and modernized the biorepository.
Andre Boyd. COO of The Christ Hospital Health Network (Cincinnati). In his time at Christ Hospital, Mr. Boyd has implemented a heart transplant program, achieved an $83 million reduction in cost savings as the leader of the system's operational transformation initiative and led the organization's patient experience committee and earned the title of the No. 1 hospital in Cincinnati. He is a strong healthcare administrator with exceptional skills in operational excellence, project management, business development, physician relations and ambulatory development, and is valued for getting timely results, increasing productivity and enhancing service quality.
Joe Camillus. COO of Boston Medical Center. Mr. Camillus is responsible for daily operations, hospital service growth, digital adoption, health center integrations, value-based care efforts, and more in his role as COO at Boston Medical Center. His contributions have included ambulatory access expansion, Epic implementation and partnership expansion. Mr. Camillus is founder of the LEAP program, a leadership training program for people of color within the organization. He has also led efforts to build clinical and housing opportunities for patients with substance use disorders as well as the opening of BMC Brockton Behavioral Health Center.
Benjamin Carter. Executive Vice President and COO of Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.). Mr. Carter is responsible for leading all hospitals and other operational areas. He also serves as the executive vice president for Trinity Health Senior Communities, Trinity Health at Home and Trinity Health PACE. He is recognized as a bold and results-driven leader with a long and successful track record at Trinity Health. Mr. Carter previously served as the system's executive vice president and CFO. He is a member of the board of directors for Say Detroit and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Chad Cathey. COO at Lakeview Hospital/LCMC Health (Covington, La.). Mr. Cathey is responsible for day-to-day operations and leading strategic planning for Lakeview. Over the last six months, he has also served as the organization's interim CEO while also maintaining his duties as COO. Under his leadership, the system developed a state-of-the-art, freestanding 99-bed children's hospital in Baton Rouge, and Lakeview has been named a "top workplace" by the Times-Picayune.
Michael Condrin. Interim Chief Administrator of UC Davis (Calif.) Medical Center and COO of UC Davis Health Hospital Division. In his role, Mr. Condrin oversees all inpatient care across UC Davis Health, which includes UC Davis Medical Center and UC Davis Children's Hospital. In addition, he provides strategic leadership for the center's level 1 trauma and emergency, surgery and post-operative services. His responsibilities include oversight of operations, patient-support, nursing and medical staff operations, facilities and supply chain management. On top of his role as COO, Mr. Condrin is also executive director for UC Davis Health Network and Affiliates, director of clinical operations, and assistant dean of administration at the school of medicine.
Thomas Crawford, PhD. System COO of MUSC Health (Charleston, S.C.). Dr. Crawford, an experienced healthcare executive, currently serves as system COO for MUSC Health. He has successfully built systemwide strategic initiatives that help to grow the system clinically and financially. His efforts have led to enhanced patient safety as well as improved employee satisfaction.
Michael Cruz, MD. COO at OSF HealthCare (Peoria, Ill.). Dr. Cruz is leading efforts to improve community health, create a better patient experience, lower healthcare costs, and address clinician burnout. Having originally joined OSF HealthCare in 1987 as a resident physician, he now serves as COO. Dr. Cruz is passionate about clinicians having a voice in their growth and owning and leading clinical outcomes to achieve quality results in performance, best practices, and safety outcomes. With his leadership in population health, value-based care and quality, OSF was able to achieve savings as an ACO in 2022 that exceeded the CMS quality benchmark by $35 million. Dr. Cruz became a highly sought-after spokesperson after leading emergency operations for OSF during the COVID-19 pandemic. His work contributed to OSF HealthCare being named a 2023 Best-in-State Employer by Forbes and one of America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune.
Kelly Cullen. Executive Vice President and COO of Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Ms. Cullen's oversight includes managing key constituent partnerships as well as all clinical strategies for Tampa General Hospital. In addition, she partners closely with the USF College of Nursing to create and optimize workforce pipeline strategies for their students. Ms. Cullen is also responsible for emergency and disaster preparedness, and coordinates with community stakeholders, local and state government, and EMS to ensure facilities are prepared to continue care management in the event of an emergency. She has been instrumental in numerous hospital efforts to improve patient care safety, quality and efficiency, such as the implementation of the CareComm command center, which led to a decrease in the hospital's average sepsis mortality to well below the national average. Previously, Ms. Cullen served as director of operations at BayCare Health System.
Timothy Day, RN. COO of Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside (New York City). Mr. Day has overseen the growth of numerous high-acuity clinical services, as well as the extensive ongoing expansion and modernization of the Mount Sinai West campus, including the addition of new operating rooms, new inpatient units and patient-friendly amenities. As a results-focused leader with a 25-year record of achievement in organization building, development of effective leadership teams, and producing positive change, he oversees all operations with an annual budget of almost $1 billion. He has led successful efforts to reduce patient stay, improve clinical documentation and revenue cycle. He has developed and implemented clinical programs, off-campus practices and joint ventures that significantly contributed to financial performance.
Richard DeCarlo. Executive Vice President and COO of PeaceHealth (Vancouver, Wash.). Mr. DeCarlo has served as executive vice president and COO of Peace Health for the last six years. His focus on operational excellence and financial stewardship while remaining focused on the best patient care is helping the organization to more quickly recover from the COVID years and has positioned the organization for long-term mission sustainability. Under his leadership, PeaceHealth was named the No. 1 employer in Washington.
Brian Donley, MD. Executive Vice President and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). Dr. Donley became NewYork-Presbyterian's executive vice president and COO in 2023. He handles strategy and operations, shaping the system's culture and vision while meeting operational targets. He brings clinical experience as an orthopedic surgeon and leadership experience from various positions at Cleveland Clinic, where he helped create and launch the system's first European hospital.
Bob Duncan. Executive Vice President and COO at Connecticut Children's (Hartford). Mr. Duncan, a pioneering force in pediatric care, has a wealth of experience and champions a culture of kindness at Connecticut Children's. He created the Dunc’d Kindness award that recognizes exceptional team members caught in the act of kindness. His leadership in fostering excellence and safety in patient care has resulted in Connecticut Children’s being recognized by Children’s Hospitals' Solutions for Patient Safety for the second time in 30 months and being selected as the October 2023 Hospital of the Month. Serving in national leadership positions throughout his career and currently vice chair for Medicaid and CHIP payment and access commission, he has been instrumental in shaping healthcare policy.
Kathy English. Executive Vice President and COO of Children's Nebraska (Omaha). As executive vice president and COO, Ms. English defines operational standards and organizes department level efforts for optimum services delivery, care and processes at Children's Hospital & Medical Center. She has developed and implemented key "people first" initiatives within the hospital to address staffing challenges, high turnover, low tenure and burnout. In 2023, 95% percent of employees reported finding their work meaningful, and 85% reported plans to stay at Children's for at least the next 12 months. In addition, employee retention and inpatient nursing retention rates at the hospital were above national averages. Ms. English has also been vital in the planning for current construction projects, including a new pediatric ambulatory facility. Previously, Ms. English held other leadership roles within Children's Hospital & Medical Center including chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care.
Jennifer Eslinger. President of Health Care Operations and COO at Rochester (N.Y.) Regional Health. Ms. Eslinger oversees strategy implementation, system integration, care delivery transformation and regional growth for the system's nine hospitals. Since joining the health system in 2022, she completed the systemwide reorganization, resulting in a fully integrated operational model and a new focused structure to support and expand rural health care. Ms. Eslinger implemented several transformation workstreams resulting in a 1one-day length of stay reduction across the acute care enterprise and launched a new systemwide security division. She brings 25 years of experience, including serving as president of Henry Ford Health’s Wyandotte and Downriver market in Michigan and president of Mobile (Ala.) Infirmary.
David Flicek. COO of Avera Health and Chief Administrative Officer of Avera Medical Group (Sioux Falls, S.D.). With 36 years of experience in healthcare, Mr. Flicek is responsible for maintaining and driving operational results for Avera's care delivery system including clinics, hospitals and Avera@Home. He was previously president and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. He led the hospital through tremendous growth, including construction of the Avera on Louise Health Campus, quality improvements, and solutions to peak capacity issues during and after the COVID pandemic. Since 1995, he has been instrumental in the formation of 75 partnerships between Avera and community clinics and hospitals. Under his leadership, Avera Medical Group has grown from seven employed physicians and providers to 1,269 who practice in 60 specialties. Clinic locations have expanded from two locations to 200 in five states.
Jon Foster. Executive Vice President and COO at HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.). Mr. Foster has been with HCA for 22 years, earning his COO appointment at the beginning of 2023. Since 2011, he served as president of HCA Healthcare's American Group, overseeing 91 hospitals that included approximately one half of HCA's revenue. He began his career in healthcare leadership in 1986, holding roles at Baptist Health System and Methodist Healthcare System.
Fritz François, MD. Executive Vice President, Vice Dean and Chief of Hospital Operations at NYU Langone Health (New York City). Dr. François serves as NYU Langone Health's executive vice president and vice dean, as well as chief of hospital operations. In this role, he ensures care quality and patient safety across the system's Manhattan campus. Prior to his current role, he was chief medical officer for the system, as well as a professor in the division of gastroenterology within the department of medicine. He has more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and presentations to his name.
Ernest Franklin, MD. Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Operations Officer at Tenet Healthcare (Dallas). Dr. Franklin's role responsibilities include the development and implementation of patient safety and clinical quality improvement strategies across Tenet Healthcare. Prior to joining the system, Dr. Franklin was senior vice president of clinical value and integration at Dallas-based Baylor Scott and White Health. Dr. Franklin has clinical experience as a general surgeon.
Puneet Freibott, DNP, RN. COO at University Medical Center/LCMC Health (New Orleans, La.). Dr. Freibott has extensive experience in hospital operations and achieving stellar outcomes for patients. She is passionate about developing and empowering teams to eliminate patient harm and create sustainable models for quality healthcare delivery. She has held executive leadership positions at nonprofit organizations and hospitals, most recently as a leader at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, which was named one of the top 20 hospitals in the U.S.
Jason K. Glover. Vice President of Operations at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center (Houston). Mr. Glover manages inpatient and outpatient operations for Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, a medical center that generates $820 million in revenue and $121 million in net income. In collaboration with medical staff and department leaders, he identifies and systematically improves business operations as well as monitors outcomes. He brings more than 16 years of work experience to his role and has been credited with growing admissions and surgeries year-over-year, in addition to decreasing employee turnover.
Chad Grant. Executive Vice President and COO of McLaren Health Care (Grand Blanc, Mich.). Mr. Grant is responsible for the oversight of McLaren's 13 hospitals' acute care operations, strategic planning, new business development and change management. He also oversees operations for the organization's 400-plus member McLaren Medical Group. In addition to his role as COO, Mr. Grant sits on the boards of all McLaren Health Care subsidy hospitals. Previously, Mr. Grant led subsidy hospitals McLaren Oakland and McLaren Flint as president and CEO. He also has prior experience as the COO of Children's Hospital of Michigan.
Nat’e Guyton, DM, RN, MSN. COO of CommonSpirit-Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center (Los Angeles). Dr. Guyton is responsible for the oversight of all operations at California Hospital Medical Center, inclusive of security, food and nutrition services, pharmacy, rehab, IT, new construction, facilities, clinical engineering, telecommunications, parking, transportation, environmental services and diagnostic imaging. During her tenure with the medical center, she has filled 85% of vacant positions and reduced employee turnover by 50%. With her guidance, costs associated with agency and contract labor have been reduced by 75%.
William C. Hahn, MD, PhD. Executive Vice President and COO at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston). Dr. Hahn co-leads the strategic planning that enables innovative cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He led Dana-Farber through the COVID pandemic, maintaining clinical and research operations and establishing new wellbeing programs. Most recently, he served in a direct role to craft a future collaboration between Dana-Farber and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center that will enable Dana-Farber to build the region’s only dedicated, adult inpatient oncology hospital. Dr. Hahn previously served as chief scientific officer, leading the Institute’s research enterprise and scientific mission. Dr. Hahn has been elected to the Association of American Physicians and the National Academy of Medicine. He is an Institute Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and previously served as the president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Terri Hanlon-Bremer, MSN, RN. Executive Vice President and System COO of TriHealth (Cincinnati). Ms. Hanlon-Bremer works closely with clinical and administrative leaders to improve operational performance in her role as COO. As a registered nurse, she brings her clinical experience to the integration and acceleration of TriHealth's population health strategy, delivery systems, and team engagement efforts. Prior to her current role, Ms. Hanlon-Bremer served as COO and senior vice president of employer solutions and population health at Cincinnati-based TriHealth.
Joel Helmke. COO of Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia). Mr. Helmke is responsible for directing the clinical and business operations of Fox Chase Cancer Center. He incorporates industry best practices to refine processes and enhance facilities to support the continued growth of both the clinical and research enterprises at Fox Chase. Since joining Fox Chase as COO in 2021, Mr. Helmke has been on a mission to drive growth in patient volumes, create alignment across the organization, and increase the public profile of the cancer center. Within two years, he has found success in all three domains and continues to reshape the administration of Fox Chase to complement the exceptional services of the medical staff. In his time as COO, Fox Chase has been recognized as one of the best hospitals in the country for cancer care and urology by U.S. News & World Report.
James L. Hill, MD. COO of University Hospitals Parma Medical Center (Cleveland). Dr. Hill brings both clinical and administrative experience to his current role as COO of University Hospitals Parma Medical Center, as well as expertise in anesthesia, critical care and transfusion services. He oversees various aspects of hospital operations, including service line development, physician engagement, and quality improvement initiatives. Thanks in large part to his leadership, the medical center earned an "A" safety rating from The Leapfrog Group and a five-star rating from CMS for 2023. Dr. Hill has also contributed over 30 national presentations, articles, and research grants to the medical field.
Brad Hillmon. COO at AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.). Mr. Hillmon oversees operations at the flagship quaternary hospital of AdventHealth's 53-hospital system. During his leadership tenure, the hospital, which has 1,374 licensed beds and more than 54,000 admissions per year, has consistently earned “A” safety grades from the Leapfrog Group. Ranked the area’s No. 1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report, the publication also ranks other AdventHealth’s clinical programs, including cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; neurology and neurosurgery; and obstetrics and gynecology, as among the nation’s best. During his AdventHealth career, Mr. Hillmon has been instrumental in leading the system’s COVID response, and in developing concepts to deliver more convenient, connected and seamless outpatient services to consumers.
Paul R. Hinchey, MD. COO of University Hospitals (Cleveland). Dr. Hinchey joined University Hospitals as COO in December 2022 after several months as interim COO. In his role, he is responsible for systemwide clinical operations. During his tenure, he has led the implementation of the organization's "Systems of Care" operating model, which has aided in the optimization of system resources such as OR, procedural and diagnostic spaces, and ICU and med-surg beds. Other initiatives led by Dr. Hinchey include newly insourced hospitalist collaboration with nursing, transitional care and post acute teams as well as a systemwide OR coordinating committee. In addition, he is currently overseeing clinical aspects of the system's EHR conversion to Epic. Previously, Dr. Hinchey was president of the community delivery network for University Hospitals.
Doug Hock. Executive Vice President and System COO for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Mr. Hock oversees clinical operations at CHOP, the largest pediatric health system in the country as measured by clinical revenue. He has built a leadership team focused on driving employee engagement, improving the patient experience along the dimensions of outcomes, safety, customer service and efficiency, and integrating digital technology into all aspects of care and work. Recent digital initiatives include an AI-based appointment accelerator that reduced wait time to access care by 29 days over 14 divisions and an AI-driven tool that uses natural language processing and has saved 30-40% charting time for clinicians on average. He is also leading the development and implementation of a $3.4 billion facilities master plan that includes a second hospital campus, a new patient tower on CHOP’s Philadelphia Campus, and a third wet-bench research building.
Todd Hofheins. COO at Adventist Health (Roseville, Calif.). Mr. Hofheins leads Adventist's administrative, managerial and operational functions. He is a visionary leader who is passionate about the health system's mission. He has helped the system to bounce back from COVID-19 related hardships. Mr. Hofheins has been an executive leader in the industry for more than 25 years.
Mike Hulefeld. President and COO of Ochsner Health (New Orleans). Mr. Hulefeld oversees daily operations, performance improvement and delivery of services across Ochsner's 46 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and specialty hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. His teams lead large-scale organizational changes and improvements that support the growth and scale of Ochsner, which was voted the No. 1 hospital in the New Orleans metro area. Mr. Hulefeld is a strategic thinker who has the ability to see around corners and agility to pivot strategy to address new headwinds in healthcare. He has led projects such as the development of the Patient Flow Center for all hospital transfers, which positively impacts patient access and the virtual nursing program, which has been vital to relieving staffing challenges and is now being scaled across the health system.
Christina Jackson. COO of UnityPoint Health - Meriter (Madison, Wis.). Ms. Jackson is responsible for the management, development and planning of operations at UnityPoint. Her experience as an operations manager and nursing leader in perioperative care guides her oversight of the hospital. Under her leadership, UnityPoint has added multiple new operating rooms, expanded sterile processes and supported sites for partner organizations and earned the Wisconsin Hospital Association Recognition for Commitment to Quality Healthcare.
Tim Johnsen. Senior Vice President and COO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services (Albuquerque, N.M.). Mr. Johnsen plays a crucial role in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the healthcare system. This includes managing various departments and ensuring that the organization delivers high-quality patient care efficiently and effectively. He is recognized by his peers for strengths in board and medical staff relations, strategy, philanthropic success, state and local legislative efforts, co-worker engagement and demonstrating high emotional intelligence. Under his leadership, U.S. New & World Report named Presbyterian Hospital among best hospitals for 2023-24 in New Mexico.
Don Kline. COO of Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati). Mr. Kline, COO of Bon Secours Mercy Health, brings over 30 years of hospital management, finance and operations leadership experience to his role. He joined the system in 2007 and took on roles of increasing responsibility until his promotion to his current role. As COO, he leads operations across all of the system's U.S. markets to garner quality care for patients. Prior to joining Bon Secours Mercy Health, he held CFO positions at Beaver, Pa.-based Heritage Valley Health System and Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health System.
Kurt Koczent, RN. Executive Vice President and COO at UR Thompson Health (Canandaigua, N.Y.). In his role as executive vice president and COO of UR Thompson Health, Mr. Koczent leads 1,900 employees. He began his career in healthcare as a nurse's aide, lending him firsthand clinical experience, and subsequently took on roles with progressive responsibility. Now, as COO of a 113-bed community hospital, he implements quality iniatives, guides safety huddles, conducts rounds, leads recruitment and retention efforts, and prompts team members to think about ways to improve and meet goals. The role places an emphasis on clinical quality, with Mr. Koczent leading the development of nine centers of excellence. Under his leadership over the past decade, the health system has gone from seeing 25,000 annual visits to 150,000 and has expanded its primary care locations. He is directly responsible for the recruitment and retention of the largest primary care group in the Finger Lakes region.
Brendan Kremer. COO for UC San Diego Health. Mr. Kremer is responsible for the oversight of clinical, financial and operations for UC San Diego Health's clinical services and physician group. During his tenure, Mr. Kremer has led the opening of the Jacobs Medical Center, contributed to the design and launch of the Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion, and implemented a successful ambulatory surgery center strategy. He also played a key role in UC San Diego Health's response to the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing testing access and opening California's first vaccination superstation. He has held several leadership roles within the organization since 1999, including chief administrative officer, administrative director, and assistant director of professional services.
Brian Lauer. Vice President and COO of Baylor Scott & White Health McKinney (Dallas). Mr. Lauer leads operations for the 192-bed Baylor Scott & White Health McKinney. His role encompasses executive oversight of non-clinical operations, strategic planning, and service line development. Throughout his tenure, he has spearheaded transformative projects like a 97-bed expansion and the establishment of an on-campus cardiac hospital. His leadership as COO has resulted in a 25% increase in hospital cleanliness scores and a 35% boost in employee engagement scores.
Min Y. Lee. COO of UVA Health Medical Center (Charlottesville, Va.). Ms. Lee engages in partnerships with clinical chairs, faculty, staff and C-suite leaders to provide strategic and operational oversight of UVA Health Medical Center's day-to-day operations. In addition, she serves as a member of both the CEO Cabinet and Medical Center leadership team to implement multi-year strategies and systemwide goals in quality, safety, value, patient experience and staff engagement. During her tenure, Ms. Lee has led the reorganization of the center's perioperative governance structure and the implementation of new workflow systems to increase productivity. She has previous experience as vice president of operations at Reading Hospital – Tower Health.
C.J. Marbley, RN. COO at New Orleans (La.) East Hospital/LCMC Health. Mr. Marbley has served in various administrative and clinical capacities in the LCMC system, before joining his current leadership position. He spent 23 years staffing various hospitals throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He also serves as the system's chief nursing officer, where he is responsible for providing direction, management and leadership for nursing and patient care services.
John Matsinger, DO. Executive Vice President and COO at Virtua Health (Marlton, N.J.). As executive vice president and COO of Virtua Health, Dr. Matsinger oversees all aspects of operations across five acute care hospitals, two satellite emergency rooms, rehabilitation services, a home care agency, pharmacy operations, radiology services, lab services, and 350-plus care locations. Additionally, he oversees the Virtua Medical Group, which consists of more than 1,200 medical and surgical physicians. A champion of innovation and clinical advancement, he played an integral role in Virtua Health’s recent acquisition of Moorestown, N.J.-based Reconstructive Orthopedics and participated in the formation of Virtua Health’s academic affiliation with Rowan University.
Matthew Mattner. COO at Fisher-Titus Health (Norwalk, Ohio). Mr. Mattner is responsible for establishing and executing a strategic plan at Fisher-Titus that aligns with the system's mission and vision. He defines objectives, designs the organizational structure and oversees day-to-day operations. Mr. Mattner has a keen eye for cost management and resource allocation. He also oversees the development and management of medical providers, disaster planning and safety and security. He cultivates community, as well as external relationships for the organization. Under his leadership, the organization has become more efficient, consolidating operations and selling more than $2 million in real estate and equipment. He has also created and implemented new fundraising activities that have significantly increased donations to the Fisher-Titus foundation. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the system's incident response team to decrease turnover and burnout rates.
Marcia Messer. Vice President and COO of WellSpan York (Pa.) Hospital. Ms. Messer leads the overall operations and strategic initiatives at WellSpan using her more than 30 years of experience to deliver innovative solutions to complex problems. She has launched initiatives to support the entire care team and works closely with hospital and corporate leadership to ensure quality care and improve the patient experience. Under Ms. Messer's leadership, the hospital has achieved many prestigious awards and accreditations; this year alone, WellSpan York Hospital was named as one of America's 250 Best Hospitals in the country by Healthgrades for the third year in a row, achieved accreditation as a Center for Excellence in Robotic Surgery and more.
Winjie Miao. Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Ms. Miao leads core service evolution for Texas Health's 29 hospitals and 450-plus primary care providers. She is also a leader in many of the organization innovation initiatives, including facility and operations planning, physician integration and community engagement. Ms. Miao's career within Texas Health has spanned 23 years, including time as system integration officer and chief experience officer. As the system's first chief experience officer, Ms. Miao led efforts to utilize consumer insights in the development of technology-enabled products and services, branding, and strategic and operational projects.
David L. Miller. President and COO of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Mr. Miller's oversight as COO includes Community Health Systems' six operating divisions in addition to strategic growth initiatives. His leadership has led the company to success in acquisitions of Health Management Associates and Triad Hospitals. Most recently, Mr. Miller served as a division president for Community Health Systems. He has been with the system since 1997.
Kim Milstien. Executive Vice President and COO at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (Calif.). Ms. Milstien joined CHOC in 2022 as chief strategy and affiliation officer before being appointed COO in the spring of 2023. She has partnered with leadership across CHOC to realign and refresh the strategic plan, create a strategy activation function to support key projects, develop a streamlined and more effective cross-team business planning process, and help grow CHOC’s neonatal intensive care unit network into new regions. She brings more than 25 years of experience leading acute care operations in a variety of health care settings, including large teaching hospitals and public hospital systems. She was also a board member and chair for Hospital Association of Southern California’s Ventura County region and faculty for Adventist Health Emerging Healthcare Leader Program.
Rosanna Morris. COO at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). Ms. Morris was appointed COO at MD Anderson in 2019. She is responsible for overseeing clinical operations and adherence to regulatory requirements and safety protocols. She serves as a connection betweens the center's president and chief medical executive. Ms. Morris fosters a culture of collaboration within her team and is committed to delivering the best possible patient experience through bridging disciplines and creating multidisciplinary teams. She also puts time into mentoring the next generation of leaders, cultivating top talent and providing wisdom and guidance. She hails from a nursing background and has a commitment to healthcare transformation and clinical care. She also established a COVID-19 leadership team to lead the organization through the pandemic and established a quality assessment and improvement team.
William M. Peacock, III. Chief of Operations for Cleveland Clinic. As COO of Cleveland Clinic, Mr. Peacock handles the organization's supply chain, buildings and design, clinical engineering, protective services, hotels, international operations, marketing and philanthropy. He guides the operations team in supplies, functional operations, clinical equipment, food services, patient transportation and more. Mr. Peacock is part of the American Society of Healthcare Executives and the American Society of Healthcare Engineers.
Kimberly A. Post, DNP, RN. COO of HonorHealth (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Dr. Post serves as COO for HonorHealth, where she provides leadership alongside the CEO for the development, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of overall system strategy. Her oversight responsibilities include that of the hospital division, ambulatory services, joint ventures and clinical operations of the HonorHealth Medical Group. Having spent over 30 years with the organization. Dr. Post has developed and executed a Women's Center, started a bariatric service line and helped achieve Bariatric Surgery of Excellence recognition. In addition to her role with HonorHealth, Dr. Post is a member of the Greater Phoenix Go Red for Women Campaign's executive leadership team.
Steve Randall. COO of Ochsner LSU Health (Shreveport, La.). As COO of Ochsner LSU Health, Mr. Randall oversees both the healthcare delivery systems in Shreveport and Monroe, as well as the coordination of activities with the LSU Health Sciences Center. His operation responsibilities include the Ochsner LSU Health Physician group, clinic and outpatient locations, service line operations, patient flow, business development, services and acquisitions, and provider development and recruitment. Under Mr. Randall's leadership, the partnership has grown from two hospitals and four clinic access points to over three hospitals and 27 clinics with 50-plus access points. The organization has also seen a 70% increase in practicing physicians and over 75% increase in clinic visits. In 2022, Mr. Randall received the "Ochsner Division Executive Leader of the Year" award. He has 25 years of healthcare experience, and has served in roles with Methodist Healthcare System, HCA Healthcare, and more.
Jon Reuter. Chief of Operations of Keck Hospital of USC (Los Angeles). Mr. Reuter has served as chief of operations for Keck Hospital of USC for two years. In his role, he provides oversight and leadership for administration and operations of hospital based clinical, ancillary and professional services. Under his leadership, Keck Hospital has received a Leapfrog "A" Safety Grade, been honored by Vizient as a 2022 top performer for high-quality care delivery and been awarded Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Mr. Reuter is also an active member of multiple hospital committees and leader of the Keck Medicine Sustainability Program. Prior to joining Keck Medicine, he served as vice president of supply chain, facilities and construction management at City of Hope.
Niki Robinson, PhD. Vice President and COO at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Seattle). Joining Fred Hutch in 2015 as vice president of business development, Dr. Robinson quickly distinguished herself, first adding strategy to her portfolio, then serving as deputy COO until her current appointment in 2022. When Fred Hutch took on a major national role in coordinating federal COVID-19 vaccine trials, she helped address the pandemic’s operational impacts and oversaw communications involving many high-profile external components. She played a pivotal role in the successful 2022 merger of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and helped restructure its relationship with UW Medicine, with Fred Hutch now serving as its adult cancer program.
Biju Samkutty. COO of Mayo Clinic International (Rochester, Minn.). Mr. Samkutty is COO of Mayo Clinic International, where he partners with the enterprise president to expand services across the world. In his role, he handles operations, partnerships, strategy and business development. He brings a wide breadth of experience in business, which lends him the deep expertise needed to succeed in his current role. He assumed his role at Mayo Clinic in 2021.
Mark Sevco. Senior Vice President and COO of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). Mr. Sevco's role as senior vice president and COO of Sutter Health means he is responsible for the system's 23 hospitals, five regional medical foundations, service lines, home health, hospice services, nursing, ASCs and more. In conjunction with the system's chief physician, he leads the enterprise in operations and care delivery. Before joining Sutter, Mr. Sevco served as the executive vice president of UPMC.
Nathan Shinagawa. COO of UCI Health (Orange County, Calif.). Mr. Shinagawa has 12 years of hospital leadership experience and 10 years of public service experience. He is responsible for acute operations of the health system and is recognized as an outstanding collaborator. In his role, he oversees operations for the 8,000-employee, $2 billion net revenue system. He leads construction of UCI Health Irvine's new $1.3 billion campus. He also handles ambulatory network expansion, which is growing from 17 current sites. Prior to joining UCI Health, he served as COO of Banner Del Webb in Arizona. Mr. Shinagawa also served as an Ithaca, N.Y., legislator for 10 years.
Steve Smoot. COO of SSM Health (St. Louis). Mr. Smoot is COO for SSM Health, where he oversees hospital, medical group and other business operations for the health system. He assumed the role in July 2018 and brings over 25 years of deep healthcare industry experience. Mr. Smoot's skills in strategy, operational transformation, partnership, philanthropy and more have brought in countless opportunities for SSM Health during his tenure. Prior to joining SSM Health, he was associate COO for Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health, where he was responsible for the oversight of 23 hospitals.
Mark Solazzo. COO and President of Strategic Initiatives for Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Mr. Solazzo is president of strategic initiatives and COO for Northwell Health. He oversees operations for the system's 84,000 employees across 21 hospitals, 890 ambulatory sites, medical research institute, new venture enterprise and more. Since assuming the COO role in 2005, Mr. Solazzo has integrated the system's strategic plan via operations and guaranteed coordinated service delivery for patients. He has been with Northwell since 1995.
Mark Stauder. COO of Hackensack Meridian Health and President of Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals and Health Services Divisions (Edison, N.J.). As COO of Hackensack Meridian Health, Mr. Stauder leverages 40-plus years of senior management experience. He oversees clinical operations at the health system, including 85% of the $7.5 billion net operating revenue. His role entails leading network hospitals, ambulatory sites, and all matters pertaining to quality, performance, and team member engagement systemwide. He also leads the implementation of network research and discovery initiatives.
Barry Steichen. Executive Vice President and COO of Saint Francis Health System (Tulsa, Okla.). Mr. Steichen has spent 30 years with Saint Francis Health system, currently serving as executive vice president and COO. His responsibilities include oversight of all operational functions across multiple hospital locations, information technology, construction and facilities, support services and the Department of Religion. Mr. Steichen led the acquisitions of both Saint Francis Hospital Vinita and Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee, as well as the system's partnership with Oklahoma State University Medical Center. Under his leadership, Saint Francis has earned an Aa2 bond rating from Moody's and an AA+ rating from S&P, and Saint Francis Hospital has been named the number one hospital in Oklahoma for seven years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.
Sheldrick Streete, BSN, RN. COO at Baystate Medical Center and Vice President of Operations at Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass). Mr. Streete serves as COO of Baystate Medical Center and vice president of operations at Baystate Health. He recently oversaw the completion of a $200 million construction project. He also played a key role in transitioning Baystate Orthopedic Surgery Center to a joint venture ASC and in initiating a Registered Nurse First Assistant program for surgical cases. His collaboration with Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association on an “Elimination of Surgical Smoke” campaign in operating rooms by 2024 led to Baystate becoming the state’s first health system to achieve AORN’s Go Clear Award. Under Streete’s leadership, Baystate Medical Center was ranked No. 7 in Massachusetts and No. 1 in Springfield by the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.
April Taylor. Vice President and COO at The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Ms. Taylor works closely with clinical and administrative leaders across the hospital to drive operational excellence, helping to ensure care is safe, of the highest quality, and accessible to patients. She was named COO in June 2023 after serving on an interim basis since January. She has helped expand the hospital’s retail food footprint, launch a new visitor welcoming system at main hospital entrances, and advance efforts to improve capacity management and bed availability. She joined The Johns Hopkins Hospital as vice president of quality in November 2020, resulting in a lower observed/expected mortality ratio. Prior to Johns Hopkins, she spent 14 years at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she held roles including senior director of performance improvement and project management.
Mathew Timmons. Senior Vice President and COO at Children's Hospital New Orleans (La.)/LCMC Health. Mr. Timmons oversees perioperative services, the heart center, support services, outreach, marketing, lab, radiology and rehabilitation services for Children's. He joined the system in January 2023. Previously, he served as vice president at Texas Children's Hospital. He has a Masters in both healthcare and business administration.
Michelle Volpe. COO at Penn Medicine (Philadelphia). Ms. Volpe is COO of Penn Medicine. Each of Penn Medicine’s six hospital CEOs now report to her, and she is responsible for efforts to enhance operational efficiency and program integration across the 3,400-bed health system, which sees 6.5 million outpatient visits and about 130,000 admissions each year. Previously, Ms. Volpe served 23 years as CEO Penn Medicine Presbyterian Medical Center, where she oversaw the opening of outpatient practices, the relocation of Penn Medicine's level 1 trauma center and the construction of new acute care facilities. She is the immediate past chair of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.
Ron M. Walls, MD. COO at Mass General Brigham (Boston). As COO of the $19 billion integrated academic health system that includes founding members Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Walls oversees all clinical operations across all Mass General Brigham sites. He leads efforts to integrate clinical services, improve patient access, create a single point of entry for patients to schedule appointments, optimize operating clinical performance, improve resource stewardship, and partner with clinical leaders to develop service lines. Previously chair of the department of emergency medicine and later COO at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Walls’ principal academic contributions are in advancing emergency airway management. In all, he has more than 180 scientific publications. Dr. Walls is also the Neskey Family Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Matthew Walsh. Executive Vice President and COO of Geisinger (Danville, Pa.). Mr. Walsh drives key programs and clinical growth to improve patient access at Geisinger. He has led initiatives to streamline point of care scheduling, implement self-scheduling, optimize electronic health records and restructure the patient contact center. This work has helped increase ambulatory visits 8% over pre-COVID volumes. Through these efforts, Geisinger’s ease of contact scores improved and patients saw a 16% reduction in wait times. Mr. Walsh also developed and oversees a comprehensive master facility plan leading to major expansions, including a partnership with Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare to build two 96-bed inpatient behavioral health facilities and a major expansion and modernization of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa..
Rob Watson, MD. Chief Clinical Operations Officer at Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas). Dr. Watson became chief clinical operations officer of Baylor Scott & White Health in the spring of 2023. He is charged with enhancing clinical operations via physician and provider engagement and more. Prior to his appointment, he was chief medical officer for the system's greater Austin region, where he was instrumental in its expansion to nine hospitals and 70 clinics. He has also been chief of surgery, vice president of medical staff and general surgery division director for the system's Round Rock, Texas location.
Erik Wexler. COO at Providence (Renton, Wash.). Mr. Wexler is responsible for operational oversight and strategy, ensuring access to a portfolio of vital, high-quality and affordable services across the Providence footprint while also leading the organization’s care transformation strategies. In 2022, he successfully led Providence into its new operating model, freeing up resources for the frontlines through a leaner executive and administrative structure. Under his leadership, Providence's ACO, Providence Health Connect Partners, saved nearly $99 million last year and was recognized as the top ACO nationally, according to the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Mr. Wexler serves on the boards of California Hospital Association and the Racial Justice Roundtable and on American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board No. 9.
Robert J. Wiehe. Senior Vice President and COO for Hospital Operations at UC Health (Cincinnati). Mr. Wiehe is the senior vice president and COO for hospital operations at UC Health, where he oversees nursing, emergency services, graduate medical education, diagnostics, perioperative and procedure areas, patient experience, pharmacy, supply chain, facilities operations, and ancillary services for the health system. Under his leadership, UC Medical Center has seen patient satisfaction scores that exceed the national average and is in the midst of its largest ever expansion. Mr. Wiehe first joined UC Health in 2015 leading supply chain and pharmacy operations systemwide.
Jamie Wiggins, PhD, RN. Executive Vice President and COO at Arkansas Children's (Little Rock). Dr. Wiggins helps to lead the only health system in the state that serves close to 700,000 children annually. He oversees patient care and the operations team that is responsible for developing, implementing and improving the system so that it delivers the best care possible for children in the area. He is committed to quality care and delivering excellence. As a registered nurse, he has clinical and operational expertise that inform his work in enhancing the patient experience and making it more inclusive and equitable.
Craig Williams. Chief Administrative Officer of Cook County Health (Chicago). Mr. Williams is responsible for building an effective, highly integrated health system, setting standards for systemwide delivery of high quality care and operational excellence, overseeing operations and development and collaborating with clinical leaders and key administrative staff to develop models of care that are patient centered and support efficient delivery models in multiple care settings throughout CCH. During his first 90 days in his role, Mr. Williams partnered with senior leadership and medical leadership to develop the FY23 capital equipment budget and was able to launch more than $30 million worth of equipment procurement.
Helene Wolk. Executive Vice President and COO at Englewood (N.J.) Health. Ms. Wolk is responsible for systemwide operations at Englewood's $1 billion health system. She leads inpatient and outpatient care, ancillary services, information technology and digital integration. She is experienced with analyzing data and using it to execute growth plans for the organization. She is skilled at combining big picture thinking and careful analysis. Over the last 12 years, she has introduced several revenue building, efficiency enhancing and patient-centered projects to the system. Currently she is overseeing its digital transformation strategy and evolving care delivery for how patients live, communicate and engage. She is also helping Englewood to streamline its digital referral management process. She led an organization-wide launch of Epic and integrated 26 practice offices into the Englewood system.
Matt Zuino. Executive Vice President and COO for Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.). Mr. Zuino has served as executive vice president and COO for Baptist Health since 2020. His role entails the oversight, leadership and strategic direction for five adult hospitals, one pediatric hospital, an outpatient cancer center, four satellite emergency rooms, over 60 primary care practices, a physician enterprise and an ambulatory operation. He crafted the system's strategic operating plan for the fiscal year and worked with the CEO to drive the system's five-year strategic plan. Among many other accomplishments, Mr. Zuino sponsored the Baptist's implementation of Epic EHR and the creation of a 100-plus bed hospital that opened in 2022.