Community hospitals are among the most important institutions in the communities they serve, and it's up to the CEOs to ensure they thrive.
The top executives are tasked with setting the patient care strategy and workforce culture at their hospitals. They are accountable for building financially sustainable organizations while also leading through uncertainty, especially during the pandemic. Many of the CEOs on this list have presided over big shifts in the healthcare workforce, digital transformation, addressing health inequities and more.
Now, community hospital CEOs are looking ahead to fortify their organizations against future uncertainties and finding new ways to provide better care.
Note: This list was developed to highlight community hospital CEOs across the U.S. Becker's accepted nominations for this list. Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments. Click here to view nomination forms for future lists.
Andrew Cass, Naomi Diaz, Cailey Gleeson, Riz Hatton, Marcus Robertson, Marissa Plescia and Ariana Portalatin contributed to the development of this list.
Cristina Contreras. CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan (New York City). Ms. Contreras has more than 27 years of leadership experience in executive level management of inpatient, ambulatory, clinical and ancillary services hospital operations. Under her leadership, the organization earned the Leader in LGBTQ in Healthcare Equity award from the Human Rights Commission and was named the Most Racially Inclusive Hospital by the Lown Institute, among other awards. Ms. Contreras is especially passionate about public service and improving care access for underserved and immigrant communities.
William Davis. CEO of Crossroads Community Hospital (Brentwood, Tenn.). Mr. Davis was previously the interim administrator of the hospital and was soon promoted to CEO. He created the hospital's COVID-19 drive-up testing location, as well as a recognition program for his employees. Under his leadership, the hospital was given the Women's Choice awards for orthopedics and emergency care in 2022.
Kane Dawson. CEO of Mission (Texas) Regional Medical Center. Mr. Dawson has about 25 years of healthcare experience and has held several leadership roles. Before joining the 297-bed nonprofit hospital, he worked for Quorum Healthcare Corp. and Quorum Health Resources. He was named one of the "40 under 40" honorees by Philadelphia Business Journal.
John Deardorff. President and CEO of Reston (Va.) Hospital Center and HCA Northern Virginia Market. The Northern Virginia market of HCA consists of Reston Hospital Center, Dominion Hospital in Falls Church and StoneSprings Hospital Center in Dulles, as well as several outpatient centers. Mr. Deardorff has more than 20 years of healthcare experience and has held several executive and leadership roles. He previously worked as the CEO of several HCA hospitals in Florida and Georgia.
Mike Delfs. President and CEO of Jamestown (N.D.) Regional Medical Center. Mr. Delfs has worked in healthcare for 28 years. He previously held roles as director, COO and CEO of independent hospitals and large health systems. He's especially passionate about helping others develop leadership skills; he taught a leadership course at the Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota Medical School.
Jeffrey DiLisi, MD. President and CEO of Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Charleston, S.C.). Mr. DiLisi is the first physician to lead the health system. He previously served as senior vice president and chief medical officer of the 394-bed Arlington-based Virginia Hospital Center, which was one of The Joint Commission's top performers on key quality measures under his leadership. He also helped lead the hospital's successful effort to join Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System.
Armand Dorian, MD. CEO of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (Glendale, Calif). Mr. Dorian has made several appearances on major news networks, including ExtraTV, to educate the public about COVID-19. He also organized an effort to buy and deliver a CT scanner to an Artsakh hospital during the Armenian crisis in 2020. He is known for his internal communication abilities and hosts a video huddle with a different department each week to provide updates and recognize the hospital's employees.
Kelly Driscoll, RN. President and CEO of Faith Regional Health Services (Norfolk, Neb.). Ms. Driscoll has worked at Faith Regional since 2011, starting as vice president of patient care services. She was promoted senior vice president and COO in 2013 and eventually became Faith Regional president and CEO in 2018. She became a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives in 2012.
Paige Dworak. President and CEO of CareWell Health Medical Center (East Orange, N.J.). Ms. Dworak is the first female owner and CEO of a hospital in New Jersey. She has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare. Under her leadership, the hospital has expanded treatment for substance use disorders and has created the first medical group focused on the expansion of primary care, family medicine and multispecialty services. The hospital received the Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2020.
Cory Edmondson. President and CEO of Peterson Health (Kerrville, Texas). Mr. Edmondson is the leader of the growing 13-facility system. Peterson Regional Medical Center was named a Top 20 Rural Community Hospital in 2017 and has been a Top 100 Rural Community Hospital for five years in a row. Prior to joining Peterson, he was senior vice president of Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital.
Doug Ekeren. Regional President and CEO of Avera Queen of Peace Hospital (Mitchell, S.D.). Mr. Ekeren previously served in the role on an interim basis. He is also the regional president and CEO of Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, a position he has held since 2014. He also leads Avera's Long-Term Care Strategic Business Unit, Emergency Medicine Steering Committee and General Surgery Steering Committee. He is on the board of Make-A-Wish of South Dakota and the South Dakota Board of Technical Education.
Doug Faus. President and CEO of Ivinson Memorial Hospital (Laramie, Wyo.). Under Mr. Faus' leadership, Ivinson turned into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hospital and implemented a new EHR system. The hospital was named a Top 20 Rural Community Hospital in 2019 and 2018 and won a 2019 Wyoming Hospital Quality Award. He also serves on the Wyoming Hospital Association board of directors and the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board.
Soniya Fidler. President of UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center (Steamboat Springs, Colo.). Ms. Fidler is also a member of the board of trustees of the hospital. In addition to her position, she is on the board of directors for the Steamboat Springs Chamber, Old Town Hot Springs and the Health Partnership. She is also a member of the Ski Town USA Rotary Club. Ms. Fidler has a Master of Science in organizational leadership from Regis University in Denver.
Mickey Foster. CEO of FirstHealth of the Carolinas and President of FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital (Pinehurst, N.C.). Mr. Foster directs the development and operation of the organization. Prior to FirstHealth, he was the president of the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, N.C. He was also president of Cone Health's Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C. In addition to his role as CEO, he is on the Moore County Partners in Progress board of directors.
Tim Charles. President and CEO of Mercy Cedar Rapids (Iowa). Mr. Charles has been with Mercy Cedar Rapids for 19 years and was appointed president and CEO in 2007. During his tenure, he has made a significant number of accomplishments, including establishing Iowa's first freestanding emergency department. Mr. Charles delayed his retirement to address the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, but plans to retire Dec. 31.
Jim Gebhart. President of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. Mr. Gebhardt has led Mercy Hospital OKC since 2009. He facilitates collaboration among other Mercy hospitals statewide. Mr. Gebhart is also responsible for the hospital strategy and execution of Mercy OKC, Mercy Logan County, Mercy El Reno, Mercy Watonga, Kingfisher and Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital.
Vallerie Gleason. President and CEO of NMC Health (Newton, Kan.). Ms. Gleason joined NMC Health in 2004. As CEO, Ms. Gleason is responsible for day-to-day hospital operations. As CEO, she oversaw the launch of the hospital's telemedicine program and the opening of its walk-in clinic. Prior to her current position, Ms. Gleason served as the hospital's vice president of physician services and chief clinical integration officer.
Mary Harrison. Interim Health Director of Choctaw (Miss.) Health Center. Ms. Harrison is responsible for the overall management and operations of the Choctaw Health Center and three clinics. Ms. Harrison's appointment to interim health director was supposed to be temporary, but because of her outstanding leadership during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the center made her position permanent. She received the Indian Health Service Award for COVID-19 Planning and Preparedness 2021 and was nominated as Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians 2020 Employee of the Year by her colleagues.
Edward Herrman. President and CEO of HaysMed (Hays, Kan.). Mr. Herrman was appointed CEO and president in 2017. Mr. Herrman works closely with leadership, the HaysMed board and health system leadership in Kansas City to facilitate collaboration. Prior to this, he was president of Enid, Okla.-based Integris Bass Baptist Health Center.
Paul Hinchey, MD. President of University Hospitals Community Delivery Network (Cleveland). Dr. Hinchey is an established researcher, author and international lecturer. He oversees University Hospitals Community Delivery Network's business development, financial performance, and leadership recruitment and advancement. He led the integration of the Lake Health system, comprising 11 facilities, including three acute care hospitals, into the University Hospitals Health System. Dr. Hinchey also expanded UH's hospitalist model to more community hospitals.
Bill Hoefer. President of Zeeland (Mich.) Community Hospital. Mr. Hoefer was named president of Zeeland Community Hospital in 2021. He has 26 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Before coming to Zeeland, he was COO of St. Louis, Mo.-based Mercy Hospital South.
Stan Holm. President and CEO of Olathe (Kan.) Health. Mr. Holm joined Olathe Health in 2018. He serves as the top executive over all entities of Olathe Health, including Olathe Medical Center, Miami County Medical Center and Olathe Health Physicians. Mr. Holm has more than 23 years of experience managing hospital systems. He has been awarded the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce Icon Award and been named outstanding healthcare executive of the year for the State of Arizona and Health Management Associates' top-performing executive.
John Horner. President and CEO of MHP Major Hospital (Shelbyville, Ind.). Mr. Horner has served as president and CEO of MHP since 2008. Under his leadership, MPH has achieved distinction by being recognized as a top 100 hospital in America and top technology hospital by Thompson-Reuters and Truven Health, respectively. In 2020, Mr. Horner was honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Indiana Hospital Association for his accomplishments in enhancing hospital services.
Shawn Howard. President and CEO of McAlester (Okla.) Regional Health Center. Mr. Howard was appointed president and CEO in 2022. Under his leadership, the hospital has implemented a wage increase plan, increased access to leadership for employees and created an education plan for staff and physicians to create a better line of communication for patients. Mr. Howard also has formed strong partnerships with Oklahoma City-based OU Health and Oklahoma Heart Hospital to increase inpatient support for physicians and providers.
David Huffstutler. President and CEO of St. David's HealthCare (Austin, Texas). Mr. Huffstutler was named president and CEO in 2011. In 2019, he was honored by the Texas Hospital Association as the recipient of the 2018 Earl M. Collier Award for Distinguished Health Care Administration. The award recognizes outstanding executives who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to the healthcare industry and their profession.
Paul Janssen. President and CEO of Henry Community Health (New Castle, Ind.). Mr. Janssen has served as president and CEO of Henry Community Health for 11 years and he is planning to retire in August. Under his leadership, the hospital was named among the 2021 top 100 rural & community hospitals in the U.S. by the Chartis Center for Rural Health.
Russ Johnson. President and CEO of LMH Health (Lawrence, Kan.). Mr. Johnson was named president and CEO of LMH Health in 2016. He has more than 37 years of experience in the healthcare industry. In 2007 he received the American Hospital Association's national recognition for his accomplishments as a small or rural hospital leader. He also received the Rural Healthcare Excellence Award from the Colorado Rural Health Center in 2007.
Wade Johnson. CEO of St. Peter's Health (Helena, Mont.). Mr. Johnson was appointed CEO of St. Peter's Health in 2017. Before coming to St. Peter's Health he was CEO of Emmett, Idaho.-based Valor Health. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Phillip Kambic. President and CEO of Riverside Healthcare (Kankakee, Ill.). Mr. Kambic joined Riverside Healthcare in 1985, serving in various leadership positions until he was appointed president and CEO in January 2006. Under his leadership, Riverside Medical Center has received numerous awards and recognitions, including multiple IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospital Awards and several IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital Awards. The system also now serves five counties and has doubled its net asset size.
Cindy Kamikawa, RN. President of Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital (Honolulu). Ms. Kamikawa was appointed president of Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital in 2016. In this role, she oversees the clinical and administrative operations of the 35-bed acute care hospital and outpatient specialty clinics throughout the region. Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Kamikawa led the expansion of the hospital's emergency department from 3,300 square feet to over 12,000 square feet in January 2020.
Scott Kelly. Executive Vice President of Asante and CEO of Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center (Medford, Ore.). Mr. Kelly joined Asante over a decade ago, serving in various leadership roles before being named executive vice president and CEO of one of the system's medical centers in January 2019. Prior to his time at Asante, he served as the director of strategic marketing at Saint Agnes Medical Center for six years. He was also the director of corporate planning for three years at St. Paul Medical Center.
Nizar Kifaieh, MD. President and CEO of Hudson Regional Hospital (Secaucus, N.J.). Mr. Kifaieh has served as president and CEO of Hudson Regional Hospital since January 2018. He has led the facility through a $10 million capital improvement campaign and improved the patient experience through a patient liaison team for pediatrics, geriatrics and emergency room visitors. Hudson Regional Hospital was designated the official COVID-19 testing site for Hudson County in March 2020 under his leadership.
Chris Klay. President and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital (Breese, Ill.). Mr. Klay was named president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital, where he previously served as division director of rehabilitation services for the system's western Wisconsin division, in 2017. Since joining the system in 2009, he has been responsible for a variety of operations, including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and respiratory therapy. Mr. Klay began his healthcare career in 2000 as a physical therapist.
Jason Kreitner. President and Chief Hospital Executive of Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center (Brick Township, N.J.). Mr. Kreitner began his healthcare career as a radiation therapist. He joined Hackensack Meridian Health in 2012 and was appointed to his current position in 2019. Under his leadership, the hospital has improved quality metrics in a number of areas, including C-section rates and readmissions.
Michael Lauf. President and CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare (Hyannis, Mass.). Mr. Lauf has overseen operations for Cape Cod Healthcare's 450 physicians and 5,300 employees since December 2010. He also served as the system's chief operating officer for two years. Prior to joining Cape Cod Healthcare, Mr. Lauf was chief operating officer of Bristol Medical Center, a 348-bed hospital in Bristol, Tenn.
Myron Lewis. President and CEO of Blanchard Valley Health System (Findlay, Ohio). Mr. Lewis was named president and CEO of Blanchard Valley Health System in 2021. He previously served as the president of Spectrum Health Zeeland (Mich.) Community Hospital. Mr. Lewis also has a variety of previous community affiliations, including a position on the board of directors for Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Health Pointe Integrated Care Campus.
Aries Limbaga, DNP. CEO of Rancho Los Amigos (Downey, Calif.). Dr. Limbaga joined Rancho Los Amigos 13 years ago, where he was appointed CEO of Los Angeles County Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in August 2018. Under his leadership, the facility was named one of Newsweek's best physical medicine and rehabilitation centers. He is a past recipient of the National Association of Rehabilitation Nurses' Nurse Executive Award.
Sharon Lind. CEO of Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center and Banner Boswell Medical Center (Sun City, Ariz.). Ms. Lind was named CEO of Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center and Banner Boswell Medical Center in 2019. Prior to her appointment, she served as CEO of a variety of Banner Health facilities. Ms. Lind is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Svetlana Lipyanskaya. CEO of NYC Health+Hospitals/Coney Island (New York City). Ms. Lipyanskaya was named the first female CEO of NYC Health+Hospitals/Coney Island in January 2020. She has over 18 years of experience in healthcare, 13 of which were spent at Weill Cornell Medicine. Ms. Lipyanskaya is currently leading the execution of several projects, including the completion of an 11-story hospital and development of a health and wellness institute.
Steve Little. President of Holy Family Memorial (Manitowoc, Wis.). Mr. Little joined Froedtert Health in 2020 as senior vice president of network development and was appointed president of Holy Family Memorial in March 2021. He has a variety of previous leadership experiences, including serving eight years as president and CEO of Agnesian HealthCare. Mr. Little is a certified public accountant and member of two accounting organizations.
Floyd Long. CEO of NYC Health+Hospital/Carter (New York City). Mr. Long has served as the CEO of NYC Health+Hospital/Carter since 2015. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Long led the opening and operation of an acute care hospital in response to COVID-19 in a record two-week time. He manages the hospital's $80 million budget.
Ed Lovern. President and CEO of Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital(Baltimore). With over 20 years in healthcare, Mr. Lovern was named president and CEO of Ascension Saint Agnes in July 2020. Under his leadership, the hospital has seen positive trends in financial performance, key volumes and patient experience. After two years with negative net operating income, the hospital had a positive operating margin in fiscal year 2021 and is on track to remain positive this upcoming fiscal year. Outside of the hospital, Mr. Lovern serves on various committees, including as chair of Maryland Hospital Association's Workforce of the Future Task Force and a member of Maryland Physicians Care Board of Directors.
Chris Lumsden. President and CEO, Northern Regional Hospital (Mount Airy, N.C.). With 35 years of healthcare administration experience, Mr. Lumsden is an experienced leader. He previously served as president and administrator of Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital in South Boston, Va. He is also an American College of Healthcare Executives fellow and a licensed nursing home administrator.
James Machado. Regional president, Ascension St. Vincent's Southside (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Ascension St. Vincent's St. Johns County (Fla.). Mr. Machado has been with Ascension since 2016. He previously served at Health Management Associates in COO and CEO positions in the company's regional medical centers. He is also a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Christina Maguire. President and CEO of Mount Desert Island Hospital (Bar Harbor, Maine). Ms. Maguire oversees care and delivery at Mount Desert Island's 25-bed critical access hospital. As CEO and president, she makes sure to be hands on in hospital activities. Ms. Maguire is also a member of the CFO Council for the Maine Hospital Association.
J. Michael Marsh. President and CEO of Overlake Medical Center & Clinics (Bellevue, Wash.). Mr. Marsh has 33 years of experience in strategy, business development and operations supporting hospitals and health systems. Before joining Overlake in 2014, he spent 26 years with Providence Health and Services in Renton, Wash., in a variety of positions. Overlake has 349 beds and employs nearly 3,000 people.
Brandon McBride. Administrator, Logan (Utah) Regional Hospital. Mr. McBride has been with Intermountain Healthcare for more than 13 years. He leads Logan Regional Hospital, which has 130 staffed beds. Before coming to Intermountain, he served as an operations director at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.
Mike McCafferty. CEO of Sheridan (Wyo.) Memorial Hospital. Mr. McCafferty oversees operations at Sheridan Memorial, an 88-bed hospital. He strives to foster a culture of kindness and compassion throughout the hospital. CMS gave Sheridan Memorial an overall five-star rating in 2021.
Jeff Mengenhausen. CEO, Montrose (Colo.) Regional Health. Mr. Mengenhausen has led Montrose Regional Health's 57-bed facility since August 2021. He has more than 15 years of leadership experience in a variety of sectors. Before his current role, Mr. Mengenhausen served as CEO of Madelia (Minn.) Health.
Thomas Miller. President, Aurora BayCare Medical Center (Green Bay, Wis.). Mr. Miller's leadership can be seen throughout Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a 167-bed acute care tertiary hospital. He joined Aurora in 2019 as vice president of operations. He helped open Aurora BayCare Health Center in Kaukauna, Wis., and designed the hospital's COVID-19 incident command structure.
Shawn Molsberger. Senior Vice President of Orlando (Fla.) Health and President of Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital (Longwood, Fla.). Mr. Molsberger fosters a culture of collaboration, support and encouragement throughout Orlando Health. Through his leadership, the hospital hit the 92nd percentile on the last team member engagement survey. In 2022, Orlando Health landed on Forbes' "America's Best Large Employers'' list.
Michele Morrison, RN. President and CEO of Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center (Manahawkin, N.J.). Ms. Morrison oversees operations at Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center, which has 176 licensed beds and 1,100 team members. Through collaboration and transparency, she maintains relationships with team members. With more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Morrison is a skilled leader.
Brian Murphy, MD. CEO of Valley View Hospital (Glenwood Springs, Colo.). Dr. Murphy served the Glenwood Springs community for 18 years as a board-certified urologist. He now leads Valley View's 78-bed hospital. He has served in a variety of roles at Valley View, including chief of staff and chief medical officer.
Michelle Niermann. President and CEO of UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids (Iowa). Ms. Niermann has been with UnityPoint Health since 1999. She has since held a variety of positions at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids and UnityPoint. She is also a board member of the Iowa Association of Healthcare Leaders.
Eric Packer. CEO of Cedar City Hospital (Salt Lake City). Mr. Packer has 30 years of healthcare leadership experience. He joined Intermountain in 1995 and has since served in a number of leadership positions for the health system. In 2020, the Utah Department of Health named Mr. Packer CEO of the year.
Dennis Pfleiger. President, St. Luke's Upper Bucks Campus and St. Luke's Quakertown Campus (Quakertown, Pa.). Mr. Pfleiger joined St. Luke's in 2017 as COO. Before joining St. Luke's, he served as vice president of Einstein Healthcare Network in East Norriton, Pa. He specializes in physician relations and recruitment, productivity enhancement, operations, patient flow and population health.
Jayne Pope, RN. CEO, Hill Country Memorial (Fredericksburg, Texas). Before becoming CEO in 2013, Ms. Pope served as chief nursing officer at Hill Country Memorial. Under her leadership, the hospital's patient experience and value-based purchasing performance have reached the top decile in the country. She is also a member of the Texas Hospital Association board of trustees.
Stephen Porter. CEO at Piedmont Fayette Hospital (Fayetteville, Ga.). Mr. Porter was appointed CEO in 2019 with more than 25 years of healthcare experience behind him. He joined the hospital after serving as CEO of Roper St. Francis Healthcare in Charleston, S.C., where he led a $150 million expansion. At Piedmont, he oversees a 282-bed acute care nonprofit hospital with more than 2,000 employees and 900 physicians.
Amber Price, DNP, RN. President of Sentara Williamsburg (Va.) Regional Medical Center. Dr. Price is a certified nurse-midwife who was appointed to her position in February. She was previously vice president of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare'sTriStar division, where she oversaw the construction of two hospitals and the creation of a maternal and neonatal helicopter flight program. She now oversees a 145-bed facility that has been recognized as one of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. by Watson Health.
Armin Rahmanian. President of OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital (Delaware). Mr. Rahmanian joined OhioHealth in August with more than 20 years of experience in the hospital settings. He previously served as COO of Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus and a business manager for Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He is a board member of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.
Mike Riley, RN. President and COO of Novant Health Huntersville (N.C.) Medical Center. Mr. Riley joined Huntersville Medical Center in 2015 after serving as president of one of Novant Health's orthopedic hospitals. He oversees a full service, 139-bed hospital.
Christopher Roker. CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln (New York City). Mr. Roker oversees operations, revenue, patient services and staff productivity at a full service, acute care hospital with 362 beds staffed by more than 300 physicians. He was recognized on City & State's "2021 Bronx Power 100" list for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also the chief growth officer for the NYC Health + Hospitals system.
Parrish Scarboro. CEO of San Dimas (Calif.) Community Hospital. Mr. Scarboro has served as San Dimas Community Hospital's CEO since 2018. He leads a 101-bed facility staffed by more than 400 employees. The hospital has won several awards during his tenure, including straight "A's" from The Leapfrog Group for patient safety and inclusion on the list of the nation's top 100 hospitals by IBM Watson Health in 2019.
Rachelle Schultz, EdD. President and CEO of Winona (Minn.) Health. Dr. Schultz oversees a 125-year-old health system with more than 90 physicians and associate providers, 13 specialties and more than 1,000 employees. She has held her position since 2002. Winona Health has been named a "Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital" from 2017-20 by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. In 2020, the organization recognized Ms. Schultz as one of its "Healthcare Heroes" for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stephanie Schwartz. Senior Vice President of Atlantic Health System and President of Overlook Medical Center (Summit, N.J.). Ms. Schwartz joined Atlantic Health in 2016 as president of Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, N.J. During her tenure, Chilton was named the No. 1 midsize hospital in New Jersey by Castle Connolly for six years and was recognized as a high-performing hospital in multiple specialties by U.S. News & World Report. She led through several accomplishments, including the renovations of its intensive care unit and emergency departments and the opening of the Children's Center, which combined the hospital's pediatric emergency services and inpatient hospital care. She was appointed president of Overlook Medical Center in December.
Chris Self. President and CEO of AdventHealth Gordon and AdventHealth Murray (Calhoun, Ga. ). Mr. Self was appointed to his position in December 2021 after serving in several leadership roles with AdventHealth for 17 years, including COO of AdventHealth Manchester (Ky.). During his two-year tenure as COO, AdventHealth Manchester expanded multiple service lines and outreach clinics and increased its focus on community and economic development.
Lance Sewell. Senior Vice President of Orlando Health North Central Region and President of Orlando Health South Lake Hospital (Clermont, Fla.). Mr. Sewell joined Orlando Health in 2006. He oversees its North Central sector as well as Orlando Health South Lake Hospital's 180-acre campus, which includes 170 patient beds, an ASC, a short-term rehabilitation facility and a fitness center. He previously served as Orlando Health South Lake's CFO, where he led key departments and acted as a financial liaison for the hospital's information systems.
Peter Sirois. President and CEO of Northern Maine Medical Center (Fort Kent). Mr. Sirois has been with the medical center since 1981. He oversees a 49-bed acute care hospital staffed by 55 healthcare providers servicing 15,000 people in the community. Mr. Sirois is a trained paramedic who also serves on several boards, including the Maine Hospital Association and the Hanley Health Leadership Board.
Lois Skillings, MSN, RN. President of Mid Coast-Parkview Health (Brunswick, Maine). Ms. Skillings oversees a full-service 93-bed hospital with a 200-person medical staff. Her career started 30 years ago as a registered nurse before being appointed president and CEO in 2011.
Jared Smith. CEO of Broward Health Coral Springs (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Mr. Smith leads a 250-bed hospital with 1,100 employees and 600 physicians as part of one of the largest public healthcare systems in the U.S. He has successfully led the hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic as it performed more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests, treated thousands of patients and discharged more than 1,100 inpatients. He has also guided the hospital through a $4 million expansion of its interventional cardiac services, construction of a $65 million patient tower and a $6 million investment in robotic surgical technology.
Matt Smith. CEO of Clark Regional Medical Center (Winchester, Ky.). Mr. Smith was appointed CEO in 2020 after spending three years as CEO of Bourbon Community Hospital in Paris, Ky. Prior to joining Bourbon Community Hospital, he was COO at Clark Regional, when he was credited with helping to improve physician satisfaction from 20 percent to 90 percent in a 17-month period. CRMC has 79 beds, 75 physicians and nearly 500 employees.
Lorraine Smith. Vice President and CEO of Monroe County Hospital (Forsyth, Ga.). Ms. Smith has served as Monroe's CEO since 2018. She was chosen as an American Society for Clinical Pathology'’s 40 under 40 honoree in 2016 and served as a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award examiner from 2018-20. Ms. Smith has also served as a member of the United States Army Reserve for more than 20 years. She is currently the command sergeant major for the 3rd Battalion 323rd Regiment (basic combat training), 98th Training Division. In 2003, she was deployed as a team leader to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Michael Stapleton Jr. President and CEO of UR Medicine Thompson Health (Canandaigua, N.Y.). Mr. Stapleton has served as Thompson's president and CEO for a decade. In that time, Thompson's primary care base has grown from five locations to 14, and it has grown from 1,300 employees to 1,800. Upon becoming CEO, Mr. Stapleton created a fiscal sustainability plan, turning around a $4.3 million inherited loss in 2012 to a $4.8 million gain in 2013. Thompson saw a $7.8 million gain in 2021. Recent awards include the 2022 Women's Choice Award for "Best Hospitals for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Mammography," and the 2022 "LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader" designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
Mark Steadham. President and CEO of Morris (Ill.) Hospital. Mr. Steadham is winding down his 12-year service as Morris' top leader. He announced last year that he plans to retire on July 1, 2022. Mr. Steadham spent his entire career in healthcare, including more than 30 years in executive leadership positions. Recent honors for the hospital include earning its sixth consecutive "A" Leapfrog hospital safety grade in 2021. It was also among 13 percent of U.S. hospitals to receive a five-star overall hospital quality rating from CMS in 2021.
Kevin Unger, PhD. President and CEO of UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital (Fort Collins, Colo.) and UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies (Loveland, Colo.). Dr. Unger became president and CEO of Poudre Valley Hospital — the hospital where he was born — in 2005. When he took the helm, it was part of a small, regional two-hospital health system. It's now part of Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth, a 12-hospital system. Dr. Unger was named one of the 30 Most-Influential Business Leaders in Northern Colorado by BizWest in 2022. Poudre Valley Hospital has been recognized on the "100 Top Hospitals" list by Watson Health 15 times.
Patti VanDort, MSN. President of Holland (Mich.) Hospital. Ms. VanDort took the reins as president of Holland Hospital on April 1, but she has served as a leader at the hospital for decades. She joined Holland as a staff nurse in 1987, serving in various leadership roles before joining the executive team as vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer in 2001. She is a past winner of the Michigan Nurse of the Year award by the Michigan Organization of Nurse Executives. She served as senior vice president of hospital operations before becoming president.
Darrell Wachowiak, BSN, RN. President, ProMedica Flower Hospital (Sylvania, Ohio). Mr. Wachowiak joined ProMedica in 1998. He has served in various clinical and operation leadership roles during his tenure and was named ProMedica Flower Hospital president in September 2020. In 2021, the Ohio Department of Health designated the hospital as an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction center, permitting local emergency responders to take patients in need of emergency heart care directly to ProMedica Flower Hospital instead of a farther location.
Denise Webber. President and CEO, Stillwater (Okla.) Medical. Ms. Webber has served as president and CEO of Stillwater since 2016. She began her tenure at the health system in 2003 as an administrative fellow. She was promoted to the senior leadership team in 2006 and was promoted to COO before assuming her current role. Becker's named Ms. Webber to its "Rising Stars: 25 Healthcare Leaders under 40" list in 2015.
Darryl Wolfe. CEO, Olympic Medical Center (Port Angeles, Wash.). Mr. Wolfe has served as Olympic's CEO since August 2020. He joined Olympic in 2006 as a financial analyst. He progressed into leadership roles including treasurer, director of administration, CFO and COO. Olympic was named a "Rural & Community Top Hospital" by The Chartis Group for the sixth time in 2021.
Dan Woods. CEO, El Camino Health (Mountain View, Calif.). Mr. Woods has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including serving as El Camino's CEO since 2017. His previous roles include serving as senior vice president of Verras Healthcare, a healthcare consulting firm, and as president and CEO of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, Ga. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation named El Camino an "LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader" for the seventh year in a row in 2022.
Allison Wyler. President, Advocate Good Samaritan (Downers Grove, Ill.). Ms. Wyler has been at the helm of the Good Samaritan since May 2021, where she oversees a 293-bed hospital with nearly 1,200 physicians and 750 nurses. She joined Advocate in 2010 as an administrative fellow. In 2014, Crain's Chicago Business named Ms. Wyler one of the "Twenty in their 20s" while she served in an executive leadership role at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill.
Joel Yuhas. President and CEO, UCHealth Southern Colorado Region (Aurora). Since taking the helm in 2017, Mr. Yuhas has worked to create a more inclusive physician culture in UCHealth's Southern region. Prior to joining UCHealth, Mr. Yuhas served as president and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. Before that, he was University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's senior vice president for international operations, where he managed hospital and cancer center operations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy and Cyprus. Memorial Hospital Central, a level 1 trauma center in Colorado Springs, recently received UCHealth’s first AMSN PRISM award.