Chris Van Gorder, FACHE, is president and CEO of Scripps Health, a San Diego-based nonprofit integrated health system, a role he has held since 2000.
Under his leadership, Scripps operates five acute-care hospital campuses and more than 30 outpatient and specialty centers, and it has been repeatedly recognized as one of the nation’s best places to work, topping Fortune’s 2026 ranking among health systems.
Mr. Van Gorder’s path to health care leadership is distinctive: he began as a hospital security director after a career-ending injury as a police officer, then rose through hospital administration. He earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree in public and health services administration from the University of Southern California, and he completed the Wharton System CEO Program.
Mr. Van Gorder is a past chairman of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the author of the leadership book “The Front-Line Leader.” In 2026, he received the Partners in Care Foundation’s Vision and Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Award. Known for a frontline-focused philosophy emphasizing employee engagement and accountability, he is regarded as one of the country’s most respected and longest-serving health-system CEOs, with a tenure marked by a consistent focus on culture, quality and community service.