Kathleen Sanford is senior executive vice president and chief nursing officer of CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States.
She has more than 40 years of experience as a chief nurse executive, hospital administrator, and strategy executive. A former Army officer, Colonel Sanford retired as chief nurse and acting state surgeon and medical commander of the Washington Army National Guard. She served as president of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and on the board of the American Hospital Association.
Dr. Sanford is a published author whose works include the books “Leading with Love” and “Dyad Leadership in Healthcare: When One Plus One Is Greater Than Two.” She holds a BSN from the University of Maryland and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing, a master’s degree from Pepperdine University, an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University, and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Fellow of the Wharton School of Business and of the American Academy of Nursing.