As the COO role evolves — including increasing in complexity — several hospitals and health systems across the U.S. have seen COO exits in 2026, including retirements and transitions to new roles.
Today’s healthcare COO requires new skills and a broader range of responsibilities as care shifts toward outpatient and virtual settings. The role has expanded, often involving collaboration with a wider range of leaders and oversight of talent-related and community engagement initiatives. Other common operational functions COOs now oversee include ambulatory services and nursing.
Becker’s has reported on the following hospital and health system departures in 2026:
Jan. 5-March 20
1. John Manning, PhD, plans to retire Dec. 31 as COO and corporate chief of staff for Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt Health.
2. Dan Astleford exited his role as COO of Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Mo., and was named CEO of Belton (Mo.) Regional Medical Center.
3. Erin Yale exited her COO role at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth (Mass.) and was named president and COO of Providence, R.I.-based Care New England’s Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, effective April 13.
4. Brandon Bowline, COO of Ogdensburg, N.Y.-based North Star Health Alliance, and two other leaders were dismissed as part of a broader restructuring aimed at organizational stability and long-term sustainability.
5. Anna Michelle Brandt, COO of University Hospital in Newark, N.J., exited her role and was named president of Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pa.
6. Natalie Whitmer, COO of HCA Healthcare’s TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., stepped down Feb. 20 and was named COO of Texas Health Fort Worth.
7. Tushar Somani, COO of Kaleida Health’s Buffalo (N.Y.) General Medical Center, exited his role and was named senior vice president of acute operations at Albany, N.Y.-based St. Peter’s Health Partners, effective March 30.
8. Joel Leone exited his role as COO of HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital in Panama City and was named COO of Savannah, Ga.-based Memorial Health.
9. Josh Gill exited his role as COO of Lee’s Summit (Mo.) Medical Center and was named COO of Overland Park (Kan.) Regional Medical Center.
10. Dan Bowen, market COO for Piedmont Medical Center in South Carolina, exited his role and was named president of Orlando Health Sebastian (Fla.) River Hospital.
11. Joel Helmke, COO of Philadelphia-based Fox Chase Cancer Center, was named CEO of the Knight Cancer Group, part of Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University.
12. Alison Dulfer exited her behavioral health COO role at Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and was named CEO of Woodland Springs Behavioral Health in Conroe, Texas, part of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Lifepoint Health.
13. Jim Bradley exited his role as COO of Sierra Medical Center in Reno, Nev., and was appointed CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, Calif.
14. Chris Boukas, RN, exited his role as COO of Catholic Health-St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown, N.Y., and was named COO of Paris (Texas) Regional Health.
15. Daniel Fontoura, senior vice president and COO of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Merriam, Kan., exited his role and was named president of Adventist Health White Memorial and Adventist Health White Memorial Montebello in Southern California.
16. Anna Noonan, RN, plans to retire as president and COO of Berlin, Vt.-based Central Vermont Medical Center in the spring.
17. Adam Thunell, senior vice president and COO of Community Memorial Healthcare in Ventura, Calif., exited his role and was named CEO of Redlands (Calif.) Community Hospital.
18. Jonathan Kyriacou, COO of The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, exited his role and was named president and CEO of Jersey City (N.J.) Medical Center.
19. Megan Powe, COO of Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee, exited her role and was named COO of HCA Florida JFK Hospital in Atlantis.
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