A number of major health systems across the U.S. will soon have — or already have — new leaders at the helm as longtime CEOs retire or step down.
While some systems have tapped internal veterans as successors, others have chosen new CEOs from outside their organizations.
Here are 13 leadership changes to know:
1. Craig Albanese, MD, is leaving Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Health System to join Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Albanese will serve as president of integrated care and coverage at Kaiser, effective Sept. 29.
2. Jeff Sperring, MD, CEO of Seattle Children’s, plans to retire in 2026 after 10 years at the helm of the largest pediatric and adolescent academic medical center in the region. Dr. Sperring joined Seattle Children’s in May 2015 after serving as president and CEO of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.
3. Wesley Burks, MD, stepped down from his roles as CEO of Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health and dean of UNC School of Medicine. Dr. Burks is transitioning to serve as chair of the board of NC Children’s, the enterprise that will oversee the comprehensive healthcare campus featuring the state’s first freestanding, independent children’s hospital. Cristy Page, MD, is serving as interim CEO and dean.
4. Michael Dowling will step down in October as president and CEO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health after more than 23 years at the helm. Mr. Dowling will transition to become CEO emeritus of the system. John D’Angelo, MD, executive vice president of Northwell’s central region and a 25-year veteran of the organization, was selected as the system’s next president and CEO.
5. Liz Dunne, president and CEO of Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth, will retire after a decade of service to the organization. PeaceHealth Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Ness will succeed her, effective Jan. 3.
6. Brian Gragnolati, president and CEO of Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System, retired after a 45-year healthcare career. Saad Ehtisham, senior vice president and president of acute care operations for Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health, was selected as the next president and CEO, effective July 30.
7. Robert Grossman, MD, retired as CEO of New York City-based NYU Langone Health and dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD — a researcher, radiation oncologist and longtime NYU Langone leader — succeeded him Sept. 1. Dr. Grossman is transitioning to a new role as executive vice president to the NYU Langone board of trustees.
8. Tim Hingtgen plans to retire as CEO of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, effective Sept. 30. CHS President and CFO Kevin Hammons was appointed interim CEO upon Mr. Hingtgen’s retirement. Jason Johnson, senior vice president and chief accounting officer, will serve as interim CFO.
9. Joseph Impicciche, CEO of St. Louis-based Ascension, will retire at the end of the year after more than 20 years of service to Catholic healthcare and Ascension. Ascension President Eduardo Conrado will assume the role of CEO, effective Jan. 1.
10. Rich Liekweg, CEO of St. Louis-based BJC Health System, is retiring, effective Oct. 1, after more than 40 years in healthcare. BJC President Nick Barto will succeed Mr. Liekweg as president and CEO.
11. Tom Miller retired as CEO of Louisville, Ky.-based UofL Health in June after 50 years in healthcare. Jason Smith, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of UofL Health, was appointed interim CEO.
12. Marschall Runge, MD, PhD, CEO of Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine since 2015, retired June 30. David Miller, MD, began his tenure in the role on July 1. Dr. Miller also serves as executive vice president for medical affairs at the University of Michigan. Dr. Runge remains on faculty as U-M Medical School dean.
13. Candice Saunders, BSN, president and CEO of Marietta, Ga.-based Wellstar Health System, plans to retire after a decade in the role. Ketul Patel, CEO of Tacoma, Wash.-based Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and president of Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health’s Pacific Northwest region, plans to join Wellstar as the organization’s next president and CEO in late October.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Sept. 12.
