Large nonprofit health systems are reshaping leadership structures in 2026 as they expand regional operating models, push further into outpatient care and position themselves for long-term growth.
This year, several notable appointments and transitions have taken place across Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, St. Louis-based Ascension, Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health and Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth, among others.
The moves come as health systems rethink traditional hospital-centric models, invest more heavily in ambulatory and virtual care, and build leadership teams designed to support increasingly diversified care networks.
Here are 54 nonprofit executive moves that have been announced or completed in 2026:
Editor’s note: This roundup was created May 12 and will continue to be updated.
CommonSpirit Health
1. Christine McSweeney was appointed hospital president of Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, Calif., and Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Calif.
2. Benjamin “BJ” Predum was named Central Coast market president at Dignity Health.
3. Augusto “Gus” Sepulveda, MD, was named chief medical officer of St. Luke’s Health’s Houston market and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.
4. Shelly Schorer, California CFO at Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, accepted a role as the system’s South region CFO.
5. Terrence Wooten was named president of Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Ky.
6. Mir Wasif Ali, MD, was elected chief of staff at Dignity Health-St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, Calif.
Ascension
7. Susan Dwyer was named CFO of Glendale-based Ascension Wisconsin.
8. Joshua Pozos, MD, was appointed chief clinical officer for Ascension Texas.
9. Luke Miller, PharmD, was named COO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville, Tenn.
10. Megan Drake was named president of Ascension Seton Hays in Kyle, Texas.
11. Robyn Barriffe, DNP, RN, was named chief nursing officer of Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside in Jacksonville, Fla.
12. Samuel Marchio was appointed senior vice president and chief government relations and policy officer at Ascension.
13. Samson Jesudass, MD, was named post-acute chief clinical officer for Ascension.
14. Claudia Emami, MD, was named chief medical officer for Miramar Beach, Fla.-based Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast.
15. Mary Jo Kohout, RN, chief nursing officer and COO of Brookfield, Wis.-based Ascension Elmbrook Hospital, shared plans to retire.
16. Daniel Jackson, CEO of the Ascension Wisconsin Ministry Market, shared plans to transition from his role. Scott Cihak, COO of Ascension Wisconsin, was selected as interim CEO.
17. Alireza “Shami” Shamshirsaz, MD, was named director of the Comprehensive Fetal Care Center, a clinical partnership between Ascension’s Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin and Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.
18. Patrick Avila was appointed president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, Kan.
19. Ellis Hawkins was named president of Ascension Alexian Brothers in Elk Grove Village, Ill.
20. Cameron Duncan was named chief advocacy officer of Ascension Texas.
21. Cory Darling was named president and CEO of Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.
22. Susan Newton was named vice president of finance for St. Louis-based Ascension’s Florida market.
23. Kevin Strecker shared plans to depart his role as CEO of the Ascension Via Christi Ministry market in the Wichita, Kan., area. Jason Alexander, who formerly served as CEO of Ascension Alabama, was named interim CEO of Ascension Via Christi.
24. Sarah Cole was appointed vice president of national net revenue management at Ascension.
25. Katie Scott, MSN, RN, was appointed COO of Waco, Texas-based Ascension Providence.
26. Jeremy Mercer was named CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Behavioral Health Hospital in Nashville, Tenn.
27. Ellie Michael was appointed COO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, Tenn.
28. E. Misa Ewing, DNP, RN, was named chief nursing officer of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, Tenn.
29. Eric Paul was appointed president of Ascension Saint Thomas River Park Hospital in McMinnville, Tenn.
30. Eric Greenfield, DO, was appointed chief medical officer of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
31. Joshua Ramsey, MD, was appointed chief medical officer for East Regional Hospitals at Nashville-based Ascension Saint Thomas.
32. Tamar Goldblatt was named vice president of payer revenue strategy and contracting at Ascension.
Advocate Health
33. Thomas “Tog” Goss, MSN, RN, was named CEO of Putnam General Hospital in Eatonton, Ga., effective June 1.
34. Erich Huang, MD, PhD, was named vice president of informatics and chief research information officer for Advocate Health.
35. Adia Ross, MD, was appointed president of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point (N.C.) Medical Center.
36. Chris Johnson, vice president of revenue cycle management at Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, retired.
37. Ebony Boulware, MD, stepped into the role of chief academic officer at Advocate Health.
AdventHealth
38. Kaitlyn Anderson was appointed CFO of strategy and growth for AdventHealth’s Central Florida division.
39. Sharon Almeida, MSN, RN, was named COO of AdventHealth Celebration (Fla.).
40. Erika Skula was appointed president and CEO of AdventHealth’s newly formed Mid-Florida Region.
41. Todd Sandman was appointed senior vice president and chief strategy officer for AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain region.
42. Kenneth Rose, president and CEO of UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook (Ill.), stepped down from his role.
43. Nathanael Torres was appointed CFO of AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach (Fla.).
44. Brett Waress was named vice president of strategy and service lines for AdventHealth Hendersonville (N.C.) and AdventHealth Polk in Columbus, N.C.
45. John Lazarus, MSN, RN, was named chief nursing officer of AdventHealth DeLand (Fla).
46. Idorenyin Carter was named director of finance at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth.
47. Caitlin Lewis was appointed CEO of AdventHealth East Orlando (Fla.).
48. Amanda Maggard was appointed chief people officer of AdventHealth’s multi-state division.
49. Jose Rosado, MD, was named chief medical officer at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach (Fla.).
50. Kayla Fogg Tidwell was appointed COO of AdventHealth for Children in Orlando, Fla.
51. Michael Mewhirter was appointed CEO of AdventHealth Celebration (Fla.).
52. Mark Smith was appointed president and CEO of AdventHealth Littleton in Colorado.
53. Brett Spenst was named senior executive officer for AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain region.
54. David Weis was named president and CEO of AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain region.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
