So far, fall has brought a number of leadership shifts at hospitals and health systems of varying sizes across the U.S.
Since Sept. 30, Becker’s has reported 11 CEO changes. Some of the shifts involve CEO changes, effective Oct. 1 after previously announced planned retirements.
Here are select shifts to note:
1. Patrick McGill, MD, was appointed president and CEO of Indianapolis-based Community Health Network, a health system with more than 200 care sites and affiliates across central Indiana. Dr. McGill, who currently serves as Community Health Network’s executive vice president and chief transformation officer, will take the helm, effective Jan. 1. He will succeed Bryan Mills, who is retiring at year’s end.
2. Brandon Nudd was appointed president and CEO of AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, Fla., part of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth. Mr. Nudd, who most recently served as the president of AdventHealth Hendersonville (N.C.) and AdventHealth Polk in Columbus, N.C., begins his new role Oct. 6. He joins 310-bed Waterman as it is set to open a new medical office building and a freestanding emergency department in 2026.
3. Steve Goeser, president and CEO of Omaha, Neb.-based Methodist Health System, will retire on Dec. 31, ending a 21-year tenure with the organization. Josie Abboud, who has served as executive vice president since July 2024 and as president and CEO of Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital since 2018, will succeed Mr. Goeser, who has served as CEO of the four-hospital health system since 2017.
4. Abner King is stepping down as CEO of Grangeville, Idaho-based Syringa Hospital and Clinics after serving in the role for seven years. CFO David Applewood was appointed interim CEO. Mr. King joined Syringa in January 2018, after serving as COO of Steele Memorial Medical Center in Salmon, Idaho.
5. St. Louis-based BJC Health System — one of the nation’s largest nonprofit academic health systems, with 47,000 caregivers, 24 hospitals and more than 250 clinics and service centers across three states — has a new leader as Nick Barto begins his tenure as president and CEO. Mr. Barto most recently served as president of the health system and president of BJC’s east region. He succeeds Rich Liekweg, who announced his retirement in June.
6. Traci d’Auguste began a new role as vice president and CEO of William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital on Oct. 1. The hospital is part of Dallas-based UT Southwestern Medical Center. Ms. d’Auguste joined from University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, where she served as senior vice president and COO of the 1,100-plus-bed teaching hospital.
7. John D’Angelo, MD, took the reins Oct. 1 as CEO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, an integrated system with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, a research enterprise, a medical school and over 104,000 employees across New York and Connecticut. Dr. D’Angelo is a 25-year veteran of the organization and most recently served as executive vice president of Northwell’s central region. He succeeds Michael Dowling, who now serves as CEO emeritus and will continue advancing key public health initiatives while focusing on teaching and writing.
8. University Hospital in Newark, N.J., appointed Carole Johnson as its next president and CEO, effective later in 2025. Ms. Johnson previously led HSS’ Health Resources and Services Administration and served as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. In her new role, she will succeed Kaitlan Baston, MD, who has served as interim CEO since May.
9. Tim Hingtgen retired as CEO of Franklin, Tenn. -based Community Health Systems, but will continue advising CHS’ management team on healthcare operations. Mr. Hingtgen’s consultancy agreement runs from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026. President and CFO Kevin Hammons has stepped into the role of interim CEO of CHS, and Jason Johnson, senior vice president and chief accounting officer, is serving as interim CFO.
10. Michael Mayo, president and CEO of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health, will retire in December 2026 after more than 32 years in healthcare. After having served as CEO since June 2021, Mr. Mayo, who also holds a doctorate in healthcare administration, plans to step down Jan. 16 and transition into a more narrowly focused executive-in-residence role. He will also fulfill his current terms on the boards of the Florida Hospital Association and the American Hospital Association. Baptist Health aims to name an internal successor by year’s end.
11. Robert Ritz, president and CEO of Des Moines, Iowa-based MercyOne, will retire Jan. 2. Mr. Ritz joined the organization in 2013 as president of Mercy Des Moines Hospital. He became CEO of Mercy Health Network in 2017, which was later rebranded as MercyOne, co-owned by Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health and Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health. His successor has not been named.
