131 women hospital and health system leaders to know | 2015

Staff -

Becker's Hospital Review has named the following female leaders to its annual list of 131 women hospital and health system leaders to know.

These 131 women, who are executives at hospitals and health systems across the nation, have established themselves as successful leaders within the ever-changing healthcare industry.

The leaders on the list were selected based on editorial judgment and discretion of members of the Becker's editorial team, who evaluated leaders for their management and leadership skills and career accomplishments and also read through and considered a record number of nominations.

Note: Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on the list. Names are presented in alphabetical order.

Nancy Howell Agee. President and CEO of Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). As president and CEO of Carilion Clinic since July 2011, Ms. Agee oversees a $1.5 billion nonprofit health system. She began her career at the clinic as a nurse and has served in a number of leadership positions in the intervening years. Currently, Ms. Agee serves on the board of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, the Roanoke Gas Company, Solstas Lab, and, in 2016, will begin serving on the American Hospital Association's board of trustees.

Abha Agrawal, MD. COO and CMO of Norwegian American Hospital (Chicago). Prior to joining Norwegian American Hospital as COO and CMO in 2012, Dr. Agrawal was CMO of Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn. She is commissioner for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology and an adjunct associate professor in the department of medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. Agrawal has won numerous awards for patient safety, including recognitions from the National Association of Public Hospitals and the New York City Health and Hospitals' Corporation.

Dawn Ahner. Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). As executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Renown, Ms. Ahner oversees all nonclinical service areas across the system, including finance, revenue cycle, human resources, and marketing and communications. She has been with Renown for over 22 years and was responsible for driving a lean culture within the organization. Additionally, Ms. Ahner oversees the system's transitional services division, which covers Renown's post-acute continuum of care. Prior to her current appointment, she trained in the lean program at Virginia Mason Health Care System in Seattle.

Lisa Allen, PhD. Chief Patient Experience Officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore). Dr. Allen began her role as Johns Hopkins' first-ever chief patient experience officer in September 2014. Prior to her current appointment, she was vice president of quality, patient experience and patient safety for Steward Health Care in Boston. In her more than 25 years in healthcare, Dr. Allen has held positions such as assistant vice president and senior director of quality, patient experience and patient safety for UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester and director of quality management and outcomes measurement for Hartford (Conn.) Hospital.

Rhonda Anderson. Senior Vice President and CFO of Ascension Health (St. Louis). Prior to becoming senior vice president and CFO of Ascension Health, Ms. Anderson was president of the business development division and CFO of Columbia St. Mary's in Milwaukee. Before joining St. Mary's in 2009, she spent 20 years at Saint Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore in a number of administrative roles, including senior vice president and CFO. Ms. Anderson is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has an MBA from Loyola College in Baltimore.

Sue Anderson. Executive Vice President, CIO and CFO of Virginia Mason Medical Center (Seattle). Ms. Anderson has been CIO and CFO of Virginia Mason Medical Center since 2007 and was promoted to executive vice president in 2013. Her relationship with Virginia Mason Medical Center dates back to 1986, when she began working with the system as a billing office consultant. Ms. Anderson has an MBA from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Mary Alice Annecharico, RN. Senior Vice President and CIO of Henry Ford Health System (Detroit). Appointed senior vice president and CIO in 2011, Ms. Annecharico oversaw the implementation of Henry Ford Health System's EHR and its Project Helios revenue cycle delivery system. Her prior administrative roles include vice president and CIO of University Hospitals Health System in Cleveland and executive director of information services at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia. Ms. Annecharico is a HIMSS fellow and an editor for the Journal of Health Information Management.

Jean Anthony, RN. CEO of Hills and Dales General Hospital (Cass City, Mich.). Ms. Anthony has been with Hills and Dales General Hospital for nearly 40 years, serving as COO for 14 years until her appointment as CEO in 2014. She began her career at the hospital as an licensed practical nurse before becoming a registered nurse and receiving a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's in organizational management. She also serves as vice president of patient services for the hospital.

Pamela Arora. Senior Vice President and CIO of Children's Health System of Texas (Dallas). Prior to being named CIO and senior vice president of Children's Health, Ms. Arora was senior vice president and CIO of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. Under her leadership, Children's Health has achieved Stage 7 of HIMSS EHR Adoption Model and received the HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence and the AHIMA Grace Award for excellence in health information management. Ms. Arora is a board member of CHIME and HITRUST.

Kathy Bailey. CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge (Morgantown, N.C.). Prior to being named president and CEO in 2013, Ms. Bailey had been COO and executive vice president of Blue Ridge since 2005. During her tenure as CEO, the hospital's employee engagement has risen by more than 30 percent and patient harm rates have fallen from its baseline by more than 50 percent. Prior to joining the system, Ms. Bailey was president of the Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head, N.C. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Pamela Banchy, RN. CIO of Summa Western Reserve Hospital (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio). Prior to being named CIO and vice president of clinical informatics and transformation at Summa Western Reserve Hospital in 2012, Ms. Banchy was system director of clinical information systems for Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio. She has more than 15 years of healthcare IT experience and 30 years of experience in healthcare overall, is a CHIME-certified healthcare CIO and is certified in nursing informatics.

Jayne Bassler. Senior Vice President and CIO of Florida Hospital (Orlando). Before being appointed to her current role in 2012, Ms. Bassler began her career at Florida Hospital as a registered nurse in 1986. She has held a number of prior administrative roles with the hospital since, including associate CIO and vice president, chief clinical informatics officer and assistant vice president of clinical performance improvement. Ms. Bassler is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, CHIME, HIMSS and the National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Elaine Batchlor, MD. CEO of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (Los Angeles). Dr. Batchlor was named CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in 2012, and the hospital opened in 2015. Prior to her current position, she was CMO of L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest public health plan in the nation. Dr. Batchlor is past chair and a current board member of the Integrated Healthcare Association and is a member of the board of the Public Health Institute and the editorial board of Health Affairs.

Amy Beiter, MD. President and CEO of Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital (Tucson, Ariz.). Dr. Beiter, a board-certified internist and pediatrician, joined the clinical staff at Carondelet St. Mary's in 1992 and has since served in a number of administrative roles. She worked as medical director for utilization management and was named CMO in 2008 before being appointed president and CEO in 2012. Additionally, she is president of the Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute, a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physician Executives.

Jan Bergen. President and CEO of Lancaster (Pa.) General Health. Before being named CEO of Lancaster General Health in August, Ms. Bergen served as interim president and COO of the system. She has more than 30 years of hospital, rehabilitation center and ambulatory center management experience. Prior to joining the system in 2000, Ms. Bergen served as senior vice president for Jefferson Health System's Bryn Mawr (Pa.) Hospital and president and CEO of Main Line Health System's Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital. During her time at Lancaster General, she has led the expansion of the system's ambulatory network and the opening of the Women & Babies Hospital.

Nancy Birschbach. Vice President and CIO of Agnesian HealthCare (Fond du Lac, Wis.). Ms. Birschbach has served in multiple HIT roles since joining Agnesian HealthCare in 1998, including information security officer, director of information technology, assistant vice president of information technology, and now system vice president and CIO. She has earned many professional certifications and accolades, and serves her community as board president of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Fond du Lac Board County and as a member of the Fond du Lac Young Professional board of directors.

Cindy Bo. Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children (Wilmington, Del.). Ms. Bo is has worked in healthcare strategy for nearly 20 years and joined Nemours in September 2014. Before that, she served in various roles at Deloitte, pharmaceutical company Novartis, Booz & Company and Columbia University's business school in New York City. Ms. Bo volunteers for the Dekalb Community Service Board in Atlanta, City Year in Philadelphia and The William J. Clinton Foundation in New York City. She is also a board member for the American Lung Association for the Mid-Atlantic.

Adrienne Boissy, MD. Chief Experience Officer of Cleveland Clinic. As CXO — a position Dr. Boissy took in November 2014 — she oversees the Office of Patient Experience and its initiatives to improve the patient experience across the health system. In addition to her current position, Dr. Boissy is also a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis with a secondary appointment in the Center for Ethics, Humanities and Spiritual Care. Dr. Boissy has won many awards, including the Sylvia Lawry Fellowship grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and an Arnold P. Gold Foundation grant for humanism in medicine.

Marna Borgstrom. President and CEO of Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Health System. Ms. Borgstrom is a Yale woman through and through: She received her master's degree in public health at the Yale School of Medicine and then, in 1979, began her professional career at YNHHS. She has held numerous positions during her tenure before assuming her current position in 2005. Ms. Borgstrom has served on the boards of many national and local organizations, such as Veterans Health Administration, the Council of Teaching Hospitals and the Connecticut Hospital Association, to name a few.

Tammie Brailsford, RN, BSN. Executive Vice President and COO of MemorialCare Health System (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Brailsford held several leadership positions before joining MemorialCare Health System in 2003 as executive vice president and COO. In this role, Ms. Brailsford is responsible for the clinical, quality, financial and operational performance of MemorialCare Health System's six hospitals, numerous ambulatory care locations, shared services and the MemorialCare Medical Foundation. Ms. Brailsford holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from Pacific Union College in Angwin, Calif., and a master's degree in healthcare management from California State University Los Angeles.

Mary Brainerd. President and CEO of HealthPartners (Bloomington, Minn.). Ms. Brainerd has worked in the healthcare industry since 1984 and joined HealthPartners in 1992. She became president and CEO 10 years later. In this position, Ms. Brainerd sits at the helm of one of the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit healthcare organizations in the United States, overseeing 1.5 million medical and dental plan members and a regional network of more than 148,000 physicians and care providers and a network of hospitals and clinics.

Ruth Brinkley. President and CEO of KentuckyOne Health (Louisville). Ms. Brinkley became president and CEO of KentuckyOne Health in January 2012. She is also the senior vice president of operations for Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives, KentuckyOne's parent organization. Previously, Ms. Brinkley served as president and CEO of Tucson, Ariz.-based Carondelet Health Network for four years and as president and CEO of Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Memorial Health Care System for five years. In March, The Louisville Urban League presented Ms. Brinkley with the Arthur M. Walters Champion of Diversity Award, recognizing her outstanding achievements in promoting of diversity in the Louisville community.

Katherine Bunting, PhD, RN, MSN. CEO of Fairfield (Ill.) Memorial Hospital. Dr. Bunting joined Fairfield Memorial Hospital in 1998. Before then, she worked at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, Ill., for nearly 20 years. Dr. Bunting has served as a member of many committees and boards including the Rotary Club, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Sorority, the Illinois Long-Term Care Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is a past president of the Illinois Hospital Association Region 5 and is president-elect of the IHA Steering Committee. Dr. Bunting was also recently elected to the University of Illinois Medical School Admissions Board.

Linda Burt. CFO of Nebraska Methodist Health System (Omaha). Ms. Burt has served as vice president and CFO for NMHS since 2008. During her tenure, she has led an improved clinical documentation program resulting in substantial savings, and she has restructured the finance division to enhance financial reporting and point of service collections. Prior to joining NMHS, she held CFO positions at Santa Monica, Calif.-based Saint John's Health Center; Hobart, Ind.-based Ancilla Systems; and Rockford (Ill.) Health System. Ms. Burt is also an editorial advisor to the Journal of Accountancy.

Bobbie Byrne, MD. System Vice President and CIO of Edward-Elmhurst (Ill.) Health. Dr. Byrne has served as vice president and CIO of this three-hospital system since December 2009. Prior to joining EEH, Dr. Byrne was clinical director of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology for nearly one year, and she also was senior vice president of clinical solutions at Eclipsys (now Allscripts) for four years. In addition to her medical degree from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Byrne earned an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

Dedra Cantrell, RN, BSN. CIO of Emory Healthcare (Atlanta). Ms. Cantrell is the first female and the first nurse to serve as Emory Healthcare's CIO. She joined the health system in 1994 as director of patient services informatics and assumed her current role in 2000. Ms. Cantrell holds a master's degree in organizational management, and she serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Chapter of HIMSS, the Georgia Health Information Exchange and the Institute of Medicine's Committee for HIT and Patient Safety.

Paula Carynski, BSN, MSN. President of OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center (Rockford, Ill.). Ms. Carynski has been part of the OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center team since 1985. In 1999, she was named vice president of patient care services and CNO, and in 2013 she assumed her presidential duties. Ms. Carynski is board-certified in nursing administration by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and she is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Karen Collins, RN. CEO of Lady of the Sea General Hospital (Cut Off, La.). As CEO, Ms. Collins leads 25-bed Lady of the Sea General Hospital, a critical access hospital. Ms. Collins joined the hospital 33 years ago as a staff nurse on the med-surg units. Since then, she has risen through the ranks, becoming nurse manager, CNO and ultimately CEO. Ms. Collins was instrumental in helping the hospital open a 23-patient rural health medical clinic, as well as two community pharmacies.

Amy Compton-Phillips, MD. Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of Providence Health & Services (Renton, Wash.). In August, Dr. Compton-Phillips joined Providence Health & Services. Previously, she was chief quality officer at The Permanente Foundation based in Oakland, Calif. Dr. Compton-Phillips joined Kaiser Permanente in 1993, serving in the Washington D.C. area. Dr. Compton-Phillips earned her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and she also graduated from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flager Business School's Advanced Leadership Program.

Joanne Conroy, MD. CEO of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (Burlington, Mass.). Dr. Conroy joined Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in June 2014, prior to which she served as chief healthcare officer for more than five years at the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington D.C. She also held executive positions at Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System, including executive vice president of the system and president and COO of the system's flagship Morristown Memorial Hospital (now called Morristown Medical Center). Dr. Conroy is a board-certified anesthesiologist.

Kari Cornicelli. Vice President and CFO of Sharp Memorial Hospital (San Diego). Ms. Cornicelli has been vice president and CFO of Sharp Memorial Hospital since July 2014, though she spent the prior 17 years as vice president and CFO of Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, Calif. Ms. Cornicelli is the past board chair of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, serving the 2014-15 term, and has been a member of HFMA since 1986. She is a certified public accountant.

Amy Crouch. CFO of Community Health Center of Branch County (Coldwater, Mich.). Ms. Crouch, a certified public accountant, was named CFO of Community Health Center of Branch County in February 2015. Her 15 years of hospital administration experience include serving as CFO of DeKalb Hospital in Auburn, Ind.

Patricia Currie. President and COO of Baylor Scott & White Health-Central Texas Division (Dallas). Ms. Currie heads up operational leadership for the central Texas division of Baylor Scott & White Health. Prior to the merger that created Baylor Scott & White Health in November 2013, Ms. Currie served as COO of Scott & White Healthcare. Prior to that, she spent seven years as CEO of the former Spring Branch Medical Center in Houston. Ms. Currie is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and she holds a graduate degree in healthcare administration.

Kathy Daley, RN, BSN. CNO of Doctors Hospital of Manteca (Calif.). Though Ms. Daley assumed her CNO duties in early 2015, her history with Doctors Hospital of Manteca extends back to 1988 when she joined the hospital as a staff nurse. Prior to her current position, Ms. Daley was director of inpatient nursing services. Ms. Daley's nursing career began in high school when she became a certified nursing assistant. She also became a licensed vocational nurse before earning her bachelor's degree in nursing.

Jacque Daniels. Chief Administrative Officer of Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Ms. Daniels' career with Novant Health began in 1982 when she joined the system as a medical technologist. Over the years, she took on various roles until becoming chief administrative officer in 2004. Outside of her role with the system, Ms. Daniels serves on the board of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce and is a member on the Allegacy Federal Credit Union board of directors. Ms. Daniels earned her MBA from Wake Forest University.

Myra Davis. Senior Vice President and CIO of Texas Children's Hospital (Houston). Ms. Davis has overseen information technology at Texas Children's Hospital since December 2012, prior to which she served as vice president of information systems of Texas Children's Hospital for nearly six years. In 2013, the hospital received both the Most Wired Innovator award and Most Wired designation from Hospitals & Health Networks. Ms. Davis serves on the board of trustees of CHIME. Ms. Davis earned her master's degree in software engineering from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

Lori Donaldson. CFO of UC San Diego Health System. In 1990, Ms. Donaldson joined the UC San Diego team as controller of UCSD Medical Center, a position she held for 13 years before being appointed CFO of the health system in July 2010. Before moving into the healthcare field, Ms. Donaldson was assistant vice president of financial planning and analysis for Imperial Corporation of America, a financial institution. Ms. Donaldson is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Kelly Driscoll, RN. Senior Vice President and COO of Faith Regional Health Services (Norfolk, Neb.). Ms. Driscoll spent nearly 12 years with Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health, holding management positions such as assistant director of nursing, CNO and interim CEO. In 2011, she became vice president of patient care services at Faith Regional Health Services before being appointed senior vice president and COO in December 2013. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds a master's degree in healthcare administration.

Patti Ellish. President and CEO of St. Tammany Parish Hospital (Covington, La.). Ms. Ellish joined St. Tammany Parish Hospital as CEO in 2000. She was previously the vice president and COO of Lufkin-based Memorial Health System of East Texas, now CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial. Ms. Ellish has a master's degree in health administration and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She serves on the board of the Louisiana Hospital Association and Northshore Healthcare Alliance, among other outside involvements.

Ann Errichetti, MD. CEO of St. Peter's Hospital (Albany, N.Y.). Dr. Errichetti, a board-certified cardiologist, has served as CEO of St. Peter's Hospital since September 2012. She also serves as vice president of acute care for St. Peter's Health Partners. Prior to joining St. Peter's Health Partners, Dr. Errichetti was president of Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Ill., and chief academic officer of Oak Brook, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care. In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Errichetti also holds an MBA.

Melinda Estes, MD. President and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, Mo.). A board-certified neurologist and neuropathologist, Dr. Estes became president and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System in September 2011. Prior to Saint Luke's Health System, Dr. Estes was president and CEO of Burlington, Vt.-based Fletcher Allen Health Care and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston and Naples. Dr. Estes was elected to a three-year term on the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 1, 2016.

Amy Floria. CFO of Indiana University Health Goshen. Ms. Floria has served as CFO of IU Health Goshen since 2008. Under her leadership, IU Health Goshen has targeted receivable, bad debt, and financial assistance eligibility. Before being named CFO, Ms. Floria was assistant vice president and director of finance at Goshen (Ind.) Health System, now IU Health Goshen. She earned a master's degree in accountancy from Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., and an MBA from Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.  

Teri Fontenot. President and CEO of Woman's Hospital (Baton Rouge, La.). Ms. Fontenot is president and CEO of the largest birthing and neonatal intensive care facility in Louisiana. She was the 2012 chair of the American Hospital Association board of trustees, has chaired the Chief Executive Officers Committee of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is chairwoman of the Louisiana Hospital Association Professional and General Liability Trust Fund. She earned an MBA from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, now University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Laura L. Forese, MD. Executive Vice President and COO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York). Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Forese has ultimate responsibility for the entire NewYork-Presbyterian enterprise. She took on this role in October. Dr. Forese earned her medical degree from New York-based Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons and holds a master's in public health in health services management from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, also in New York. Additionally, Dr. Forese is a certified physician executive of the American College of Physician Executives.

Mary Ann Fuchs, RN, MSN, DNP. Vice President of Patient Care and System Chief Nurse Executive at Duke University Health System (Durham, N.C.). Dr. Fuchs oversees nearly 5,800 nurses throughout Duke University Health System. Dr. Fuchs is a clinical associate in the Duke University School of Nursing. She has served as the president, president-elect and secretary of the North Carolina Triangle Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society. Additionally, she is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Oncology Nursing Society, the American Nurses Association, the North Carolina Nurses Association and the Health Care Management Academy.

Nancy Gaden, RN, DNP. Senior Vice President and CNO of Boston Medical Center. Dr. Gaden has served at Boston Medical Center since early 2014. Prior to Boston Medical Center, she was system vice president of patient care services and CNO of Melrose, Mass.-based Hallmark Health System. Dr. Gaden earned a master's degree from Boston College and a DNP from Regis College in Weston, Mass.

Kris Gaw. Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Hospital Operations at Parkland Health & Hospital System (Dallas). Ms. Gaw, a member of American College of Healthcare Executives, joined Parkland last year. Prior to Parkland, she was at Renown Health in Reno, Nev., where she was COO of Renown Regional Medical Center. She earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Ruby Gill, RN, BSN. Chief Nurse Executive of Kaiser Permanente Irvine (Calif.) Medical Centers. Ms. Gill has been Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Centers' chief nurse executive since 2012. During her tenure, Irvine Medical Center received certification for primary stroke and orthopedic joint replacement for hips and knees from the Joint Commission. Irvine Medical Center was also designated a Baby-Friendly Hospital by the World Health Organization and UNICEF under her leadership. She also incorporated interdisciplinary rounds within the critical care, elective joint replacement, oncology and geriatric patient populations. Ms. Gill has an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Audrey Gregory, RN, MSN, PhD. CEO of Placentia (Calif.)-Linda Hospital. Dr. Gregory has been CEO of Placentia-Linda Hospital for about one year. During her tenure, the hospital was one of 12 hospitals in Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. to earn the Circle of Excellence Award, recognizing Tenet hospitals that have achieved the highest levels of quality, service and operational performance. Prior to becoming CEO of Placentia-Linda Hospital, Dr. Gregory was COO of Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis from 2011 to 2014. She earned master's degrees in nursing and healthcare administration from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga.

Gail Hanson. Senior Vice President and CFO of Aurora Health Care (Milwaukee). Ms. Hanson joined Aurora Health Care in 2011 but had been on the board of the system since 2009. Prior to that, she was deputy executive director for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. Ms. Hanson also worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield United of Wisconsin for two decades.  

Lisa E. Harris, MD. Medical Director and CEO of Eskenazi Health (Indianapolis). Dr. Harris has led Eskenazi Health, one of the largest safety-net healthcare systems in the U.S., since 2004. Prior to that, she jointly served as chief of medicine for the system and CMO of the primary care division of Indiana University Medical Group, the faculty practice for Indiana University School of Medicine in Bloomington. Dr. Harris is past chairwoman of America's Essential Hospitals and is medical director and president-elect of the board of directors of the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis.

Margot Hartmann, MD, PhD. President and CEO of Nantucket (Mass.) Cottage Hospital. Dr. Hartmann has led Nantucket Cottage Hospital for the last five years. Her healthcare career also included more than 10 years as an emergency department physician at NCH. As CEO, Dr. Hartmann has led the hospital through a financial turnaround, and she is now trying to help NCH build a new hospital.

Pamela Hess. CFO of Saint Thomas Midtown and Saint Thomas West Hospitals (Nashville, Tenn.). Ms. Hess was named CFO of Saint Thomas West Hospital in 2012 and appointed CFO of Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in 2014. She was previously CFO of Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Ms. Hess also previously was CFO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. She is a certified public accountant.

Nancy Hesse, MSN, RN. CNO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Eastern Regional Medical Center (Philadelphia). Ms. Hesse brings more than 30 years of experience in nursing leadership to her role with CTCA, which she began in September 2014. She holds a master's degree in nursing leadership from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a bachelor's degree in nursing from Widener University in Chester, Pa. Certified in emergency nursing and credentialed in trauma nursing, Ms. Hesse is also a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the Emergency Nurses Association.

Linda Hoff. Senior Vice President and CFO of Legacy Health (Portland, Ore.). Ms. Hoff has served Legacy Health as senior vice president and CFO since January 2014. She came to Legacy from Madison, Wis., where she served as CFO for Meriter Health and president and CEO of Physicians Plus Insurance Corp. Ms. Hoff is a certified public accountant and graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with a bachelor's in economics and an MBA in healthcare fiscal management.

Shelly Hunter. CFO of Mercy Health of Joplin (Mo.)/Kansas. As CFO of Mercy Health of Joplin/Kansas, Ms. Hunter is responsible for general accounting, patient business services, financial and statistical reporting and compliance functions at five hospitals in the Southwest Missouri-Kansas region. She has held this position for six years. A life-long Joplin resident, Ms. Hunter is highly involved in her community, currently serving on the board of the Joplin Family Y and Bright Futures USA, as a member of the Joplin Rotary and a volunteer ally for the Circles organization, in addition to other past volunteer efforts. Ms. Hunter has an MBA from Pittsburgh State University.

Sally Hurt-Deitch, RN. Market CEO of The Hospitals of Providence (El Paso, Texas). As market CEO, Ms. Hurt-Deitch oversees The Hospitals of Providence network, in addition to the integration activities of three hospitals and the construction of a fourth, the new $120 million Transmountain Campus in Northwest El Paso. Ms. Hurt-Deitch has a master's degree in healthcare administration from Trinity University in San Antonio and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She also serves as a board member of the National Forum of Latino Healthcare Executives, a board member of the Texas Hospital Association and a member of the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board.

Ann Huston. Chief Strategy Officer for Cleveland Clinic. In April 2012, Ms. Huston joined Cleveland Clinic, bringing 25 years of healthcare experience from Ernst & Young's national healthcare strategy practice and an independent healthcare consultancy. She joined Cleveland Clinic in a newly created role of chief strategy officer, which reports directly to President and CEO Toby Cosgrove, MD. In this position she develops, aligns and executes the clinic's strategic plan. Ms. Huston has a master's degree in health finance and management from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Charlotte Ipsan, RNC, MSN. Chief Administrative Officer of Norton Women's Hospital & Kosair Children's Hospital (Louisville, Ky.). Ms. Ipsan was named chief administrative officer in May 2012, and led the $117.8 million project to convert Norton Suburban Hospital to Norton Women's Hospital & Kosair Children's Hospital. She was the American Hospital Association representative to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Hospital Care between 2012 and 2014 and currently serves on the national Committee for Maternal Child Health. Ms. Ipsan earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Indiana University in Bloomington and has a master's degree in nursing/neonatal nurse practitioner tract from the University of Louisville.

Catherine A. Jacobson. President and CEO of Froedtert Health (Milwaukee). Ms. Jacobson joined Froedtert Health in 2010 after a 22-year stretch at Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center. She began at Froedtert as executive vice president of finance and strategy, CFO and chief strategy officer. One year later, she was promoted to president and became CEO in 2012. She has been a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association since 1989 and served on its national board of directors from 2004 to 2010. She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and involved with a number of Milwaukee-area boards. Ms. Jacobson is a member of several women's leadership organizations and is a certified public accountant.

Barbara Joers. President and CEO of Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare (St. Paul, Minn.). Ms. Joers has served as president and CEO of Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare for just over two years. She joined Gillette from Milwaukee-based Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she served as vice president. Prior to that, she served as COO of Monroe Carrel Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Ms. Joers holds a master's degree in health services management and policy from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Terry Kabitzke-Groth. CNO of Aurora Medical Center Grafton (Wis.). Ms. Kabitzke-Groth has served as CNO of Aurora Medical Center since 2010, when the hospital was brand-new. Since taking the position, the hospital has not slid out of the top decile of Press Ganey patient experience scores. Additionally, the hospital has grown to include a minimally invasive surgery program, wound care and hyperbaric services and stroke and total joint certification. Ms. Kabitzke-Groth also led an expansion plan for an orthopedic unit and expanded women's and children's services.

Patricia A. Keel. CFO and COO of University Health System (Shreveport, La.). Ms. Keel has served as CFO and COO of University Health System since May 2014, with more than 30 years healthcare leadership experience. She came to University Health from Longview, Texas-based Good Shepherd Health System, where she served for five years as senior vice president and CFO. Ms. Keel holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a master's of healthcare administration degree from Trinity University in San Antonio.

Kathleen Kinslow, CRNA, EdD. President and CEO of Aria Health (Philadelphia). Dr. Kinslow joined Aria Health in late 2010 as president and CEO with more than 35 years of experience in healthcare under her belt. She began her career in nursing and holds a bachelor's degree in education from Ottawa University in Kansas City, Kan. She went on to earn a master's in education and a master's in business from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, a master's degree in nursing from Temple University in Philadelphia, and a doctorate in education from Widener University in Chester, Pa.

Jan Kleinhesselink, RN. Chief Quality Officer of Lincoln (Neb.) Surgical Hospital. Ms. Kleinhesselink has served for six years as chief quality officer of Lincoln Surgical Hospital, a surgical specialty hospital with nine operating rooms and 21 inpatient beds. A leader with more than 25 years of healthcare experience, Ms. Kleinhesselink was previously the director of quality services for the Sioux Falls Surgical Center and Surgical Management Professionals in Sioux Falls, S.D. She is currently a surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and Accreditation Association for Hospitals/Health Systems and is a member of several organizations' boards.

June Komar. Corporate Executive Vice President, Strategy and Administration for Scripps Health (San Diego). Ms. Komar has been part of Scripps Health since 1997. In her time at Scripps, she served five years as vice president and eight years as senior vice president of strategic planning and business development. She has been corporate executive vice president of strategy and administration since 2010 and previously served as deputy chief administrative officer for the County of San Diego. She earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University in Columbus and attended graduate school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Anne Krebs. CFO of Butler (Pa.) Health System. Ms. Krebs has served Butler Health since 2001. She has more than 28 years of healthcare finance experience. Ms. Krebs is credited for expanding service lines at Butler Health to grow outpatient revenue. She has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Eastern Illinois University and an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago. Ms. Krebs is a certified public accountant.

Sarah Krevans. President and COO of Sutter Health (Sacramento). Ms. Krevans has served as Sutter Health's president and COO since 2012 and has been an executive with Sutter for 16 years. In 2016, she will succeed Pat Fry as CEO of the system. Ms. Krevans is a past chair of the northeastern California chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Sierra Forever Families, a private, nonprofit agency to find foster children permanent homes. Ms. Krevans has an MBA and a master's degree in public health from UC Berkeley.

JoAnn Kunkel. Corporate CFO of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. Kunkel has been with Sanford Health since 1995 and assumed the role of corporate CFO in September 2012. As CFO, she serves as the financial leader for one of the nation's largest health systems, which includes 43 hospitals and nearly 250 clinics in nine states and three countries. Prior to her appointment as corporate CFO, she served as Sanford's CFO of Health Services for five years. Ms. Kunkel earned an MBA from The University of South Dakota.

Raji Kumar. Regional CEO of Dallas Medical Center and Dallas Regional Medical Center. Ms. Kumar took on her position as CEO of Dallas Medical Center in 2010, when the hospital was losing nearly $2 million each month. She led the system through a successful turnaround and went on to add the title of CEO of Dallas Regional Medical Center to her resume in early 2015. Ms. Kumar previously served as CEO of Oakland Regional Hospital in Southfield, Mich. She earned her MBA from the University of Michigan-Flint and has a certification in managing healthcare delivery from Harvard Business School.

Phyllis Lantos. Executive Vice President, Treasurer and CFO of NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System (New York City). With the assistance of Ms. Lantos, the billion-dollar NewYork-Presbyterian Health System has implemented various improvements relating to revenue cycle, risk mitigation and risk control. She has been CFO of the system since 2000. Over the years, Ms. Lantos has held positions on various boards, including serving on The New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens' board and as chair of MCIC Vermont's board of directors.

Mary Anne Leach. Senior Vice President and CIO of Children's Hospital Colorado (Aurora). For nearly three decades, Ms. Leach has held prominent leadership roles in the realm of health IT. In 2007, she joined Children's Hospital Colorado as vice president and CIO, and was promoted to senior vice president and CIO in March 2013. Ms. Leach previously served as vice president of clinical applications at Catholic Health Initiatives in Englewood, Colo. Ms. Leach holds the credential of Certified Healthcare CIO from CHIME.

Vivian Lee, MD, PhD. CEO of University of Utah Healthcare (Salt Lake City). A board-certified radiologist, Dr. Lee serves as CEO of University of Utah Healthcare, senior vice president for health sciences at the University of Utah and dean of the university's School of Medicine. In her role, she oversees four hospitals, 10 health centers, over 1,300 physicians and five colleges. During her tenure, Dr. Lee has helped develop a new School of Dentistry, the Utah Genome Project and the Center for Medical Innovation. She received a doctorate in medical engineering at Oxford University, a medical degree with honors at Harvard Medical School and an MBA at NYU's Stern School of Business.

Jacklynn Lesniak, RN. Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Zion, Ill.). Ms. Lesniak joined CTCA in 2013 with more than 25 years of experience in healthcare. Previously, she was CNO and COO of the Watertown (Wis.) Regional Medical Center. Ms. Lesniak is a member of several professional organizations, such as the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Organization of Nursing Executives and the American Association of Critical Care Nursing.

Carol Lovin, RN, MSN. Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Carolinas HealthCare System (Charlotte, N.C.). Ms. Lovin took on her current role in 2014 following being president of Carolinas HealthCare System Management Company. She holds a master's degree in nursing as a nurse practitioner from University of Washington in Seattle, as well as a master's in health services administration from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ms. Lovin previously served in leadership roles at NorthEast Medical Center, joining Carolinas with the CHS/NorthEast merger in 2007 and is responsible for creating DA2, Carolinas' advanced analytics group.

Donna Lynne, DrPh. Executive Vice President of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan; Group President of Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Northwest and Hawaii; and President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado. Over the years, Dr. Lynne has held a variety of leadership positions at Kaiser, beginning her role as president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado in 2005 and becoming executive vice president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan in 2011. She also serves as group president of Kaiser's Colorado, Northwest and Hawaii regions. She is on the boards of a number of organizations and holds a doctorate in public health from Columbia University in New York City and a master's degree in public administration from George Washington University in Washington D.C.

Denise Majeski, RN, MSN. Vice President of Operations and Chief Nurse Executive of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest (Ill.) Hospital. An executive with over 30 years of healthcare experience and six years of consulting experience, Ms. Majeski was named interim vice president of operations and CNE in June 2013 and took on the role permanently in August 2013. In addition, she currently sits on the Chicago Metropolitan Healthcare Council. Ms. Majeski holds a master's degree in nursing from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and is a Nurse Executive Board certificate holder in the Fundamentals of Magnet.

Stacey Malakoff. Executive Vice President, Treasurer and CFO of Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City). In 1990, Ms. Malakoff joined Hospital for Special Surgery as director of reimbursement. Since then, she has held numerous other financial leadership roles, including controller and vice president of finance. She was promoted to her current role as executive vice president, treasurer and CFO in 1998. Ms. Malakoff began her career as an auditor with the accounting firm that became Ernst & Young and also spent a brief period of time working for The New York Times.

Julie Manas. President and CEO of HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Western Wisconsin Division of Hospitals Sisters Health System (Springfield, Ill). Ms. Manas took on the role of president and CEO of the Western Wisconsin Division of Hospitals Sisters Health System in 2012. The same year, she assumed the role of president and CEO of Sacred Heart Hospital. Previously, Ms. Manas was president and senior vice president of Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa. Ms. Manas is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the board of trustees for the Catholic Health Association. She received her master's degree in health administration from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Marcia Manker. CEO of Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.). In her role as CEO, Ms. Manker oversees the operations, strategy development and business initiatives of Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, which has been named a Top Orange County Workplace and Top Orange County Hospital by the Orange County Register. With over 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, she took the helm as CEO in 2002. During her tenure, Ms. Manker has led Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center to years of growth and development. Ms. Manker was named the 2014 Woman of the Year for the 72nd Assembly District by the California State Assembly.

Leslie Marsh, RN, MSN. CEO of Lexington (Neb.) Regional Health Center. In May 2010, Ms. Marsh took the helm as CEO of Lexington Regional Health Center, a critical access hospital. Under her leadership, the hospital has seen various changes, such as the opening of an urgent/primary care clinic and a family medicine clinic. Ms. Marsh also worked to improve the culture at LRHC by implementing Studer principles. She has served on councils and boards, including serving on the board of the Nebraska Rural Health Association. Ms. Marsh holds a master's degree in nursing from Yale University's Nursing Management, Policy and Leadership program.

Barbara Martin, RN, BSN. President and CEO of Vista Health System (Waukegan, Ill). Ms. Martin has served as president and CEO of Vista Health System since 2006, prior to which she served as the system's COO. In her role, she oversees two hospitals in Waukegan — Vista Medical Center East and Vista Medical Center West. She has led the system through numerous expansions and projects, including the construction of a new progressive care unit, a surgery and wound care center and an obstetrics and maternal birthing unit. Ms. Martin obtained her MBA at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill.

Patricia Maryland, MS, DrPH. President of Healthcare Operations and COO of Ascension Health (St. Louis). Ms. Maryland has served as president of healthcare operations and COO of Ascension Health since July 2013. Prior to her current position, she served as the Michigan ministry market leader for Ascension Health, president and CEO of St. John Providence Health System in Warren, Mich., and president of St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital. She holds a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate in public health from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mary Lou Mastro, MS, RN. President and CEO of Elmhurst (Ill.) Memorial Healthcare. Before her appointment to become CEO of Elmhurst Memorial in 2002, Ms. Mastro — who has more than 35 years of healthcare leadership experience — served as CEO of Linden Oaks at Edward, a behavioral health hospital on Edward Hospital's Naperville campus. She is an advisory board member for the Illinois Health Professionals Program and a member of the American Hospital Association Section for Psychiatry and Substance Abuse. Ms. Mastro received a master's degree from Rush University in Chicago.

Rhonda Medows, MD. Executive Vice President of Population Health for Providence Health & Services (Renton, Wash.). Dr. Medows is Providence Health & Services' first executive vice president of population health. In this role, she oversees the Providence health plan, accountable care organizations, payer strategy and contracting, physician services and the affiliated Pacific Medical Group. Most recently, she served as executive vice president and CMO of UnitedHealth Group. Dr. Medows earned her medical degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, and is board-certified in family medicine.

Sonia Mehta, MD. CEO and CMO of Loretto Hospital (Chicago). Loretto Hospital named Dr. Mehta CEO and CMO in November 2012. Most recently, she served as president and CEO of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System Medical Group. Dr. Mehta has more than 18 years of healthcare leadership and clinical experience, including other prior senior administrative positions at hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois. Dr. Mehta earned her medical degree from NHL Municipal Medical College of Ahmedabad, India, and completed her residency in internal medicine at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Ill.

Susan Melvin, DO. CMO of Long Beach (Calif.) Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Melvin, a physician board-certified in family medicine, was named CMO of Long Beach Memorial, a major teaching hospital, in 2012. She was previously the hospital's associate CMO, president of Memorial Family Medicine and director of the Family Residence Program. Dr. Melvin, a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, has authored several textbook chapters and articles on various topics, including women's health and geriatrics. She also chaired MemorialCare's 2,000-member Physician Society.

Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. President and CEO of Dominican Hospital (Santa Cruz, Calif.). Dr. Mickiewicz has served at the helm of Dominican Hospital, part of San Francisco-based Dignity Health, since December 2006. Before becoming president and CEO, Dr. Mickiewicz served for more than six years as Dominican Hospital's CMO. She earned her medical degree at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago and worked as an infectious disease physician with the Western Medical Associates Medical Group in Santa Cruz for nearly seven years.

Sheri Milone. CEO of Lovelace Women's Hospital (Albuquerque). Ms. Milone is at the helm of Lovelace Women's Hospital, a 120-bed hospital with roughly 670 employees. She was elected to a two-year term as a member of the executive board for the American Heart Association's New Mexico Chapter this year. Under her leadership, Lovelace Women's Hospital has been named one of New Mexico Business Weekly's Best Places to Work.

Tamra Minnier, RN, MSN. Chief Quality Officer of UPMC (Pittsburgh). As UPMC's chief quality officer, Ms. Minnier coordinates the activities of more than 20 hospitals, 3,200 physicians, 2 million health plan enrollees and international hospital sites in Ireland, Italy and Singapore. Before stepping into her current role, Ms. Minnier served as vice president of patient care services and CNO at UPMC Shadyside. She is also currently a board member of the Joint Commission International/Joint Commission Resources. Ms. Minnier earned her master's degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh.         

Lori Mitchell. CFO of UW Medicine (Seattle). Ms. Mitchell has been with UW Medicine since 1998. In addition to her role as CFO, she also serves as vice president of medical affairs for the University of Washington. Before joining the system, Ms. Mitchell served as senior administrator of finance and CFO of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and regional administrator and CFO of PacifiCare Health Systems in Cypress, Calif. She is a past board member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Jennifer Mitzner. Senior Vice President and CFO of St. Joseph Hoag Health (Irvine, Calif.). Ms. Mitzner stepped into her current role at St. Joseph Hoag Health in 2014. In this capacity, she oversees the financial performance of St. Joseph Hoag Health and the Southern California region of St. Joseph Health. Previously, Ms. Mitzner served as senior vice president of corporate services and CFO of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian for 20 years. She is a certified public accountant and earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco.

Elizabeth Nabel, MD. President of Brigham and Women's Health Care (Boston). Dr. Nabel has served as president of Brigham and Women's Health Care since 2010. A cardiologist and biomedical researcher, Dr. Nabel is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Earlier in 2015, she was appointed chief health and medical advisor to the National Football League. From 2005 to 2009, she served as director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Dr. Nabel earned her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.

Siri Nelson. Chief Administrative Officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital (Lakeport, Calif.). Ms. Nelson joined Sutter Lakeside Hospital, part of Sacramento-based Sutter Health, as CAO in May 2009. Previously, she served as CFO for Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, Calif. Before that, she was a finance director for the San Joaquin County Health Care Services Agency and regional director of finance for St. Joseph's Regional Health System in Stockton, Calif. Ms. Nelson obtained a master's degree in health administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.  

Janice Nevin, MD. President and CEO of Christiana Care Health System (Wilmington, Del.). Dr. Nevin first joined Christiana Care Health System in 2002, holding numerous leadership positions before being named president and CEO in 2014. In addition to her current role, Dr. Nevin serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Delaware and the Delaware Community Foundation. Dr. Nevin earned her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in 1987 and a master's degree in public health in community health services from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health.

Robin Norman. Senior Vice President and CFO of Virginia Hospital Center (Arlington). Ms. Norman, a certified public accountant, has served Virginia Hospital Center in a financial capacity since 1979, joining as an account manager. In addition to her current role, Ms. Norman serves as executive in-residence for the master's of healthcare management program at Marymount University in Arlington. She is a board member and vice chairman of Phoenix House of the Mid-Atlantic, a regional provider of residential addictions services. Ms. Normal also serves on the board of Leadership Arlington, which develops leaders in the community. She earned an MBA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg.

Sharon O'Keefe. President of University of Chicago Medical Center. The University of Chicago Medical Center named Ms. O'Keefe president in February 2011. While overseeing the medical center, in 2013 she led the opening of the Center for Care and Discovery, a clinical and surgical center dedicated to specialty care. Prior to joining the University of Chicago Medical Center, Ms. O'Keefe served as president at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. Ms. O'Keefe holds a master's degree in nursing from Loyola University Medical Center.

Doris Peek. Senior Vice President and CIO of Broward Health (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Ms. Peek has served as senior vice president and CIO of Broward Health since 2006, but her career in healthcare operations and consulting spans 25 years. Previously, Ms. Peek was regional vice president of information technology for Newton Square, Pa.-based Catholic Health East, part of Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health. Ms. Peek holds a master's degree in medical science from Emory University in Atlanta and a doctorate of management from University of Phoenix.

Alice Pope. Executive Vice President and CFO of Wellmont Health System (Kingsport, Tenn.). Ms. Pope, a certified public accountant, has nearly 25 years of experience in finance, including roughly 20 years in healthcare. Before her appointment as CFO, Ms. Pope served for three years as Wellmont's senior vice president of finance, managed care and revenue cycle. Prior to joining Wellmont in 2000, she served for five years as vice president and CFO of Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tenn., the largest hospital the Wellmont system. Ms. Pope holds an MBA from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

Karen Price-Gharzeddine, RN. CEO of San Gabriel (Calif.) Valley Medical Center. Ms. Price-Gharzeddine started with SGVMC in 1997 and ascended quickly to become CNO of the hospital. After leaving the hospital and holding several leadership roles across Southern California, Ms. Price-Gharzeddine returned to SGVMC in 2010 and assumed the dual role of COO and CNO, overseeing nursing, ancillary and hospital operations until she became CEO of SGVMC in 2015. Ms. Price-Gharzeddine has been an active member of the Association of California Nurse Leaders for 26 years.

Deborah A. Proctor, RN, MSN. President and CEO of St. Joseph Health (Orange, Calif.). Ms. Proctor became president and CEO of St. Joseph Health in December 2004. Previously, she served as chief administrative officer of St. Louis-based Ascension Health. Earlier in her career, she served in various leadership positions at St. Joseph Hospital and St. Joseph Health in Orange, Calif., and at Voluntary Hospitals of America in Dallas. Ms. Proctor received a master's degree in nursing from California State University, Los Angeles.

Ann Pumpian. Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO of Sharp HealthCare (San Diego). Ms. Pumpian began her career at Sharp Healthcare in 1984 as the government and contracts manager, and was named CFO and senior vice president of finance in 1993. She serves on numerous boards, including the State of California's Department of Managed Health Care Financial Solvency Standards board. Ms. Pumpian is a certified public accountant and received her MBA and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Gemma Rama-Banaag, RN, BSN, MSN. CNO of Paradise Valley Hospital (National City, Calif.). As CNO of Paradise Valley Hospital since January 2011, Ms. Rama-Banaag has been instrumental in improving the hospital's service excellence programs. Previously, Ms. Rama-Banaag held leadership positions at South Bay Rehabilitation Center at Paradise Valley as well as Promise Hospital in San Diego. Ms. Rama-Banaag received her master's degree in nursing and an MBA in healthcare management from the University of Phoenix. She has been named Administrator of the Year by the Philippine Nurses Association of San Diego.

Marsha D. Rappley, MD. Vice President of Virginia Commonwealth University Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health System (Richmond, Va.). Prior to her current appointments at VCU, Dr. Rappley served as dean of Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine for 10 years. Dr. Rappley has been often recognized for her distinguished service in the medical community — she received the Association of the American Medical Colleges Humanism in Medicine Award, a Distinguished Service award from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Michigan Women's Foundation 2014 Women of Achievement and Courage Award, among others. She was most recently elected chair of the board of directors of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Robin Rose, RN, BSN. COO and Chief Clinical Officer of Gibson Area Hospital and Health Center (Gibson City, Ill.). Prior to her appointment as COO and chief clinical officer, Ms. Rose served as CNO at Gibson Area Hospital. Ms. Rose served on the Governor's Rural Affairs Council in 2012, giving GAHHS and surrounding rural communities a voice in Springfield, Ill. Ms. Rose graduated from McKendree University in 2002. In her free time, she enjoys horse racing.

Dawn Rudolph. Chief Experience Officer of Saint Thomas Health (Nashville, Tenn.). Ms. Rudolph joined Saint Thomas Health as chief experience officer in July 2013. She previously served as president and CEO of Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., and as CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. Ms. Rudolph was recognized as one of Nashville Post's Most Powerful Women in 2012 and as a 2012 Women to Watch honoree by Nashville Medical News. She received her MBA with healthcare specialization from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Margaret Sabin. President and CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services (Colorado Springs, Colo.). After three years as CEO of Sutter Health Partners and vice president of new product development for Sutter Health in Sacramento, Calif., Ms. Sabin joined Penrose, which is part of Centura Health, as president and CEO in November 2008. Additionally, she serves as chair of Centura Health's Trauma Council. Ms. Sabin is a certified fitness instructor and teaches weekly community boot camp classes at Penrose Hospital.

Cheryl Sadro. Executive Vice President and Chief Business & Finance Officer of The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Ms. Sadro has more than 30 years of experience in public accountancy and financial leadership roles at major mission-based health systems. Prior to joining UTMB in October 2014, Ms. Sadro served as senior vice president for finance and market CFO at Catholic Health Initiatives Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga, Tenn. Ms. Sadro earned a master's degree in healthcare management from Troy State University.

Ninfa Saunders, DHA, MSN. President and CEO of Navicent Health (Macon, Ga.). Dr. Saunders has more than 40 years of hospital administrative experience and completed her doctorate in healthcare administration at the Medical University of South Carolina. She received certification as a Black Belt in Six Sigma from the University of Michigan, College of Engineering. Most recently, Dr. Saunders was named the 2014 CEO of the Year by the Georgia Alliance for Community Hospitals.

Sue Schade. CIO of University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor). Of her 30 years spent working in the health IT field, Ms. Schade has spent 15 of them in CIO roles. Before she joined the University of Michigan Health System as CIO in 2012, Ms. Schade served as CIO of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She is an active member of both HIMSS and CHIME and was named the 2014 John E. Gall Jr. CIO of the Year by CHIME and HIMSS. Ms. Schade has an MBA in healthcare administration from Benedictine University.

Nancy Schlichting. CEO of Henry Ford Health System (Detroit). Ms. Schlichting joined Henry Ford Health System in 1998 as senior vice president and chief administrative officer before she was named CEO in 2003. She is credited with the leading the health system through a dramatic financial turnaround in 2001. Amongst numerous other professional accolades, Ms. Schlichting is a recipient of the Powerful Woman of Purpose Award from the Rhode Walker Foundation in 2009. She received her MBA from Cornell University.

Phyllis Sherard, PhD. Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Population Health of Cheyenne (Wyo.) Regional Medical Center. In her leadership positions with Cheyenne Regional, Dr. Sherard is charged with overseeing the medical center's population health initiatives. As a part of this responsibility, she leads the hospital's Wyoming Institute of Population Health. In 2012, The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation awarded her an Innovation Advisor Fellowship for her proposal focused on patient-centered medical homes.

Elizabeth Sheridan. Chief Nursing Executive and COO of Inspira Medical Centers (Vineland, N.J.). Ms. Sheridan has been chief nursing executive and COO of Inspira Medical Centers for more than a decade. During her tenure at the hospital, Inspira Medical Centers became redesignated as an American Nurse Credentialing Center Magnet hospital, and the organization became a three-hospital network. The Organization of Nurse Executives of New Jersey has recognized Ms. Sheridan as an exemplary leader.

Lynn Simon, MD. President of Clinical Services and Chief Quality Officer of Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Prior to joining CHS in 2010, Dr. Simon was a practicing neurologist. She also has previous experience serving as vice president of medical affairs at Jewish Hospital and as senior vice president and CMO of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Healthcare after the Louisville, Ky.-based organizations merged. At CHS, Dr. Simon is responsible for all clinical operations, including nursing, quality and safety. In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Simon also holds an MBA.

Bernadette Spong. CFO of Orlando (Fla.) Health. Ms. Spong joined Orlando Health as CFO this summer. Previously, she was the CFO and senior vice president of finance at Rex Healthcare, based in Raleigh, N.C. Ms. Spong earned her MBA from Elon (N.C.) University's Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. She is also a certified public accountant.

Airica Steed, RN, EdD. System Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer of OhioHealth (Columbus). Ms. Steed assumed her new positions with OhioHealth after serving as enterprise chief experience officer and chief administrator of the Customer Care Center at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System in Chicago. As OhioHealth's first CXO, Ms. Steed is leading a system-wide strategy for the healthcare experience. In addition to her executive leadership experience, Ms. Steed also has academic experience as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Nancy Susick, RN, MSN. President of Beaumont Hospital-Troy (Mich.). Ms. Susick has led Beaumont Hospital-Troy as president since 2012. She oversees the financial and operational aspects of the hospital, which has 4,500 employees and 458 beds as well as its ambulatory, diagnostic and surgery centers. The hospital has more than doubled its bed size since Ms. Susick took the helm. Before assuming her role as president, Ms. Susick was vice president, COO and CNO at Beaumont Hospital-Troy. She also served in the United States Navy Reserve for 24 years, retiring in 2012 with the rank of captain.

Karen Testman, RN. CFO of MemorialCare Health System (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Ms. Testman has been with MemorialCare since 1998, serving in various leadership positions including CFO of Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills and San Clemente, Calif. In 2013, she became CFO and senior vice president of MemorialCare Health System after serving as senior vice president of financial operations. Ms. Testman, who began her career in healthcare as a registered nurse, has been instrumental in advancing MemorialCare's ambulatory growth and joint venture strategy.

Elaine Thompson, PhD. President and CEO of Lakeland (Fla.) Regional Health Systems. Dr. Thompson has been with Lakeland Regional Health Systems since 2010. Since then, she has led Lakeland Regional Medical Center's conversion to a single EHR, initiated an emergency department performance improvement campaign and more. Prior to coming to Lakeland Regional Health, she was the president of Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pa. Dr. Thompson earned her PhD in biomedical science and has a master's degree in physical therapy.

Karen Teitelbaum. President and CEO of Sinai Health System (Chicago). Ms. Teitelbaum leads Sinai Health System, an organization with more than 800 medical staff members and 4,000 employees. She became president and CEO of the health system in July 2014, before which she served as Sinai Health's executive vice president and COO. Under her leadership as president and CEO, the Illinois Health Facilities and Review Board approved the addition of a mental health unit at Sinai Health's Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago.

Lannie Tonnu. Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Ms. Tonnu joined CHLA in April 1991. Before joining the children's hospital, she was an audit senior manager in the healthcare practice of EY's office in Los Angeles. Ms. Tonnu has extensive background in finance, holding membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Healthcare Financial Management Association, among several other organizations. She earned an MBA from California State University, Los Angeles.

Peggy Troy, RN, MSN. President and CEO of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (Milwaukee). Ms. Troy has been at the helm of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin since 2009, but she first worked at the hospital in 1973 when she was a nurse on rotation during nursing school. Before joining Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, she was executive vice president and COO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and CEO of Le Bonheur Children's Medical School. She is wrapping up her year-long term as chair of the Children's Hospital Association board of trustees this year.

Joanne Urbanski. President and CEO of South Haven (Mich.) Health System. Ms. Urbanski has been with South Haven Health System for 30 years and in her current position since 2006. During her tenure at SHHS, Ms. Urbanski oversaw a capital campaign to raise funds for a new wellness and rehabilitation center, which opened in 2007. She also led the charge to create the SHHS Foundation, providing scholarships and free medical screenings. In August, the South Haven Rotary Club presented its annual Community Service Award to Ms. Urbanski for her contributions to the South Haven community.

Nancy Vish. RN, PhD. President and CNO of Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital (Dallas). Dr. Vish has more than 20 years of experience in nursing and management. She joined the Baylor Health Care System in 1996 and moved up the ladder until she became vice president of clinical operations and CNO of Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital when it opened in 2002. She took on the role of president in 2005. Dr. Vish is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Association of Critical Care Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society and the American College of Cardiovascular Administrators, to name just a few.

Beth Walker. COO of Ochsner Medical Center (New Orleans). Ms. Walker has been COO of Ochsner Medical Center since February 2013. She first joined the system in 2002 and has served in a variety of positions, including vice president of operations for women's and children's services. Ms. Walker earned a master's degree in health administration and management from Ohio State University in Columbus.

Kelly Wallace. Senior Vice President and CFO of Seattle Children's Hospital. Ms. Wallace has been with Seattle Children's for more than 25 years, serving as CFO since 1995. Before joining the only freestanding children's hospital in Washington, Ms. Wallace, who holds an MBA, was an audit manager specializing in healthcare at Arthur Anderson in Seattle.

Kate Walsh. President and CEO of Boston Medical Center. Ms. Walsh has been president and CEO of Boston Medical Center, a 496-bed academic medical center, since March 2010. Previously, she was executive vice president and COO of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Ms. Walsh is very involved both in the Boston community and in the industry, as she is on the boards of the YMCA of Greater Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, the Council of Teaching Hospitals and the Yale University School of Medicine, to name just a few of her involvements.

Elizabeth "Beth" Ward. CFO of UT Southwestern Medical Center's University Hospitals and Clinics (Dallas). Prior to joining UT Southwestern Medical Center's University Hospitals and Clinics, Ms. Ward was executive vice president and CFO of Wellmont Health System in Kingsport, Tenn. She has held her current position since 2012. Ms. Ward earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and an advanced member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Page West, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of Dignity Health (San Francisco). Ms. West has been with the Dignity Health system for nearly 30 years, assuming her current position in 2014. She has served in a variety of roles, including chief nurse executive of Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, Calif., before becoming the system chief nurse executive. She received her bachelor's degree from Indiana University and her master's degrees in health administration and public administration from University of San Francisco.

Penny Wheeler, MD. President and CEO of Allina Health (Minneapolis). Dr. Wheeler is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Before she became president and CEO of Allina Health, she held a variety of roles, including serving patients at Women's Health Consultants in Minneapolis, leading Minneapolis-based Abbott Northwestern Hospital's medical staff as president and chairing the Allina Health Quality Committee. Most recently, she was chief clinical officer of the system.

Charlotte Wray, RN, MSN. President of University Hospitals Elyria (Ohio) Medical Center. Ms. Wray has been with UH Elyria Medical Center for roughly 25 years, starting as a nurse in its intensive care unit and working her way up the ladder until becoming the president in September. In addition to holding a master's degree in nursing and an MBA, Ms. Wray is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a Certified Nursing Executive, named by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Ms. Wray is also involved with the American Heart Association.

Note: This list was updated April 18 to add Karen Price-Gharzeddine, RN.

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