During this unprecedented era in healthcare, strong leaders are guiding their organizations to new heights.
The below leaders are using innovative digital technology, novel care delivery approaches and creative care solutions to shape the future of healthcare.
Note: This list was developed to highlight great healthcare leaders. This list is not an endorsement of included leaders, hospitals, health systems, companies or associated healthcare providers. Organizations cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order.
Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.
Nancy Howell Agee. President and CEO of Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Ms. Agee is president and CEO of Carilion Clinic, a nearly $2 billion integrated health system serving more than 1 million people in Virginia and West Virginia. Carilion Clinic features seven hospitals at all scales, operates home health, imaging services, pharmacies and free-standing surgical clinics while employing more than 1,000 physicians. She helped to co-lead the clinic’s reorganization to the fully integrated, physician-led clinic it is today. Ms. Agee also has experience chairing the American Hospital Association and Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.
Rob Allen. President and CEO of Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City). Mr. Allen is the president and CEO of Intermountain Health, a nonprofit health system headquartered in Utah that serves populations across the Western United States. Under his leadership, Intermountain has launched efforts to develop new and effective outreach, telehealth and clinical service models. He has been at Intermountain for more than 25 years and has used his wealth of experience to improve the affordability and accessibility of the health system, and to help establish a continuous improvement culture. He is now leading the integration of Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health, which merged with Intermountain in April 2022.
Barry Arbuckle, PhD. President and CEO of MemorialCare (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Dr. Arbuckle is the president and CEO of MemorialCare, a Southern California nonprofit healthcare system with more than 200 sites of care. During his tenure, the organization has had exceptional growth and financial performance. Dr. Arbuckle serves on the boards of the AHA National Healthcare Systems Council, the National Health Systems Advisory Council for CVS Health and the National Healthcare Advisory Council for Anthem. In addition, he is chair of the MemorialCare Innovation Fund, a healthcare innovation investment company.
Carl Armato. President and CEO of Novant Health (Charlotte, N.C.). Mr. Armato has been with Novant Health since 1998 and held multiple leadership positions before he was appointed president and CEO. He helped to lead the implementation of Epic EHR, which improved connectivity as well as patients’ access to online records. He also led Novant to increase its market share, benefit its community and increase system efficiency.
Mark Benjamin. CEO of Nuance (Burlington, Mass.). Mr. Benjamin became CEO of Nuance in 2018 and has led the company through significant growth. Nuance now delivers more than $1 billion in appropriate reimbursement to healthcare organizations every year, and realizes more than $3 billion in annual savings for enterprises. He has experience in growing cloud, software-as-a-service and mobile initiatives. Mr. Benjamin was president and COO of NCR Corporation before joining Nuance. Microsoft acquired Nuance in early 2022.
Barclay Berdan. CEO of Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Mr. Berdan is the CEO of Texas Health Resources, a nonprofit health system that cares for many patients in North Texas. He has been in his role since 2014 and previously served as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. He helped lead Texas Healths’s collaborative partnerships to address emerging healthcare issues. The system has more than 26,000 employees and its culture is built on inclusivity, and respect for its consumers, employees and physicians. This culture led to their inclusion in Fortune's 2022 “100 Best Companies to Work For.”
Marc Boom, MD. President and CEO of Houston Methodist (Houston). Dr. Boom is the president and CEO of Houston Methodist, a 2,300-bed hospital system with 27,000 employees. It is also affiliated with several academic institutions such as NewYork Presbyterian Hospital and the University of Houston. He is an assistant professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and an adjunct professor of management, policy and community health at The University of Texas School of Public Health. He also maintains a part-time practice with a focus on preventative medicine, lipid disorders and hypertension.
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. Administrator of CMS (Baltimore). Ms. Brooks-LaSure is the administrator of CMS, influencing the agency's policies.. She is in charge of oversight for Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the HealthCare.gov health insurance marketplace. Ms. Brooks-LaSure was a key player in the development of the ACA in her roles at the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight and within HHS. She also assisted with the passing of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 as part of the staff for the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee.
Wesley Burks. CEO and Dean. UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Dr. Burks has served as CEO of UNC Health and dean of the UNC School of Medicine since 2019. In this role, he oversees the academic health system’s 16 hospitals across the state of North Carolina, one of the nation’s leading public medical schools, and more than 40,000 teammates. Under his leadership, UNC Health has implemented new initiatives to improve patient experience such as Advanced Care at Home which helped to care for 500 patients in its first year and received high marks in patient satisfaction.
David L. Callender, MD. President & CEO. Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston). During his tenure as president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System, Dr. Callender led the organization through a period of transformation. In 2021, Memorial Hermann began the evolution to a service line operating model, which led to standardizing the processes across its many hospitals and clinics. This helped to optimize individual care for each patient through their entire hospital and recovery time. He was named to Houston Business Journal’s "Most Admired CEOs" list in 2021. He also sits on the board of directors for the American Heart Association-Houston and United Way of Greater Houston.
Rafael Cartagena, MD. CEO of North American Partners in Anesthesia (Melville, N.Y.). Dr. Cartagena serves as CEO for North American Partners in Anesthesia. Previously, he was the organization’s executive vice president and COO. He joined the organization in 2014 through the acquisition of Total Anesthesia/Anesthesia Associates of Richmond. He has held several positions across the organization, including his role as senior vice president of clinical services for the southern zone. He has been instrumental in the growth of several business lines and has shown effective leadership, as well as the operational and clinical capability required for success. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology, and his professional affiliations include membership in the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists.
Loressa Cole, DNP, RN. Enterprise CEO of American Nurses Association (Silver Spring, Md.). An accomplished healthcare leader who has more than 30 years of nursing and management experience, Dr. Cole became the ANCC Executive Director and executive vice president in 2016 and was appointed ANA Enterprise CEO in 2018. She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the Virginia Organization of Nurse Executives, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is a frequently requested speaker at a wide range of conferences.
Elizabeth Concordia. President and CEO of UCHealth (Aurora, Colo.). Ms. Concordia serves as president and CEO of UCHealth, a nationally recognized, nonprofit healthcare system with an operating revenue of $6 billion and a workforce of more than 28,000 people. She joined UCHealth in September 2014 and oversees the strategic direction, clinical operations and financial success of the system. With her direction, UCHealth has focused on strategic partnerships, expansion of the system’s footprint in the region, developing new models of care, improving patient access and experience, and supporting the academic mission. The organization is also focused on the development of new technologies to support individuals and the overall health of the local population.
Joanne Conroy, MD. President and CEO of Dartmouth Health (Lebanon, N.H.). Dr. Conroy has been CEO and president of Dartmouth Health since 2017, looking after the operation of New Hampshire's only academic health system and largest private employer. Under her leadership, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the system’s flagship hospital, is regularly ranked as the No. 1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report. She also fostered partnerships and collaborations in New Hampshire and Vermont to broaden the system’s services to a wider population.
Steven Corwin, MD. President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian (N.Y.). Dr. Corwin is president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, where he oversees one of the nation’s largest, most comprehensive healthcare delivery networks that provides exceptional care to patients across a 10-campus academic medical center, a regional hospital network and physician groups. He has been at the system since 1979 and has led numerous important initiatives such as NYP OnDemand, a digital suite of health services. He also helped the implementation of a RESPECT credo, which strengthened physician-institutional relations and increased focus on delivering higher quality care.
John Couris. President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital (Tampa). Mr. Couris is president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center, which comprises an array of organizations, including Tampa General Hospital, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit academic medical centers and research health systems in partnership with the University of South Florida. He is focused on driving innovation, operational excellence and strategic collaborations and strives to create a culture of authenticity, kindness, vulnerability and transparency. He is currently focused on leading TGH’s largest master facilities plan of all time with $550 million of capital commitment for the advancement of a growing medical district in downtown Tampa, Fla.
Carmela Coyle. President and CEO of California Hospital Association. Ms. Coyle began her tenure as president and CEO of the California Hospital Association, the statewide leader representing the interests of more than 400 hospitals and health systems in October 2017. She previously led the Maryland Hospital Association for nine years where she led them to become a national leader in healthcare policy and innovation. Before that, she spent 20 years in senior policy positions with the American Hospital Association where she led policy development and strategy planning activities, showing her long history of advancement for the organizations she leads.
Mark Cuban. Co-Founder of CostPlusDrugs (Dallas). Mr. Cuban is passionate about helping patients through the disruption of the drug industry. With Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, he aims to lower the cost of generic drugs and broaden patient access to safe, affordable medications within the U.S. Mr. Cuban launched the company in January 2022 along with founder and CEO Alexander Oshmyansky.
Kenneth Davis, MD. CEO of Mount Sinai Health System (N.Y.). Dr. Davis is the CEO of the Mount Sinai Health System. Under his tenure, the institution has had a period of strong growth. He is focused on building a population-health and value-based model of care for the 42,000-employee, eight-hospital system. He led a philanthropic campaign that raised $1.6 billion for the health system and has met with senior officials of the HHS shape federal payment policy.
Leslie Davis. President and CEO of UPMC. Ms. Davis is the president CEO of UPMC, a $23 billion global healthcare provider and insurer, that is focused on developing new models of accountable, cost-effective patient-centered care. Her 30-year healthcare career has included roles in clinical, academic and operations positions with many nonprofit providers such as the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Michellene Davis, Esq. President and CEO of National Medical Fellowships (New York City). An experienced health system administrator, Ms. Davis began her role in May 2021, pulling down a $12 million investment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, initiating the organization’s global expansion, and more than doubling scholarship dollars for medical students of color. She was the first woman and person of color to serve as executive vice president at RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey, where she founded the system's ongoing Social Impact and Community Investment practice to address social/political determinants in the communities served by the system. She is author of the book Changing Missions, Changing Lives: How a Change Agent Can Turn the Ship and Create Impact.
Wyatt Decker, MD. CEO of Optum Health (Minn.). Dr. Decker is the CEO of Optum Health, a national integrated care delivery platform. Optum Health serves more than 100 million individuals through medical groups and clinics, ambulatory surgical and specialty care centers, behavioral health benefits and tools, and in-home and community health services. It also provides healthy lifestyle and prevention capabilities as well as financial services solutions for consumers and health systems.
Karen DeSalvo, MD. Chief Health Officer for Google (Calif.). Dr. DeSalvo is a health leader working at the intersection of medicine, public health and information technology. She has dedicated her career to improving health outcomes for all with a focus on solutions that address all the determinants of health. As chief health officer for Google, her team guides the development of Google’s research products and services. Before joining Google, Dr. DeSalvo was National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Assistant Secretary for Health (Acting) in the Obama Administration.
Michael Dowling. President and CEO of Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). As president and CEO of Northwell Health, Mr. Dowling leads a clinical, academic and research enterprise with a workforce of more than 83,000 and annual revenue of $16.5 billion. Northwell is the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York, caring for more than 2 million people annually through a vast network of more than 890 outpatient facilities, including 220 primary care practices, 52 urgent care centers, home care, rehabilitation and end-of-life programs, and 21 hospitals. He led Northwell’s COVID-19 response where the health system added 2,000 beds in two weeks and has so far treated more than 350,000 COVID-19 patients. Mr. Dowling also leads a national campaign against gun violence, organizing healthcare executives and leaders to support gun violence prevention initiatives and legislation
David Entwistle. President and CEO of Stanford Health Care (Calif.). Mr. Entwistle joined Stanford Health Care in July 2016 with extensive executive experience at leading academic medical centers. As president and CEO, he is focused on integrating Silicon Valley's innovative technology, such as wearable devices to improve health outcomes. He previously served nine years as CEO of the University of Utah Hospital & Clinics where he made significant contributions to healthcare administration management.
Melinda L. Estes, MD. President and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, Mo.). Dr. Estes has served as president and CEO of Saint Luke’s Health System since 2011. She is a board-certified neurologist and neuropathologist and she oversees the operations of Saint Luke's, a locally owned nonprofit health system with 14 hospitals and campuses. In 2020, she served as chair of the board of trustees for the American Hospital Association. As the top elected official of the national organization that represents more than 5,000 hospitals and health systems in the U.S., Dr. Estes helped address the many important ongoing issues facing healthcare, especially COVID-19 strategies for hospitals and health systems nationwide.
Gianrico Farrugia, MD. CEO and President of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Dr. Farrugia was elected as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic in 2019. In his role, he oversees the No. 1 ranked hospital by U.S. News & World Report and its 76,000-person workforce. He previously served as vice president of Mayo Clinic and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida, where lead a staff of 6,400 staff members and directed significant investment in people, technology and expansion, including the opening of the Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Building for patients seeking cancer neurology and neurosurgical care.
Judy Faulkner. CEO and Founder of Epic Systems (Verona, Wis.). Ms. Faulkner is the founder of Epic Systems. She founded the company in 1979 shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a master's degree in computer science. Epic supports the medical record of over 250 million patients and it is widely used by the United State’s top hospitals such as Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente. She was ranked No. 6 on Forbes’ “America’s Self-Made Women” list and in 2014 Business Insider ranked Epic No. 5 on its list of companies with the best pay and benefits. Ms. Faulkner is now leading the company through a transformation to support large scale data management, precision medicine and clinical trials.
David Feinberg, MD. Chair of Oracle Health. Dr. Feinberg is the chairman of Oracle Health where he works with a wide array of clients to operate and manage electronic medical records using Oracle Cloud infrastructure. The company has 420,000 customers worldwide, including the United States Department of Defense. He has more than 20 years of experience in the technology and healthcare industries. Dr. Feinberg uses that key mix in order to guide Oracle Health to use the most advanced technologies to, as he wrote on the Oracle Health blog, "help healthcare organizations deliver more equitable care and drive operational and financial sustainability." Dr. Feinberg has previous experience as CEO of Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger and leading Google Health.
Peter Fine. CEO of Banner Health (Phoenix). Mr. Fine has been the president and CEO of Banner Health, one of the nation's largest integrated, nonprofit healthcare organizations, since 2000. Banner employs over 50,000 people and has more than $12.4 billion in revenue. He has previous experience in a wide array of positions such as vice president and COO of Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee and president and CEO of Grant Hospital. Throughout the years, Mr. Fine has built a culture of trust throughout the organization.
Halee Fischer-Wright, MD. President and CEO of Medical Group Management Association (Englewood, Colo.). Dr. Fischer-Wright is the president and CEO of Medical Group Management Association who focuses on creating excellent cultures that emphasize the leverage of focused innovation in healthcare spaces. She was previously the president of Rose Medical Group and chief medical officer of Centura Health. Her most recent book, “Back to Balance: The Art, Science, and Business of Medicine” was a Los Angeles Times bestseller.
Jeffrey Flaks. President and CEO of Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare. As president and CEO of Hartford HeathCare, Mr. Flaks leads a $5.4 billion health system that cares for more than 1.7 million patients. He is determined to push his organization towards new ways to improve access and provide better care to underserved communities. During his tenure, he has also worked to help bridge the digital divide and forge partnerships with international med-tech accelerators such as MIT and the Israeli Innovation Authority.
Gerald "J.P." Gallagher. President and CEO of NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health (Evanston, Ill.). Mr. Gallagher is the president and CEO of NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health which is a newly formed health system that serves the greater Chicagoland metropolitan area.He oversees the organization's goals of growth of partners and ambulatory sites. The health system serves 1.5 million patients with a team of 25,000 members and is the third largest in Illinois. He previously served as COO for NorthShore where he was responsible for system operations, clinical quality results and financial performance.
Robert Garrett. CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health (Edison, N.J.). In his role, Mr. Garrett provides visionary leadership to help Hackensack Meridian Health make extraordinary advances in medical education, research and innovation, advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. In the last few years, he has helped to open the first private medical school in New Jersey in 60 years as well as the Center for Discovery and Innovation. He joined an international panel of experts at the United Nations in 2022 to help develop global standards for healthcare providers to identify and aid victims of human trafficking.
Mohan Giridharadas. Founder and CEO of LeanTaaS (San Francisco). In 2010, Mr. Giridharadas founded LeanTaas, a healthcare analytics company that uses algorithms to help health systems enhance patient access and decrease costs. Products from the company’s flagship suite, iQueue, have been used at over 600 hospitals and 175 top health systems throughout the U.S. Before he started the company, Mr. Giridharadas served as a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the lean manufacturing and lean service operations practice in North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Steven Goldstein. President and CEO of Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital (Rochester, N.Y.). Mr. Goldstein is responsible for guiding all operations and managed care activities for Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital. In 2009, he joined the board of trustees for the American Hospital Association, helping to create a plan that hospitals could use to attain savings in the healthcare delivery system. Prior to joining the hospitals, he served in a number of executive leadership positions at health organizations in the midwest.
Cary Grace. President and CEO of AMN Healthcare (Dallas). Ms. Grace has more than 30 years of experience producing profitable growth strategies for organizations across industries, including healthcare. She joined AMN Healthcare in late 2022 after spending time as CEO of Global Retirement, Investment and Human Capital at Aon. She spent more than 20 years at Bank of America and JPMorgan, leading national businesses and functions, before joining the healthcare sector. Ms. Grace has a passion for diversity and inclusion.
Robert I. Grossman, MD. Dean, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and CEO of NYU Langone Health NYU Langone Health (New York). Dr. Grossman has overseen the evolution of NYU Langone Health into one of the top academic medical centers in the nation. As CEO of NYU Langone and dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine since 2007, Dr. Grossman leads more than 45,000 employees, students and non-compensated faculty across six inpatient locations and over 320 sites throughout the New York City region and in Florida. He also curated a new approach to medical education, called Curriculum for the 21st Century, which emphasizes clinical training from the beginning of medical school and includes a revolutionary three-year MD program for select candidates.
Suresh Gunasekaran. President and CEO of UCSF Health (San Francisco). Mr. Gunasekaran oversees UCSF Health's nearly 18,000 staff, 1,290 beds and over $5 billion in annual revenue. He is also responsible for the system's growing network of Northern Californian affiliate organizations. Mr. Gunasekaran ensures that the system’s vision, growth and plans for innovation all come to fruition. Under his leadership, the UCSF Medical Center has been named among the top 10 hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital has been ranked among the country's best pediatric medical centers.
Gary Guthart, PhD. CEO of Intuitive (Sunnyvale, Calif.). Dr. Guthart assumed the top spot at Intuitive in 2010. His career spans more than 25 years in healthcare, engineering, and scientific leadership. Under his direction, Intuitive has grown to place more than 7,500 Da Vinci systems in 70 countries around the world. More than 12 million procedures have been performed using the Da Vinci robotic technology. Dr. Guthart also has experience as part of the team building technology for computer-enhanced surgery at SRI International, and he previously spent time at the Human Factors Lab at NASA.
J. William "Bill" Hankins, FACHE. CEO of AVALA (Covington, La.). With over 40 years in the healthcare industry, Mr. Hankins leads AVALA as the CEO by making effective, data-driven decisions, adapting to the healthcare industry’s ever-changing markets and fostering a positive company culture that leads to integrity and ethical behavior. He has also been instrumental in promoting diversity and inclusion, investing in sustainable business practices, and supporting the organization's philanthropic efforts.
Rodney B. Hanners, CEO of Keck Medicine of USC (Los Angeles). Mr. Hanners is the CEO of Keck Medicine of USC, one of only two university-based medical systems in the Los Angeles area. He oversees four hospitals — Keck Hospital of USC, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and USC Arcadia Hospital — and more than 100 unique clinics. Under his leadership, Keck Medical Center of USC, which includes Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, is among the top 50 hospitals in the country in eight specialties, as well as the top three hospitals in metro Los Angeles and top 10 hospitals in California, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-23 “Best Hospitals” rankings. Mr. Hanners is highly regarded for promoting a culture of trust and teamwork, and is deeply committed to ensuring that physicians and staff receive the support they need to care for themselves and provide exceptional patient care.
Antoinette Hardy-Waller, BSN, RN. Founder and President of The Leverage Network (Chicago). Ms. Hardy-Walker is the founder and president of The Leverage Network, a nonprofit that readies and elevates Black executives for senior executive and board roles in healthcare. Thanks to this work, healthcare organizations have altered their views and decision making processes about issues that impact communities of color. Ms. Hardy-Walker also serves on the board of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit health system with revenues of over $33 billion.
Matt Hawkins. CEO of Waystar (Louisville, Ky.). Mr. Hawkins was instrumental in forming Waystar and identifying multiple healthcare and technology-related investments. He led the $2.7 billion sale of the company to EQT and CPPIB. Bain Capital also has a minority stake in Waystar. Mr. Hawkins became CEO and joined the board in 2017 after spending time as president of Sunquest Information Systems. He has a robust background in acquisitions and leadership in the laboratory diagnostic informatics space. Mr. Hawkins was CEO and board member of two Vista Equity Partner portfolio companies and a consultant at McKinsey earlier in his career.
Rod Hochman, MD. President and CEO of Providence (Renton, Wash.). Dr. Hochman is the president and CEO of Providence, a health system with 51 hospitals across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. He works to ensure that access to excellent, empathetic care is obtainable in each of the communities that the system serves. Providence also has a robust virtual care program, a venture capital arm and partnership with Microsoft for digital transformation to become the "hospital of the future." Previously, he led Swedish Health Services, which is within Providence's family of organizations.
Clay Holderman. President and CEO of UnityPoint Health (West Des Moines, Iowa). In his role as president and CEO of UnityPoint, Mr. Holderman oversees the $4.6 billion health system, which employs 34,000 healthcare professionals and consists of 20 regional hospitals, 19 community hospitals, and almost 440 clinics. Under his guidance, the health system delivers affordable, individualized patient care. Before coming to UnityPoint Health, Mr. Holderman served as executive vice president and COO of Albuquerque, N.M.-based Presbyterian Healthcare Services.
Jason Hollar. CEO of Cardinal Health (Dublin, Ohio). Mr. Hollar joined Cardinal Health, a company with 46,000 employees and operations spanning over 30 countries, in April 2020. He brings over 25 years of experience to his role, having spent his career leading teams and building up business operations. He has previous experience as Cardinal Health's CFO, during which time he assisted in prioritizing investments, fortifying the balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders.
Joseph Impicciche. CEO of Ascension (St. Louis). Mr. Impicciche guides the Ascension leadership team towards its goal of providing quality, individualized care to all. The health system has 139 hospitals and 2,600 sites of care across 19 states. He champions a number of issues, including the expansion of access to care, gun violence as a public health concern, health equity, racial justice, drug cost reduction and healthcare technology innovation. He is on the board of the Catholic Health Association of the United States and American Hospital Association.
Laura Kaiser. President and CEO of SSM Health (St. Louis). Bringing over 30 years of deep healthcare experience, Ms. Kaiser joined SSM Health in May 2017. As president and CEO, she leads the $9 billion nonprofit health system, which has 40,000 team members and over 11,000 providers. Previously, Ms. Kaiser acted as executive vice president and COO for Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health.
Alan Kaplan, MD. CEO of UW Health (Madison, Wis.). Dr. Kaplan serves as the CEO of UW Health, a multi-state system with 21,000 staff members, 1,900 faculty physicians and nearly $5 billion in yearly revenue. As a nationally recognized healthcare leader, his focus has been leading clinical and cultural transformation on a large scale. Prior to his current role, Dr. Kaplan served as executive vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health. He was also the founder, president and CEO of UnityPoint Clinic.
Anne Klibanski, MD. President and CEO of Mass General Brigham (Boston). Dr. Kilbanski is the president and CEO of Mass General Brigham, a Boston-based integrated healthcare system that includes multiple nationally and internationally recognized hospitals, seven community hospitals, a health insurance company, physician networks, community health centers, home-based care, and long-term care services. She leads Mass General’s 82,000 employees, the most of any private organization in Massachusetts. Since 2019, she has led the clinical integration of services and the development of new digital platforms to achieve digital care to open up access to the system
Stephen Klasko, MD. Executive in Residence at General Catalyst. After spending years leading Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. Klasko transitioned to his role as executive in residence at General Catalyst. Dr. Klasko led Jefferson from a $1.8 billion system into a $9 billion system by the time he left in 2021. At General Catalyst, he aims to address health inequities with a creative overhaul of the existing healthcare system. He is a preeminent speaker in the healthcare space and was the distinguished fellow of the World Economic Forum in 2020.
K. Ranga Rama Krishnan, MB, ChB. Senior Advisor to the President and CEO of Rush University System for Health (Chicago). Dr. Krishnan has served as the senior advisor to the president and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center since July 2022. Before transitioning to his current role, he was CEO of Rush. His chief achievements as system CEO include the revamping of the medical college’s curriculum, organizing care delivery around patients and their conditions rather than by department, and the creation of crucial external partnerships.
Matthew Kull. CIO of Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland). Mr. Kull provides effective strategic leadership to Cleveland Clinic’s IT division as well as the entire enterprise. He is focused on Cleveland Clinic’s mission and vision and is attuned to the shifting priorities of the business. He has helped lead the unification of Cleveland Clinic’s technology footprint into a centralized, standardized and globally-scaled model of service delivery. In 2022 he won the Ohio 2022 CIO of the Year ORBIE Award.
Wright Lassiter III. President and CEO of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). As president and CEO of CommonSpirit, Mr. Lassiter is charged with leading 140 hospitals, over 1,500 care sites and 150,000 employees. He currently serves as board chair of the American Hospital Association. He brought a breadth of experience to CommonSpirit when he became president and CEO in 2022. Before joining CommonSpirit, he acted as CEO of Detroit-based Henry Ford Health and prior to that, he was the CEO of Oakland, Calif.-based Alameda Health System.
Omar Lateef, DO. President and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center (Chicago). Dr. Lateef was appointed as president and CEO of Rush University Medical Center in May 2019. He became president of Rush University System for Health in 2021 and CEO in July 2022. His leadership has garnered praise due to Rush's performance during the pandemic; the medical center was the only Chicago hospital to receive the Mayor’s Medal of Honor in 2021 thanks to its contributions throughout 2020.
Richard Liekweg. President and CEO of BJC HealthCare (St. Louis). Mr. Liekweg joined BJC HealthCare in 2009 as president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and group president for BJC HealthCare. He climbed within the ranks of the health system until he was appointed president and CEO in January 2018. He leads the nonprofit health system, which has over 30,000 employees and more than $6 billion in net revenues. In addition to his leadership of BJC, Mr. Liekweg serves on the board of Vizient, Washington University and the Missouri Hospital Association.
Neil Lindsay. Senior Vice President of Health Services at Amazon (Seattle). Mr. Lindsay oversees Amazon Health Services, and together with a team of health care experts, he is laser focused on building solutions that bring exceptional health care to more people, to make it dramatically easier for people to find, choose, afford, and engage with the services, products, and professionals they need to get and stay healthy. This includes Amazon Pharmacy – a full-service pharmacy that offers upfront pricing, home delivery, and pharmacists available 24/7, and Amazon Clinic – which helps customers get treatment for common conditions by connecting them with third-party telehealth providers. In addition, Amazon Health Services includes the recent acquisition of One Medical – which provides seamless in-office and 24/7 virtual care services, on-site labs, and programs for preventative care, chronic care management, common illnesses, and mental health concerns. Prior to leading Amazon Health Services, Mr. Lindsay served as SVP of Amazon World Wide Prime and Amazon World Wide Marketing.
Kevin Lobo. Chair and CEO of Stryker (Kalamazoo, Mich.). Mr. Lobo has been CEO of Stryker since October 2012, and took on the role of board chair in July 2014. Mr. Lobo has grown Stryker into a $18.4 billion company with 51,000 employees worldwide. The company now has more than 12,000 patents and is listed in the S&P 500 index. Stryker is also consistently ranked among one of the world's best places to work. Mr. Lobo also serves on the board of directors for Parker Hannifin and the Advanced Medical Technology Association. Previously, his business career ran the gamut from finance positions at various companies to president of Cincinnati-based Ethicon Endo Surgery.
Karen Lynch. President and CEO of CVS Health (Woonsocket, R.I.). As president and CEO of CVS Health, Ms. Lynch leads over 300,000 talented colleagues in pursuit of better health outcomes, expanded access to care and lower healthcare costs. With her guidance, CVS Health impacts over 100 million people and more than 9,000 community health destinations. The company realized double-digit revenue growth to $300 billion in 2022 and the company continues to expand its footprint with plans to acquire Oak Street Health. Among other honors, Ms. Lynch has earned a spot on Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” list for the past six years, including the top ranking in 2021 and 2022.
Mark Manigan. President and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health (West Orange, N.J.). Mr. Manigan initially joined RWJBarnabas Health in 2019 as executive vice president, business development. In 2020, he was promoted to chief strategy and development officer. Following the retirement of former president and CEO, Barry Ostrowsky, Mr. Manigan stepped into the role. He is a strategist who has been a key contributor to the system’s growth throughout his time with RWJBarnabas Health.
Geoffrey Martha. Chair and CEO of Medtronic (Dublin, Ireland). Mr. Martha heads Medtronic, a $32 billion healthcare company with 95,000 employees. Since he was named CEO in 2020, he has driven the company forward in its mission of delivering innovative technology to enhance human wellbeing. Under Mr. Martin’s guidance, Medtronic is wielding revolutionary technology, growing strategic acquisitions, pursuing new funding avenues, and partnering across industries and borders. Mr. Martin has been named as a top CEO in healthcare technology by the Healthcare Technology Report.
Lynn Massingale, MD. Co-founder and Chair of TeamHealth (Knoxville, Tenn.). Dr. Massingale co-founded TeamHealth’s predecessor in 1979, served as chair and CEO until 2008, and then assumed his current role as co-founder and chair. In his role, he ensures that TeamHealth provides excellent patient care, carries out its business practices in an ethical fashion and remains committed to innovative client service. He is a member of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine, the Tennessee Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians. He currently serves on the board of directors of Health Insights.
Dennis Matheis. President and CEO of Sentara Healthcare (Norfolk, Va.). With 27 years spent in senior leadership roles, Mr. Matheis brings a wealth of healthcare experience to his role as president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare. He and his leadership team lead 30,000 employees in their mission to improve health every day. He is on the executive committee of the Virginia Association of Health Plans and the board of directors for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk Forum and Dario Health. He also serves on the board of directors and executive committee for America’s Health Insurance Plans.
Cliff Megerian, MD. CEO of University Hospitals (Cleveland). Dr. Megerian leads University Hospitals, a health system with 21 hospitals, over 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, over 200 physicians offices and annual revenues totaling $5.4 billion. He joined the health system in 2002 and has since served in leadership roles, ultimately leading to his appointment as CEO in 2021. Dr. Megerian is credited with increasing physician productivity to its highest level, as well as raising physician engagement and research funding. He has been named the inaugural Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair and recently co-authored the second edition of a major surgical textbook, Surgery of the Cerebellopontine Angle.
Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD. President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. Since 2018, Dr. Mihaljevic has directed the $12.4 billion Cleveland Clinic, which consists of a main campus, 22 hospitals and 226 outpatient centers. He guides the system’s 72,500 caregivers in the delivery of superior care. Before becoming CEO and president, Dr. Mihaljevic served as CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi from 2015 to 2017, during which time he supported the facility's opening. Over the length of his career, he has performed nearly 3,000 operations, served on editorial review boards for medical journals, authored and co-authored articles and textbook chapters, patented a novel system for minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and more. He is also the first ever holder of the Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair, an endowment supporting leadership and innovation.
Redonda Miller, MD. President of The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Md.). As president of The Johns Hopkins Hospital, a 1,162-bed academic medical center with over 11,000 employees, Dr. Miller is responsible for guiding the hospital in providing the best possible clinical care, improving quality, safety and the patient journey, and enhancing health equity and outcomes. Under her leadership, the hospital has been recognized a number of times, including the U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Miller has been with the hospital since her days as a medical student in 1988, and has served in numerous administrative and leadership roles since.
Aaron Miri. Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer of Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.). Mr. Miri has served as Baptist Health’s senior vice president and chief digital information officer since 2021. In his role, he is tasked with crafting future plans for the health system from an IT standpoint, with a focus on digital strategy, innovation, cybersecurity, and enterprisewide technology integration. Mr. Miri has over 20 years of experience at the intersection of healthcare and technology, having previously served as CIO for the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School and UT Health Austin.
Janice Nevin, MD. President and CEO of ChristianaCare (Newark, Del.). Dr. Nevin, a leader in value-based healthcare, has held the top spot at ChristianaCare since 2014. Among her top priorities for the health system are health equity, anti-racism, accessible quality care and affordable care for the communities it serves. Dr. Nevin has driven ChristianaCare’s efforts to develop a new data-based care coordination platform, CareVio, which addresses the social and behavioral health needs of patients along with their medical needs. She also helmed the development of eBrightHealth ACO, which seeks to improve care coordination, clinical quality and value throughout Delaware.
Marvin O'Quinn. President and COO of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). As president and CEO of CommonSpirit Health, Mr. O’Quinn is responsible for system operations, physician enterprise, performance improvement, service area and market management, supply chain, and operational transformation. He has also been championing the system’s efforts to eradicate health inequities. Mr. O'Quinn was senior executive vice president and COO of San Francisco-based Dignity Health before the system merged with CHI Health to create CommonSpirit. He also has experience as president of Miami-based Jackson Health System.
Richard Pollack. President and CEO of the American Hospital Association (Chicago). Mr. Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, has led the organization's efforts to address significant workforce challenges. He is driving initiatives to enhance patient safety, reduce care disparities and boost diversity in healthcare. He is passionate about mitigating the threats cyber crimes pose to patients and healthcare systems, which led him to launch a partnership with the FBI and other government agencies to provide cybersecurity support and resources to healthcare organizations.
Thomas Priselac. President and CEO of Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles). Since 1994, Mr. Priselac has served as president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai, a top provider of health inpatient and outpatient services, medical research, and graduate and continuing medical education. He cares deeply about improving quality and access in healthcare. In addition to his leadership role, he is an adjunct professor at the UCLA School of Public Health. He also gives lectures about healthcare delivery and leadership at professional meetings and universities.
Dennis Pullin. President and CEO of Virtua Health (Marlton, N.J.). As the president and CEO of Virtua Health, Mr. Pullin works hard to deliver his leadership with a strong sense of purpose and vision. He led the organization to establish an affiliation and partnership with Rowan University to bolster their future medical workforce, create new opportunities for innovation and translational research, and help attract top talent to the region. His organization partners with Penn Medicine to develop South Jersey’s first proton therapy center. He is a member of the New Jersey Health Care Affordability Advisory Group, which assists Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration’s efforts to provide more accessible, affordable and transparent healthcare to New Jersey residents.
Marschall Runge, MD, PhD. CEO of Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor). In addition to his role as CEO of Michigan Medicine, Dr. Runge also serves as the University of Michigan’s executive vice president for medical affairs and dean of the medical school. In these roles, he is responsible for leading the health system and medical school in an executive officer capacity, as well as general oversight of the medical school as the dean. Dr. Runge’s career as a physician-scientist allows him to combine research with patient care and education. He has authored over 200 publications and holds five patents for new healthcare approaches.
BJ Schaknowski. CEO of symplr (Houston). Mr. Schaknowski is the CEO of symplr, which has provided enterprise healthcare operations software and services for 30 years. He is a software veteran who strives to guide the business to support the company’s large client portfolio. Mr. Schaknowski has also led the company through a series of acquisitions since becoming CEO, including Conduent’s Midas Health Analytics Solutions, Halo Health, SpinFusion, HealthcareSource, and Phynd. These additions position the company to provide better integration for complex healthcare operations and improve cost reduction strategies and services.
Louis Shapiro. CEO of Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City). Mr. Shapiro has been responsible for the oversight of strategy, operations and mission of Hospital for Special Surgery since 2006. With his guidance, the hospital has seen a great expansion of its facilities and has earned esteem in its specialty areas. His results-driven approach has led to high patient satisfaction scores, high employee engagement, and low infection and complications rates. HSS has earned U.S. News & World Report's No. 1 ranking for orthopedics over the last 13 years. Mr. Shapiro’s past roles include executive vice president and COO of Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger and board chairman of the Greater New York Hospital Association.
Terry Shaw. President and CEO of AdventHealth (Altamonte Springs, Fla.). As president and CEO of AdventHealth, Mr. Shaw leads one of the most expansive faith-based healthcare systems in the U.S., with almost 50 hospital campuses spanning nine states. He has been with AdventHealth for 37 years, serving as executive vice president, CFO and COO before assuming his current role. During his tenure with the system, he has cultivated a deep understanding of healthcare finance, IT, and operations that allows him to confidently determine plans for the organization’s future.
Edward Sheen, MD, MPH, MBA. Chief Population Health Officer, Senior Vice President of Health Catalyst (South Jordan, Utah). Dr. Sheen is the chief population health officer and senior vice president for Health Catalyst, a leading provider of advanced data, analytics technology and services to hundreds of top healthcare organizations. His experience has bridged the public, private, nonprofit and academic sectors and additionally includes work with Stanford, the White House Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the California State Assembly, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Blue Shield. In addition to his work at Health Catalyst, he is also a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University and at Washington University in St. Louis.
Jim Skogsbergh. Co-CEO of Advocate Health (Downers Grove, Ill.). Most recently serving as president and CEO of Advocate Aurora Health, Mr. Skogsbergh is now co-CEO of Advocate Health after the system merged with Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health last year. He is an influential leader with his finger on the pulse of healthcare transformation and innovation, countrywide health reform, patient safety and more. Under his direction, Advocate Aurora gained widespread recognition as a leader in clinical successes, technological advancements, workforce culture and safety.
Michael Slubowski. President and CEO of Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.). Mr. Slubowski is accountable for the betterment and progress of Trinity Health, an 88-hospital system spanning 26 states. He brings 40 years of experience as a healthcare executive to the role, including serving as system president and COO for Trinity Health. Previously, he served as president and CEO of Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health, among other leadership positions. He currently holds fellowships in the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American College of Medical Practice Executives, and serves on the Trinity Health board.
Johnese Spisso, RN. President of UCLA Health and CEO of UCLA Hospital System (Los Angeles). Ms. Spisso joined UCLA in 2016 as president of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Services. In her role, she is responsible for the oversight of all UCLA hospital and clinic operations, in addition to the system’s plan for regional outreach. She brings 30 years of experience in academic healthcare to the role, a majority of which was spent in leadership positions at Seattle-based UW Medicine.
Dave Stack. CEO of Pacira BioSciences (Parsippany-Troy Hills, N.J.). Mr. Stack became CEO of Pacira, a provider of nonopioid pain management and regenerative therapies, in November 2007. He also serves as the president of the company's board. He has grown Pacira to achieve record revenue in 2022 of $667 million, a 23 percent increase over the year prior. Before joining Pacira, Mr. Stack was managing partner of Stack Pharmaceuticals and president and CEO of The Medicines Company. He has previous experience as president and general manager at Innovex as well.
David Strong. President and Chief Executive Officer for Orlando Health (Orlando). As president and CEO of Orlando Health, Mr. Strong brings more than 20 years of experience to his role. He is committed to the organization’s mission of improving the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities it serves. He leads the $8.1 billion health system with 24 hospitals and 25,000 employees that serve Central Florida and Puerto Rico. He also serves as a chair for the Safety Net Hospitals Alliance of Florida, sits on the board of directors for the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the board of trustees for the Florida Hospital Association.
Warner L. Thomas. President and CEO for Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.). As president and CEO of Sutter Health, Mr. Thomas leads more than 50,000 employees, 12,000 physicians and 2,000 advanced practice clinicians who care for over 3 million patients in one of the most diverse and innovative regions in the country. In his first three months after joining in November of 2022, he met with leaders, staff, physicians and stakeholders to review the landscape the organization occupies. From there, he is already taking action to address pain points raised by those groups to create the infrastructure, capabilities and culture needed to be successful in their long-term strategy.
Imamu Tomlinson, MD. CEO of Vituity and President of Vituity Cares Foundation (Emeryville, Calif.). Dr. Tomlinson led efforts to create one of Vituity's first multihospital, multispecialty, integrated networks. He was appointed CEO in 2017 and has built a culture of brilliance within the company to challenge all team members to improve themselves and healthcare delivery. He is a champion of health equity and through his role leading Vituity Cares Foundation, Dr. Tomlinson addresses inequity and outcomes disparity in communities across the U.S. He also advocates for healthcare justice and raises awareness for healthcare to extend beyond the four walls of the hospital.
Michael Ugwueke. President and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (Memphis, Tenn.). Mr. Ugwueke has been president and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare since 2017, a promotion from his previous position as president and COO of the system. Over the span of 26 years, he has held various planning and operational healthcare leadership roles.
Chris Van Gorder. President and CEO of Scripps Health (San Diego). Mr. Van Gorder has helped shape Scripps Health into a strong, reputable healthcare institution since he became president and CEO in 2000. In his role, he manages all of the health system’s functions, nearly 17,000 employees, five acute-care hospital campuses, dozens of outpatient centers, the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute and the Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center. Mr. Van Gorder reorganized Scripps Health in 2010, which led to over $400 million in performance improvements in four years. Currently, he’s focused on instituting a dyad leadership model where administrators and physicians co-lead health operations. His journey in healthcare began as a patient with a critical injury, continued his education in healthcare management and climbed the ranks.
Rhoda Weiss, PhD. National Healthcare Consultant at Rhoda Weiss Consulting Group (Los Angeles). Dr. Weiss is a leader in strategy, marketing, branding, public relations, organizational name changes, crisis management and more. In 2012, she founded Health Market Leaders for chief marketing and communications officers from hospitals and health systems throughout the U.S. In 2020, she started hosting biweekly calls for healthcare executives. She also created BetterTogether.Health, which joined together Summit members from top health systems in Los Angeles County to create health-forward campaigns.
Sir Andrew Witty. CEO of UnitedHealth Group (Minnetonka, Minn.). As CEO of UnitedHealth Group, Mr. Witty directs strategy and performance for the entire system. In addition, he is a member of the UnitedHealth Group board of directors. He began his role in February 2021 after serving as executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and CEO of Optum since March 2018. In 2012, Mr. Witty was knighted for his services to the U.K. economy.
Eugene Woods. Co-CEO of Advocate Health (Downers Grove, Ill.). Mr. Woods brings 30 years of healthcare leadership experience to his role as CEO of Advocate Health. Prior, he was president and CEO of Atrium Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit academic health systems. There, he was responsible for over 70,000 teammates across 40 hospitals and over 1,400 care locations. He is currently a member of the Health, Strategy and Innovation Committee, the Healthcare Institute, the Becker’s Healthcare’s Advisory Board, the board of Best Buy, the board of Johnson C. Smith University and the Executive Committee of the Healthcare Leadership Council.