Ms. Ness became president and CEO of PeaceHealth in January 2026, making her the second female lay leader in the history of the 135-year-old nonprofit Catholic health system. PeaceHealth includes about 16,000 caregivers, nearly 3,200 physicians and clinicians, more than 160 clinics and nine medical centers across Washington, Oregon and Alaska. She brings more than 25 years of leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge to the role, having previously served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. She has held multiple other senior leadership roles throughout her career at PeaceHealth. Ms. Ness has prioritized strengthening a culture of accountability, belonging and purpose. She has outlined three clear priorities for PeaceHealth: deepening connections through direct engagement to build trust, modernizing the system’s care delivery and services model while improving access and accelerating growth, and strengthening the system’s operational and financial health to invest in talent, technology and services. Her vision is already yielding notable results through expanded access to primary and specialty care through transfer acceptance, fast-track clinic models and digital pathways.
