Mr. Simpkins serves as executive vice president and chief marketing, communications and community affairs officer at Rochester Regional Health. There, he leads brand strategy, marketing, public relations, digital communications, internal engagement, community affairs and government relations across one of New York’s largest regional health systems, which encompasses five hospitals, 80-plus ambulatory locations and more than 19,000 team members. Since joining in 2022, he has led the system’s first comprehensive rebrand in nearly a decade, creating a unified identity for all hospitals and service lines that has driven measurable gains in awareness and brand preference across New York, and spearheaded a digital transformation that launched a new enterprise website resulting in double-digit increases in online engagement and care conversions. Mr. Simpkins has also deepened the system’s role as a community anchor, expanding outreach to address maternal health disparities, behavioral health access, and neighborhood wellness, including through communitywide events such as the Rochester Regional Health “International Jazz Festival.” Under his leadership, the system has earned numerous honors, including being ranked among the top 25 hospitals in New York State by U.S. News & World Report in 2025 and multiple Greater Rochester Quality Council “Performance Excellence Awards.” Mr. Simpkins serves as a member of the system’s executive leadership team and as executive sponsor of the Community Impact Council. He previously held senior leadership roles at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine and the American Cancer Society.
