Mr. Neeley leads Dignity Health Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, a 104-bed rural hospital where he has driven a sustained cultural and operational transformation grounded in high reliability organizing and a commitment to zero harm. Under his leadership, the hospital has earned five consecutive Leapfrog “A” safety grades and three consecutive Leapfrog “Top Rural Hospital” designations from 2023 through 2025, making it the only hospital in California to achieve that distinction during that period. Dr. Neeley has overseen year-over-year growth in admissions, emergency department visits, surgeries and deliveries while leading successful physician recruitment in general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine and other key specialties. A signature accomplishment has been the launch of a rural family medicine residency program, which has achieved outstanding match results for three consecutive years and serves as a cornerstone of the hospital’s long-term workforce strategy. Beyond hospital walls, Dr. Neeley co-founded HealthSpan Nevada County with Nevada County, a community collaborative dedicating startup funding to improving access to healthy movement, nutrition, social connection and supportive environments for youth and families. A practicing internist and critical care specialist with more than 30 years of clinical experience, he previously served as chief medical officer at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, Calif., and currently serves as president of the Nevada County economic resource council.
