100 Academic Medical Center CEOs to Know
Becker’s Hospital Review 2020
Academic medical centers play an important role in the healthcare system today, both in caring for patients across the country and devoting resources to research and innovation for the next generation of treatment.
This list features 100 executives who lead academic medical centers and health systems across the country. The leaders highlighted here are responsible for large, often multisite institutions that provide cutting-edge technology and clinical trials. The list was developed initially by Becker’s Hospital Review and posted on March 24, 2020.
Note: Members of this list do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion.
List of 100
Danny Hardman. CEO of University Medical Center New Orleans. Mr. Hardman became CEO of University Medical Center New Orleans in June 2019, overseeing a 2,600-member staff and growth of the $1.2 billion medical center. He joined the health system after serving as COO and CNO of Christus Spohn Shoreline, a 557-bed hospital and level II Trauma Center, and the 341-bed Christus Spohn Memorial. In his new role, he is focusing on the quality, operational capacity, new service growth and population health at University Medical Center New Orleans.
Andrew Agwunobi, MD. CEO and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs of UConn Health System (Farmington). Dr. Agwunobi is responsible for the University of Connecticut’s $1 billion academic health system as the CEO and executive vice president of health affairs. He previously served as managing director and co-leader of the health system performance improvement consulting practice of Berkeley Research Group and CEO of a five-hospital region of Providence Health & Services in Renton, Wash. He also has experience as CEO of Atlanta-based Grady Health System and as president and CEO of Tenet South Fulton Hospital in East Point, Ga.
Richard Anderson. President and CEO of St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, Pa.). Mr. Anderson oversees a healthcare organization that spans more than 315 locations across Pennsylvania and serves about 1 million people as president and CEO of St. Luke’s University Health Network. During his tenure, St. Luke’s University Hospital earned a spot on Watson Health’s 100 Top Hospitals in 2018.
Larry Anstine. Interim CEO of UCI Health System (Orange, Calif.). Mr. Anstine became interim CEO of UCI Health System on Sept. 1, 2019. He has more than 30 years of experience as a leader at large academic and nonprofit medical centers. His previous roles include leading five hospitals that were part of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and CEO of the Ohio State University Hospital. In his current role, he will oversee initiatives including new facility construction and quality care improvement.
Michael Apkon, MD, PhD. President and CEO of Tufts Medical Center (Boston). Dr. Apkon became CEO of Tufts Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children in fall 2018. He previously served as president and CEO of Toronto-based The Hospital for Sick Children, or Sick Kids, overseeing the 300-bed institution. During his time as CEO, Dr. Apkon formed innovative partnerships among children’s hospitals in Ontario to share specialized expertise and resources. A proponent of patient safety, Dr. Apkon drove efforts that reduced preventable patient harm by two-thirds in under three years at Sick Kids.
Jeffrey Balser, MD, PhD. President and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Balser earned an MD and a PhD in pharmacology from Vanderbilt in 1990 and returned in 1998 as associate dean for physician scientist development after completing fellowships and residency training. He then served as chair of the anesthesiology department and chief research officer before becoming dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 2008 and president and CEO of VUMC in 2016. During his tenure in various leadership roles, Dr. Balser led the organization through service-volume growth, expanding the children’s hospital and adult critical care tower.
Daniel Barbee, BSN. CEO of The University of Toledo (Ohio) Medical Center. Mr. Barbee became CEO of the University of Toledo Medical Center in June 2016 after serving as COO and vice president of clinical services. He initially joined the hospital in 2011 as the chief nursing officer and associate executive director. In his current role, Mr. Barbee oversees a hospital with around 12,000 admissions and 250,000 ambulatory care visits each year. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Wael Barsoum, MD. President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida (Weston). Dr. Barsoum is an orthopedic surgeon and president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida. He also serves on the Cleveland Clinic Board of Governors and executive team. As a clinician and researcher, Dr. Barsoum holds the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Distinguished Chair in Healthcare Innovation at Cleveland Clinic and has more than 40 patents pending or granted. His practice focused on adult reconstructive surgery.
Kate Becker. CEO of University of New Mexico Hospital (Albuquerque). Ms. Becker became CEO of University of New Mexico Hospital in May 2018 after serving as president of SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. She also has experience as the interim president of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis and president of Richmond Heights, Mo.-based SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital. In her current role, Ms. Becker oversees operations at UNM Hospital, which sees 93,000 emergency visits and 7,000 trauma cases at its level 1 trauma center annually.
Alessandro Bellucci, MD. Executive Director of North Shore University Hospital (Manhasset, N.Y.). Dr. Bellucci oversees operations at North Shore University Hospital. He joined the hospital’s medical staff in 1982 and rose in the ranks to become medical director before becoming executive director. He also serves as an associate professor of medicine at Zucker School of Medicine in Hempstead, N.Y.
Marc Boom, MD. President and CEO of Houston Methodist. Dr. Boom oversees operations at the more than 1,000-bed Houston Methodist hospital network as president and CEO. An internal medicine physician by training, Dr. Boom also serves as the Ella Fondren and Josie Roberts Presidential Distinguished Centennial Chair of Houston Methodist and played an integral role in the health network’s affiliation with Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, both in New York City.
Marna Borgstrom. CEO of Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. Ms. Borgstrom has nearly 40 years of experience at Yale New Haven Hospital, from her post-graduate fellowship up to the CEO role, which she assumed in 2005. She also spent time as executive vice president and COO of the hospital before becoming the president and CEO of the health system. In addition to her role at Yale, Ms. Borgstrom chairs the boards of the Healthcare Institute and the Coalition to Protect America’s Healthcare.
Timothy Brierty. Ascension Texas Regional President overseeing Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, Ascension Shoal Creek and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin. Mr. Brierty became president of Ascension Texas, with responsibility for three of the system’s hospitals, in January 2020. He was previously COO of Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas and has a background in meeting patient satisfaction score goals and quality indicators for patient safety. In his current role, he oversees the day-to-day operations and develops policies and strategy for three hospitals.
Catherine Buck, MSN, RN. President of Froedtert Hospital (Milwaukee). Ms. Buck joined Froedtert Hospital in 1982 after working as a staff nurse at various hospitals in Chicago. During her time at Froedtert, Ms. Buck has been known for progressive leadership and pioneering patient safety and quality improvement initiatives. She became executive vice president and COO of the hospital in 1999 and was promoted to hospital president in 2010. She is responsible for bringing Six Sigma and Lean principles to the hospital.
A. Wesley Burks, MD. Dean of the UNC School of Medicine, Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs and CEO of UNC Health Care (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Dr. Burks became physician-in-chief of the North Carolina Children’s Hospital of UNC-Chapel Hill in 2011 and became executive dean of the UNC School of Medicine in 2015. He is responsible for the 11-hospital health system as CEO. During his time as a clinician, Dr. Burks was chair of the National Institutes of Health’s Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune and Immune-mediated Diseases study section and a past president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
David Callender, MD. President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston). Dr. Callender became president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System in 2019 and is responsible for the system’s more than 300 hospitals, diagnostic and specialty centers. He is an ENT surgeon with a reputation for forward-thinking and strategic planning. Prior to joining Memorial Hermann, Dr. Callender spent 12 years as president of the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Robert Cannon. President of Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis). Mr. Cannon joined BJC HealthCare in 2000 after serving as assistant dean of the University of Chicago’s division of biological sciences and Pritzker School of Medicine. In addition to being president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital since 2014, he is group president of BJC HealthCare and co-chair of the steering committee for the 10-year Washington University Medical Center campus renewal project. Mr. Cannon also serves on the board of the Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corp.
Patrick Cawley, MD. CEO of MUSC Health and Vice President for Health Affairs of Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, S.C.). As CEO of MUSC Health, Dr. Cawley oversees a health system with a campus in downtown Charleston as well as 100 other outreach locations, clinical affiliations and a telehealth network. He previously served as the health system’s CMO, overseeing quality and safety initiatives. The health system reports more than 1 million patient encounters per year. He is vice president for health affairs of the university and the first physician executive to serve as board chair of the South Carolina Hospital Association.
Giuseppe Colasurdo, MD. President of UT Health (Houston). Dr. Colasurdo became president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair in October 2012. He also served as dean and H. Wayne Hightower Distinguished Professor in the Medical Sciences of the John P. and Katherine G. McGovern Medical School from 2007-15.
Kevin Cook. CEO of UMMC Health System (Jackson, Miss.). Mr. Cook became the CEO of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2013 and was promoted to CEO of the health system in September 2015. During his tenure, Mr. Cook focused on improved efficiency and quality throughout the system and led efforts to develop relationships with other hospitals and providers. In his current role, Mr. Cook is responsible for strategic leadership of the health system’s university hospital, women’s hospital, children’s hospital and more.
Elizabeth Concordia. President and CEO of UCHealth (Aurora). Ms. Concordia joined UCHealth in September 2014 and now oversees a workforce of more than 25,000 people as president and CEO. She sets UCHealth’s strategic direction and is responsible for clinical operations and the financial success of the system, which includes 12 hospitals in Colorado with a total of 2,000 inpatient beds. Since she took the helm, the health system has focused on strategic partnerships, expanding its footprint across the region and developing new models of care. Ms. Concordia has previous experience as executive vice president of Pittsburgh-based UPMC.
Robert Corona, DO. CEO of SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital and Community Hospital (Syracuse, N.Y.). Dr. Corona is CEO of SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital and Community Hospital, a position he has held since December 2018. He also serves as the John B Henry Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and senior associate dean of clinical affairs. The health system includes 752 hospital beds and 9,460 employees.
Steven J. Corwin, MD. President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). As the president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, Dr. Corwin has overseen a nearly doubling in size of the health system, which now includes more than 45,000 employees and 10 hospitals. Along with its affiliated academic medical schools, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, NewYork-Presbyterian aims to pioneer medical research and provide quality care. The health system includes seven academic medical center campuses and Dr. Corwin led the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network and NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Groups to connect patients with the system’s providers. He also oversaw the launching of a digital telehealth services suite, among other innovations.
Gordon Crabtree. CEO of University of Utah Health (Salt Lake City). Dr. Crabtree spent time as the managing director of finance for the Salt Lake Olympic Committee before joining University of Utah Health in 2002. He also worked for the state of Utah as a director of finance. In his current position as CEO of the University of Utah Health, he is responsible for a health system that includes 1,400 board-certified physicians and 5,000 healthcare professionals staffing four hospitals.
Julie Creamer. President of Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago). Ms. Creamer became president of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in October 2015, after spending nearly 20 years on the health system’s leadership team. She was senior vice president of administration for Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and chief transformation executive for Northwestern Memorial Group. In her current role, Ms. Creamer oversees the primary teaching hospital for Northwestern University School of Medicine and Prentice Women’s Hospital and five pavilions providing specialty care.
Kenneth Davis. President and CEO of Mount Sinai Health System (New York City). Dr. Davis is president and CEO of Mount Sinai Health System and former CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center. During his tenure, the hospital improved its ranking among National Institutes of Health funding among medical schools, improved its Moody’s rating and earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s honor roll. A psychiatrist and pharmacologist by training, Dr. Davis served as chief of psychiatry at the Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center and launched programs at Mount Sinai focused on the biology of schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Eric Dickson, MD. President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care (Worcester, Mass.). Dr. Dickson became president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care in February 2013 after spending time as the president of UMass Memorial Medical Group. He also has experience as the senior associate dean of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and on the faculty at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass. In his current role, Dr. Dickson oversees the thee-hospital health system that includes the 773-bed UMass Memorial Medical Center with about 1,392 physicians.
Michael Duncan. President and CEO Chester County Hospital (West Chester, Pa.). Mr. Duncan has led Chester County Hospital since 2011, when he was appointed president and CEO. He oversees operations at the 243-bed inpatient complex as well as satellites across the region. Prior to joining Chester County, Mr. Duncan was executive director and CEO of Columbia Doctors at Columbia University in New York City.
Scott Ellner, DO. CEO of Billings (Mont.) Clinic. Dr. Ellner became CEO of Billings Clinic in January 2020 after serving as group president and CEO of Centennial, Colo.-based Cantura Health Physician Group. He has experience overseeing 900 physicians as part of the 17-hospital Centura Health as well as leading a group of more than 500 physicians as president of the Saint Francis Medical Group in Hartford, Conn. He has a passion for quality care and completed a year-long fellowship focused on patient safety and leadership with the American Hospital Association.
David Entwistle. President and CEO of Stanford Health Care (Palo Alto, Calif.). Mr. Entwistle joined Stanford Health Care in July 2016 after spending nine years as CEO of the University of Utah Hospital & Clinics in Salt Lake City. He serves as president and CEO of Stanford Health Care, aiming to advance healthcare with better technology application. He also has experience as a board member for the American Hospital Association and AAMC Council of Teaching Hospitals.
Gianrico Farrugia, MD. President and CEO of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Dr. Farrugia is president and CEO of Mayo Clinic, overseeing the three-hospital health system. He spent four years as CEO of Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville, Fla., hospital before taking on the systemwide CEO role in January 2019. Dr. Farrugia is an internal medicine physician by training and also served as director of the Center for Individualized Medicine and associate medical director for the Center for Innovation at Mayo.
William Ferniany, PhD. CEO of UAB Health System (Birmingham, Ala.). Dr. Ferniany became CEO of UAB Health System in 2008 after serving as associate vice chancellor and CEO of University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He also has experience in leadership roles at the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia. In his current role, Mr. Ferniany oversees operations at the health system, which has 1,157 licensed beds and 1,147 physicians.
Raymond Fredericks. Regional President of the Central Market for Hackensack (N.J.) Meridian Health. As the central market president for Hackensack Meridian Health, Mr. Fredericks oversees JFK Medical Center in Edison, N.J. He assumed the role in December 2018 after spending 28 years leading JFK Medical Center. He has experience as senior vice president, executive vice president, COO and president and CEO. He also serves on the New Jersey Hospital Association’s board of trustees and is a member of the Fair Share Hospital Collaborative, a group that aims to improve common business interests of New Jersey hospitals and health systems.
Gerald “J.P.” Gallagher. President and CEO of NorthShore University HealthSystem (Evanston, Ill.). Mr. Gallagher became president and CEO of NorthShore University HealthSystem in November 2017 after serving as COO of the health system. He has experience overseeing system operations, clinical quality results and financial performance. He was president of Evanston (Ill.) Hospital, the flagship teaching hospital of the system, and has served in leadership roles with Chicago-based Advocate Health Care.
Robert Garrett. CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health (Edison, N.J.). Mr. Garrett joined Hackensack University Medical Center in 1981 as a resident and rose through the ranks to become CEO of Hackensack University Health Network for seven years, until it merged with Meridian Health and he became co-CEO of the new entity. During his leadership of the health system, Mr. Garrett was instrumental in Hackensack University Health Network and Hackensack University Medical Center acquisitions, mergers and partnerships. The Wall Street Journal selected Mr. Garrett for its CEO Council, and in 2016 and 2017 he was named on the NJBIZ Power 50 in Health Care list, claiming the top spot in 2017.
Bryce Gartland, MD. Hospital Group President and Co-Chief of Clinical Operations for Emory Healthcare (Atlanta). Dr. Gartland is responsible for the overall performance and achievement of the seven Emory Healthcare hospitals. He previously served as CEO of Emory University Hospital after joining the system in 2005 as a hospital medicine physician. Throughout his career, Dr. Gartland has been instrumental in helping Emory achieve University HealthSystem Consortium ranking for quality and safety achievements.
Chris Ghaemmaghami, MD. Interim CEO of UVA Medical Center (Charlottesville). Dr. Ghaemmaghami became interim CEO of UVA Health in September 2019. He joined the health system as an emergency medicine physician in 1998 and has since held leadership roles including medical director and vice chair for the emergency medicine department. While overseeing the strategic direction and operations of the health system, he continues to see emergency department patients clinically.
G.E. Ghali, DDS, MD. Chancellor of LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport (La.). Dr. Ghali became chancellor and dean of LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport in October 2016. He previously served as professor and chairman of the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the system’s Health Sciences Center and retains his roles as the Jack W. Gamble Chair in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and director of the cleft and craniofacial surgery fellowship program. In 2015, Dr. Ghali was selected for fellowship ad hominem into the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Douglas Girod, MD. Chancellor of University of Kansas Health System (Kansas City, Kan.). Dr. Girod became chancellor of the University of Kansas in July 2017 after serving as executive vice chancellor at KU Medical Center, where he oversaw education, research, patient care and community engagement. Dr. Girod first joined KU Medical Center in 1994 as a head and neck surgeon and was appointed chair of the otolaryngology department in 2002.
Jeffrey Gold, MD. Chancellor and CEO of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha). Dr. Gold became chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and vice president of the University of Nebraska System in 2014; and in 2017 he became chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha as well. In his current role, Dr. Gold leads UNMC’s seven colleges and Nebraska Medicine’s 6,500 employees. He has previous experience as chancellor of academic and clinical health sciences at the University of Toledo (Ohio).
Carol Gomes. CEO of Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Hospital. Ms. Gomes became CEO of Stony Brook University Hospital on Feb. 4 after spending the previous six years as COO and then interim CEO of the hospital. Her new responsibilities include overseeing the 603-bed academic medical center, which also includes a newly opened Medical and Research Translation building and the Stony Brook University Cancer Center. During her tenure with Stony Brook, Ms. Gomes was instrumental in planning the expansion of its operating rooms and radiology suite as well as the integration of two hospitals into the health system.
Steven Goldstein. President and CEO of University of Rochester (N.Y.) Strong Memorial Hospital. Mr. Goldstein is responsible for the operations of Strong Memorial Hospital, ensuring organizational success in a managed care environment. He oversees the 250-bed community teaching hospital, which is integrated with a children’s hospital, as well as various expanded facilities including ambulatory care. Strong sees around 800 acute inpatients and 39,000 admissions annually. Mr. Goldstein also directs managed care activities for Strong and the University of Rochester Medical Center’s affiliates.
Robert Grossman, MD. Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health (New York City). Dr. Grossman became dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health in July 2007, responsible for the health system’s more than 330 locations, including six inpatient facilities. Since taking on the top executive role, Dr. Grossman has transformed the flagship hospital campus to add more than 7 million square feet of clinical, educational and research space and opened a new science building in January 2018. He is also credited with increasing the health system’s revenue by more than $7 billion with the leadership of NYU Langone’s board of trustees.
Audrey Gregory, PhD, RN. CEO of Detroit Medical Center. Dr. Gregory became CEO of Detroit Medical Center on Jan. 1, 2020. She previously served as the CEO of the adult central campus hospitals for DMC, including Detroit Receiving Hospital and Harper University Hospital. She also has experience as a market CEO with Tenet Healthcare’s Saint Francis Healthcare System and CEO of St. Francis Hospital-Memphis. Prior to joining DMC, Dr. Gregory was the chairperson of the Tennessee Hospital Association’s Tennessee Center for Patient Safety Advisory Council.
Suresh Gunasekaran. Associate Vice President of University of Iowa Health Care and CEO of UI Hospitals & Clinics (Iowa City, Iowa). Mr. Gunasekaran became CEO of UI Hospitals and Clinics in November 2018, previously serving as COO of University of Texas Southwestern Health System in Dallas. He has experience leading a joint venture population health services company in North Texas, which served 400,000 members, and spent time in revenue cycle operations at Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. In his current role, he oversees strategic, operational and financial performance for UI Hospitals & Clinics as well as the system’s children’s hospital.
Veronica Hall, MSM, MBA, RN. President of Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit). As president of Henry Ford Hospital, Ms. Hall is responsible for managing patient care services, leading daily operations and collaborating with medical staff and hospital leadership to lead quality and efficiency efforts. She joined Henry Ford Health System as a staff nurse in 1984 and later became nurse administrative manager and director of care design before taking her current role in 2004. Ms. Hall is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
Richard Hart, MD. President of Loma Linda (Calif.) University Health. Dr. Hart became president of Loma Linda University Health in March 2008 after spending seven years as chancellor and CEO of Loma Linda University. As a board-certified physician in preventive medicine, Dr. Hart has served as the chair of the department of health sciences, director of the Center for Health Promotion, chair of the School of Medicine department of preventive medicine and dean of the school of public health. He has a passion for mission work and is involved with Students for International Mission Service and Social Action Community Health System.
Michael Israel. President and CEO of Westchester Medical Center Health Network (Valhalla, N.Y.). During his tenure as president and CEO of Westchester Medical Center Health Network, the institution affiliated with New York Medical College to strengthen academic programs, clinical care and research practices. Westchester Medical Center serves a region of more than 3.5 million people and treats more than 120,000 patients across all clinical specialties each year. The 895-bed system encompasses a regional academic medical center, children’s hospital, community hospital and two inpatient behavioral health centers.
Thomas Jackiewicz. Senior Vice President and CEO of Keck Medicine of USC (Los Angeles). In his current role, Mr. Jackiewicz is responsible for overseeing Keck Medicine of USC’s clinical activities, medical groups and several other hospital locations. He sets the strategic vision for significant growth, alignment and integration across the medical enterprise. Mr. Jackiewicz is also instrumental in the health system’s acquisition and merger opportunities.
Danny Jacobs, MD. President of Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (Portland). Dr. Jacobs became president of Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in August 2018. He previously served as executive vice president, provost and dean of the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine. He also was the chief academic officer at University of Texas Medical Branch, where he oversaw 3,800 employees and trainees. In his current role, Dr. Jacobs is furthering the hospital’s mission to serve all Oregon residents and maintain a commitment to innovation.
Alan Kaplan, MD. CEO of UW Health (Madison, Wis.). In May 2016, Dr. Kaplan assumed the CEO role at UW Health, responsible for overseeing a clinical and cultural transformation that would focus on care coordination. He previously served as executive vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health. He also founded and served as president and CEO of UnityPoint Clinic, overseeing 1,300 providers. A board-certified emergency medicine physician, Dr. Kaplan is a fellow of the American Association of Physician Leadership and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Katrina Keefer. CEO of Augusta (Ga.) University Health System. Ms. Keefer became CEO of August University Health System in July 2019. She previously served as senior vice president and CFO of the UAB Health System’s Baptist Health, a three hospital health system. She spent more than 17 years at UAB, focusing primarily on finance and transactions. In her current role, Ms. Keefer oversees the 478-bed Augusta University Medical Center as well as the system’s more than 80 outpatient locations.
Stephen Klasko, MD. CEO of Jefferson Health (Philadelphia). Dr. Klasko is the CEO of Jefferson Health, which includes the merged Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University. He has served in the top spot since 2013, and since then its flagship hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, has earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of best hospitals. During his tenure, Jefferson Health has grown from a three-hospital health system to a 14-hospital system and more than doubled annualized revenue. In 2017, Dr. Klasko was at the helm when the system signed a contract with GE Healthcare to form a large risk-sharing partnership that aims to save $500 million in eight years.
Kelby Krabbenhoft. President and CEO of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.). As president and CEO of Sanford Health, Mr. Krabbenhoft oversees a health system that includes 44 medical centers and 482 facilities. Among the hospitals within the health system are Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford USD Medical Center, a 545-bed, 4,000 employee institution with a level 2 trauma emergency care center. In January 2019, Sanford merged with nationwide senior care services provider Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. With the completion of the merger, Sanford Health now employs nearly 50,000 individuals and maintains more than $5 billion in annual revenue.
Joseph Landsman Jr. President and CEO of University of Tennessee Medical Center (Knoxville). Mr. Landsman is responsible for operations at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, a 630-bed nonprofit academic medical center that is also a level 1 trauma center and among the largest employers in Knoxville. He is also on the Tennessee Hospital Association board of directors.
Lois E. Krahn, MD. Interim Vice President of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.) and CEO of Mayo Clinic Arizona (Phoenix). Dr. Krahn joined the board of directors at Mayo in 2013 and was appointed to her current role in January 2019. She has served as associate medical director of Mayo’s sleep medicine clinic and chair of the department of psychiatry and psychology in Arizona. In addition to overseeing the 268-bed hospital, Dr. Krahn is the deputy director for Mayo’s Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
Mark Laret. President and CEO of UCSF Health (San Francisco). Mr. Laret held leadership positions at UCLA Medical Center for 15 years and then became CEO of UC Irvine Medical Center for five years before joining UCSF in 2000. During his tenure, Mr. Laret led initiatives to improve the healthcare delivery experience, increase patient safety, and establish a regional network of hospitals and physicians. As president and CEO, he is responsible for the $4 billion health system including a 950-plus bed medical institution. He is also the founder of Canopy Health, a physician- and hospital-owned accountable care network of 4,000 providers in the San Francisco area.
Omar Lateef, DO. CEO of Rush University Medical Center (Chicago). Dr. Lateef became CEO of Rush University Medical Center in May 2019 after working as the health system’s CMO. He helped design and implement Rush’s initiatives related to clinical quality, patient safety and performance improvement. Dr. Lateef joined the health system in 2002 and was previously associate dean of medical sciences at Rush University.
Stephen Leffler, MD. President and COO of The University of Vermont Medical Center. Dr. Leffler oversees the University of Vermont Medical Center as president and COO, a position he took on in January. He has previous experience as an emergency room physician at UVM Medical Center and spent two years as chief population health and quality officer. He also served as the hospital’s CMO for around seven years. In addition to his leadership at UVMMC, Dr. Leffler has been president of the Vermont Medical Society.
Richard Liekweg. President and CEO of BJC HealthCare (St. Louis). Mr. Liekweg became president and CEO of BJC HealthCare on Jan. 1, 2018. He is responsible for a large nonprofit integrated healthcare delivery organization that includes more than 31,000 employees. He originally joined the health system in 2009 as president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and group president of BJC. He later spent time as executive vice president and then president of BJC, advancing operational and clinical excellence systemwide.
Richard Lofgren, MD. President and CEO of UC Health (Cincinnati). Dr. Lofgren is responsible for UC Health, a health system that includes 11,000 employees, physicians and advanced care practitioners. The health system includes the University of Cincinnati Medical Center as well as West Chester Hospital and 30 outpatient service sites in three states. Dr. Lofgren has previous experience as senior vice president and chief clinical officer for University HealthSystem Consortium, now known as Vizient.
David Lubarsky, MD, MBA. Vice Chancellor of Human Health Services and CEO of UC Davis Health (Sacramento). Dr. Lubarsky is CEO of UC Davis Health,a major contributor to the Sacramento region’s health and economy with 14,000 employees, 1,000 students, 1,000 faculty members, an annual operating budget of $3 billion, and about 1 million outpatient visits each year. Lubarsky oversees UC Davis Health’s finances and academic, research and clinical programs, including the School of Medicine, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, the 1,000-member physician practice group, the community network, and UC Davis Medical Center, a 625-bed Level l Trauma hospital consistently ranked among the nation’s best. UC Davis Health is rated among the top 30 nationally for medical research.
Kevin Mahoney. CEO of University of Pennsylvania Health System (Philadelphia). Mr. Mahoney became CEO of University of Pennsylvania Health System in July 2019. Mr. Mahoney previously served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer for the health system, where he has spent more than 23 years of his career. In his current role, Mr. Mahoney is responsible for leading health system growth and expanding its reach across the region.
Steve Massini. CEO of Penn State Health (Hershey, Pa.). Mr. Massini became CEO of Penn State Health in 2019. He previously served as the health system’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer, and CFO of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center before that. In his current role, Mr. Massini oversees the $2.3 billion health system, which has more than 14,000 team members. He previously served as CAO and CFO of Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger.
Patty Maysent. CEO of UC San Diego Health. Ms. Maysent has been CEO of UC San Diego Health since January 2016, responsible for the health system’s 7,500 team members and $1.7 billion operating budget. She is also credited with building the health system’s strategic plan, focused on clinical excellence, patient experience, performance management and growth. Ms. Maysent joined the health system in June 2012 as chief of staff and became chief strategy officer in 2013 before being promoted to CEO in 2016. She previously served as CEO of St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, Calif.
John Mazziotta, MD, PhD. Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health (Los Angeles). Dr. Mazziotta joined the UCLA School of Medicine faculty in 1983 and rose through the ranks to become the dean of the medical school and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences before taking on his current role in 2015. Throughout his career, Dr. Mazziotta has published more than 260 research papers and been elected to the American National Academy of Medicine and the British Royal College of Physicians. In his current role, Dr. Mazziotta is responsible for a health system that includes around 40,000 hospital stays, 2.5 million outpatient clinic visits and 20,000 employees.
Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD. President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. As president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Mihaljevic leads an $8 billion health system with 10 regional hospitals and facilities in three states and two international locations. Before taking on his current role in 2018, Dr. Mihaljevic served as CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a 365-bed hospital and clinic, and spent five years as chief of staff and chairman of the hospital’s heart and vascular institute.
Redonda Miller, MD. President of Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Md.). Dr. Miller became the 11th president of Johns Hopkins Hospital in May 2016 after serving as vice president of medical affairs for the hospital and senior vice president of medical affairs for Johns Hopkins Health System. Throughout her career, Dr. Miller has collaborated with health system leaders to advanced strategic initiatives and consolidate such areas as medical staff peer review and health information management. She is the founding editor of The Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review and has earned a spot on Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record twice.
Dennis Murphy. President and CEO of IU Health (Indianapolis). Mr. Murphy joined IU Health as COO in 2013 and was eventually promoted to president and CEO. He has experience overseeing systemwide operations of the 18-hospital health system, which includes a staff of around 30,000 team members. Prior to joining IU Health, Mr. Murphy served as executive vice president and COO of Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and as vice president of ambulatory services and financial planning for University of Chicago Hospitals.
Elizabeth Nabel, MD. President of Brigham Health (Boston). As president of Brigham Health, Dr. Nabel is responsible for operations at the health system’s hospitals, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. She is leading the development of a new model of academic medical centers focused on scientific discovery, education and compassionate care. She has spent her career advocating for healthcare delivery and increased access to care, previously serving as director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
David Nelson, MD. Interim Senior Vice President for Health Affairs of the University of Florida and President of UF Health (Gainesville). Mr. Nelson oversees operations for UF Health and the university’s academic health center as president of the health system and interim senior vice president for health affairs of the University of Florida. He is responsible for the health system’s 22,000 employees and two hospital campuses, nine research institutes and centers, two teaching hospitals, and two specialty hospitals. Dr. Nelson has previous experience as director of the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
Mark Newman, MD. Executive Vice President for Health Affairs of UK HealthCare (Lexington). In his role as executive vice president for health affairs of UK HealthCare, Dr. Newman oversees the clinical care at the University of Kentucky and UK College of Medicine along with the institution’s provost. He previously served as an anesthesiologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. He eventually became the chief of cardiothoracic anesthesiology, chair of anesthesiology and chairman of the board of Duke’s physician practice organization.
Steven Newton. President of Baylor University Medical Center (Dallas). Mr. Newton became president of Baylor University Medical Center in July 2018 after spending 14 years with the health system. Prior to that, he served as president of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Grapevine (Texas) and the west region. He now oversees the health system’s North Texas region, which includes Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Waxahachie (Texas) and Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Center-Dallas in addition to the 914-bed BUMC.
Thomas Owens, MD. President of Duke University Hospital (Durham, N.C.). Dr. Owens became president of Duke University Hospital on Jan. 1, 2018 after serving as Duke University Health System’s CMO. During that time he led a system redesign and realignment of care delivery. He also successfully oversaw the expansion of the health system’s primary care network and was instrumental in shaping the system’s approach to population health. He also serves as senior vice president for Duke University Health System and an associate professor of pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.
Harold Paz, MD. Executive Vice President and Chancellor for Health Affairs at The Ohio State University and CEO of Wexner Medical Center (Columbus). Dr. Paz oversees the health science colleges at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center, a $4 billion enterprise with seven hospitals and a college of medicine. He joined Ohio State in June 2019 after spending time leading the clinical strategy and policy at Aetna as executive vice president and chief medical officer. He also has experience as president and CEO of Penn State Hershey Health System.
Amy Perry. CEO of the Hospital Division and Leader of Integrated Care Delivery for Atlantic Health System (Morristown, N.J.). Ms. Perry oversees operations at Atlantic Health System’s six hospitals, including Morristown Medical Center. She develops and manages growth initiatives for the hospitals as well as specialty service lines and more than 400 ambulatory and post-acute service sites. She also oversaw the 2017 rollout of Atlantic Health Advancements, aimed to inspire the health system’s employees and physicians to improve care delivery and results.
Daniel Podolsky, MD. President of UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas). Dr. Podolsky became president of UT Southwestern Medical Center in September 2008. He also holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery Jr., MD, Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science. Dr. Podolsky is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and former president of the American Gastroenterological Association. Before joining UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Podolsky held various positions at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Thomas Priselac. President and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles). Mr. Priselac joined Cedars Sinai in 1979 and became president and CEO of the hospital in 1994. Over the years, Cedars-Sinai has earned a reputation for quality care and community service in addition to advanced research and education. Beyond his role at Cedars-Sinai, Mr. Priselac is a past chair of the American Hospital Association board of trustees and the Association of American Medical Colleges. He was instrumental in developing the Affordable Care Act as chair of the AHA in 2009.
Ben Raimer, MD. Interim President of UTMB Health (Galveston, Texas). Dr. Raimer oversees UTMB Health as the interim president. He has more than five decades as a physician leader in Galveston and served as the senior vice president for the Office of Health Policy and Legislative Affairs at UTMB. He is a former president of the Texas Pediatric Society and served as chair of the advisory council of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Paul Ramsey, MD. CEO of UW Medicine and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the UW School of Medicine (Seattle). An internal medicine and infectious disease physician, Dr. Ramsey has served at UW Medicine as the Robert G. Petersdorf Endowed Chair of Medicine and a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Faculty Scholar in General Internal Medicine. As CEO of UW Medicine, he now oversees 28,218 faculty and staff members. He also serves as vice president for medical affairs and dean of the UW School of Medicine, and maintains his membership on the Association of American Physicians and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.
Michael Rao, PhD. President of Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System (Richmond). Dr. Rao is president of VCU and VCU Health System, overseeing the system’s academic medical center that includes 20,000 employees. Under his leadership, VCU has grown to include 19 graduate and first-professional programs and VCU Medical Center has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in Richmond by U.S. News & World Report.
Cliff Robertson, MD. CEO of CHI Health (Omaha). Dr. Robertson is CEO of CHI Health, the Nebraska/Southwest Iowa division of Catholic Health Initiatives. He oversees 14 hospitals, including Creighton University Medical Center, and 136 clinic locations with more than 12,500 employees divisionwide. He was interim CEO of St. Luke’s Health System in Houston and COO of CHI Franciscan Health in Washington state.
Jeffrey A. Romoff. President and CEO of UPMC (Pittsburgh). Mr. Romoff is responsible for 40 academic, community and specialty hospitals, including 87,000 employees and 700 physician offices across the UPMC health system. Since Mr. Romoff took the reins, UPMC has become a $19 billion, fully integrated global health enterprise that also includes a 3.5 million-member health insurance services division. He was named president of UPMC in 1992 after serving as executive vice president of UPMC; he added the CEO role in 2006.
Kimberly Russo. CEO of George Washington University Hospital (Washington, D.C.). Ms. Russo became CEO of George Washington University Hospital in May 2016 after spending about seven years as COO. With more than 20 years of clinical and operational experience, Ms. Russo has been honored among The Washington Business Journal’s 2016 playmakers for the impact she makes on the D.C. area. In her current role, she oversees operations at the hospital, which had 20,777 inpatient admissions, 79,574 emergency room visits and 120,606 outpatient visits last year.
Kenneth N. Sable, MD. Regional President, Southern Market for Hackensack (N.J.) Meridian Health. Dr. Sable oversees Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., among other institutions, as the regional president, southern market for Hackensack Meridian Health. Dr. Sable was integral in a $300 million initiative to open a new patient care pavilion, emergency department, operating rooms and patient care amenities. Dr. Sable has completed the New Jersey Healthcare Executive Leadership Academy’s program.
Michael Sachtleben. President of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (Washington, D.C.). Mr. Sachtleben became president of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in 2016 after spending 13 years with the health system. He previously served as COO for MedStar Georgetown and executive director of the MedStar Georgetown Physician Group. He has experience engaging clinicians and implementing best practices in patient service and clinical care.
Louis Shapiro. President and CEO of Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City). As president and CEO of Hospital for Special Surgery, Mr. Shapiro oversees a 215-bed, orthopedics-focused academic medical center with 333 members of the active medical staff. He has held his role since October 2006, responsible for strategic operations and building a strong internal culture. During his tenure, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Hospital for Special Surgery No. 1 in orthopedics multiple times. Mr. Shapiro has more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including time spent as executive vice president and COO of Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger.
Kayse Shrum, DO. President of OSU Center for Health Sciences (Tulsa). Dr. Shrum is president of OSU Center for Health Sciences and dean of the medical school. She also holds the George Kaiser Family Foundation chair in medical excellence and service and St. Francis Health System endowed chair of pediatrics. Since she took the helm, the health system has seen huge growth, including double student enrollment and raising more than $22 million to build a clinical skills simulation building. She also drives efforts to develop a sustainable rural primary care physician pipeline program.
Daniel Simon, MD. President of UH Cleveland Medical Center. Throughout his career as a clinician, Dr. Simon has served in several leadership roles and was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He has served as the official cardiovascular healthcare partner of the Cleveland Browns and served on the editorial boards of Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In his current role at the head of UH Cleveland Medical Center, Dr. Simon leads a 1,032-bed tertiary medical center that includes a children’s hospital and the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.
Peter Slavin, MD. President of Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). Dr. Slavin became president of Massachusetts General Hospital in 2003 after spending three years as chairman and CEO of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. He has previous experience as president of St. Louis-based Barnes-Jewish Hospital and senior vice president and CMO of Massachusetts General Hospital. An internal medicine physician by training, Dr. Slavin teaches internal medicine and healthcare management at Boston-based Harvard Medical School.
Mohan Suntha, MD. President and CEO of University of Maryland Medical Center University and Midtown Campuses (Baltimore). As president and CEO of UMMC, Dr. Suntha oversees the two-campus academic medical center, which includes 9,000 employees and 1,000 licensed acute care and ICU beds. He previously spent four years as the president and CEO of University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Baltimore. Under his leadership, the health system is implementing environmental initiatives and plans to open a new 101,600-square-foot outpatient surgery center this year.
Kent Thielen, MD. Vice President of Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.) and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida (Jacksonville). Dr. Thielen was appointed vice president of Mayo Clinic and CEO of Mayo Clinic Florida in January 2019. He has more than 22 years of experience on the Mayo Clinic staff, having served as chair of the Mayo Clinic department of radiology in the Midwest. Dr. Thielen also spent nine years as chair of the division of neuroradiology in the radiology department.
Mason Van Houweling. CEO of University Medical Center (Las Vegas). After serving as COO of UMC, Mr. Van Houweling became CEO in December 2014. He is responsible for the direction of clinical and administrative services at the hospital and facilitates improvement efforts. He was a healthcare leader and administrator in Orlando and Dallas before moving to Las Vegas. Throughout his career, Mr. Van Houweling has spearheaded efforts to reduce readmissions, streamline billing practices and improve HCAHPS scores.
Shawn P. Vincent. President and CEO of Loyola Medicine (Maywood, Ill.). As president and CEO of Loyola Medicine, Mr. Vincent is responsible for the health system’s 547-bed academic medical center, MacNeal Hospital, a 374-licensed-bed teaching hospital and Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, a 247-licensed-bed community hospital. He joined Loyola in 2018 after serving as COO of Augusta (Ga.) University Health. Mr. Vincent also has experience in leadership roles with Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
K. Scott Wester. President and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (Baton Rouge, La.). As president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Mr. Wester oversees an 880-bed hospital with more than 400 employed physicians. The medical center includes a trauma center, children’s hospital and 90-bed community hospital. Before his current role, Mr. Wester served as president and CEO of Monroe, La.-based St. Francis Medical Center.
Chad Whelan, MD. CEO of Banner University Medicine Tucson. As CEO, Dr. Whelan oversees both Banner’s Tucson campus and Banner University Medical Center South, several clinics and Banner’s physician practice plan in Tucson. Before joining Banner in September 2018, Dr. Whelan was a professor of medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and president of Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., where he was responsible for about 700 employed physicians and 4,500 employees.
Albert Wright Jr., PharmD. President and CEO of West Virginia University Health System and West Virginia University Hospitals (Morgantown). Mr. Wright is president and CEO of West Virginia University Health System and WVU Hospitals, a position he took after serving in senior-level roles at Pittsburgh-based UPMC. He is now responsible for operations at the health system, including its 690-bed flagship hospital, the state’s leading academic medical center.
Michael Young. CEO of Temple University Health System and President and CEO of Temple University Hospital (Philadelphia). Mr. Young became CEO of Temple University Health System in February 2020, adding to his role as president and CEO of Temple University Hospital. He is focused on stabilizing the health system and following through with restructuring the health system, a process that began in 2018. He has previous experience leading academic medical centers and joined Temple as COO in 2018.
Michael B. Zenn. CEO of University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics (Chicago). Mr. Zenn became CEO of University of Illinois Hospitals and Clinics in February 2018. He has more than 30 years of hospital leadership experience, including around three years as CFO of University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics. He also spent time as an engagement partner at Chicago-based healthcare professional services firm Tatum and held executive administration roles at Northwest Community Healthcare and Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill.
CREDITS:
Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments on this list.
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/100-academic-medical-center-ceos-to-know-2020.html
Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments on this list.