Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please submit the good news—or the bad—from your shop, and we will feature it here each week.
Week of May 25
>Drew Altman, M.D., founding president and CEO of the influential heath policy research, polling and news nonprofit KFF, will retire from his roles at the end of this year.
He formed the organization in 1990 out of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and has since expanded its scope to include the country's largest newsroom focused on health policy, KFF Health News.
“With two small grandkids in Sacramento and Atlanta and another on the way, after what will be almost 37 years of very hands-on leadership since I founded KFF, and with KFF at the apex of its effectiveness, and the opportunity for a perfect transition, the clock in my head is telling me it’s time,” Altman said in this week's announcement.
Following the recommendation of a search committee, KFF has unanimously appointed two in-house leaders to take on Altman's titles: Larry Levitt, currently executive vice president for health policy, as CEO; and Mollyann Brodie, Ph.D., currently executive vice president and chief operating officer, as president.
The pair have a combined six decades of experience at KFF already under their belt, and will take on board positions with their new roles. They will work with Altman to ensure a smooth transition through the end of the year, officially stepping into his shoes in January 2027
>Visory Health, a prescription savings program, has promoted two executives: Alexandra Robertson to chief growth officer, and Brittney Tierce to chief technology officer.
Robertson started as vice president of growth, driving the company's expansion and presence in more than 38,000 pharmacies nationwide. She will now oversee growth strategy, partnership development and program innovation.
"Visory is positioned to redefine what prescription access looks like for underserved populations, making affordability and access the norm, not the exception," Robertson said in a press release shared in advance with Fierce Healthcare.
Meanwhile, Tierce created the tech underlying Visory. She will now drive the tech strategy company-wide, including security, tech and AI innovation.
"Technology should be a bridge, not a barrier," Tierce said in the announcement. "My focus is raising that bar continuously by creating smarter systems, faster delivery and infrastructure that scales access to the communities we serve."
Week of May 18
> Healthcare AI company Abridge brought on board a new chief technology officer, San Oo, as it expands its technology into more health systems. Oo joins Abridge after previously holding leadership roles at Slack and Notion, two popular workplace and productivity software tools.
At Notion, Oo set engineering goals and directions, with a strong focus on reliability, developer velocity and agentic engineering, according to an Abridge press release. At Slack, he helped build the engineering organization during the "hypergrowth years" that defined modern workplace collaboration. Earlier, he served as CTO at ShopBack, a unicorn in the Asia-Pacific region. He was also a founding member of two companies that were later acquired: Mumbo Inc., acquired by LinkedIn in 2012, and Astro Technology, acquired by Slack in 2018.
"The platforms San helped build altered the texture of work with thoughtful technology and exceptional craft that facilitate human connection,” Shiv Rao, M.D., CEO and founder of Abridge, said in a statement. “Healthcare is the next industry that needs that kind of care and platform-level rethink, and San is the rare engineering leader who's done it multiple times."
Abridge is rapidly scaling its AI scribe and clinical decision support technology. It is live in more than 270 of the largest health systems in the U.S., including Duke Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sutter Health and Yale New Haven Health. The platform will support more than 100 million patient conversations in 2026.
"I've spent my career building products and platforms that people love to use that are secure and reliable. Now I want to do the same for healthcare, where the stakes are even higher,” Oo said in a statement. “Abridge already sits at the center of the most important moment in healthcare, the conversation between a clinician and a patient. The opportunity now is to extend that intelligence across the entire system."
Week of May 11
> Alignment Healthcare has announced multiple leadership changes that it says will power up the company for long-term growth.
In an announcement, the insurtech said that CEO John Kao has also been named as chairman of the board, allowing him to work more closely with board members. Alongside this shift, previous board chair Joseph Konowiecki has been named vice chairman and as Alignment's executive vice president of corporate affairs.
In the role, Konowiecki will provide critical enterprise-wide leadership as the team looks to build scale, Alignment said in the announcement. Konowiecki is a veteran healthcare executive.
Mark Kent will also join Alignment as president of its management services organization, or MSO. Kent brings experience in value-based care and primary care to the position, having previously held leadership roles in Humana's primary care division, Alignment said.
Alignment Healthcare has also tapped Shane Hochradel as its new chief operating officer. Hochradel has held leadership positions at Elevance Health, Highmark and UnitedHealth Group, per the announcement. All three executives will report to Kao.
“Together, these leadership additions strengthen Alignment’s operating model and position the company well for sustained growth and execution at scale,” Kao said in the announcement.
Week of May 4
> Highmark Health has tapped former UnitedHealth Group executive Heather Cianfrocco as its new chief operating officer.
In her time at UHG, Cianfrocco held multiple key leadership positions, including serving as CEO of Optum where she helmed its three core business lines: Optum Rx, Optum Health and Optum Insight. She was most recently the healthcare giant's executive vice president of governance, compliance and information security.
She announced her departure from UnitedHealth in March.
"We have boldly said that we want to be one of the organizations that solves the complex and fragmented health care system," said David Holmberg, Highmark Health CEO, in the announcement. "Heather is a seasoned, innovative health care leader who has a broad national lens, and her skills will be critical as we strive to further expand the reach of our mission and accelerate the work we are doing to transform our industry."
Highmark President Karen Hanlon will continue to lead the company's Living Health initiative, per the announcement.
> Emad Rizk will join Premier, Inc. as its new president and CEO, the company announced.
Rizk, M.D., comes to Premier from healthcare analytics company Cotiviti, where he also served as president and CEO. In the new role, Rizk will be tasked with continuing to drive Premier forward as it seeks to support better patient outcomes at a lower cost.
“I’ve seen healthcare from every angle, and I know what is at stake for Premier’s members,” said Rizk in the announcement. “Providers are being asked to do more with less in an environment that is only getting more complex. Premier has the scale, the data and the relationships to help providers make better decisions and deliver better outcomes. This is where we can make the greatest impact.”
Week of April 20
> Alexander Billioux, M.D., is joining the executive team at Cityblock as chief health officer.
Billioux spent the last five years at UnitedHealthcare, where he most recently served as chief medical officer for government programs. He also held leadership roles at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and the Louisiana Office of Public Health.
In his new role, Billioux will spearhead Cityblock's clinical strategy and care operations as the company looks to continue advancing its care model.
"I've always been passionate about ensuring that the opportunity for quality healthcare is accessible for all populations. For a large part of my career, that has meant supporting members who face increasing financial and social challenges," Billioux said in the announcement. "Joining Cityblock allows me the opportunity to leverage ground-breaking technology to empower teams to deliver high-quality, comprehensive care that improves the health of vulnerable members."
> Blue Shield of California has named Hayley Park as its new senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer.
In the role, Park will lead the charge on Blue Shield's Pharmacy Care Reimagined initiative, which eschews traditional pharmacy benefit management models for an "unbundled" approach that leans on multiple solutions to offer different elements of the benefit.
Blue Shield said Park brings more than 25 years of experience to the position, and that she served most recently at Kaiser Permanente Northern California as president of pharmacy operations and services.
“What drew me to Blue Shield is that it’s a mission-driven nonprofit health plan that’s committed to improving member health and their lives—not just lowering costs for medications,” Park said. “As pharmacy care shifts to support individuals in a more connected and personalized way, I am excited to join an organization that is transforming healthcare to make it more accessible for everyone.”
Week of April 13
Janice Nevin, M.D., will end her 12-year run as president and CEO of ChristianaCare on Sept. 1, the system's board announced.
She retires after 23 years at the organization, initially joining as its chair of family and community medicine. The physician executive is credited by the board with expanding the system's physical footprint, shepherding "significant investment in historically under-resourced areas" and strengthening its academic partnerships.
Taking up the mantle will be Jenn Schwartz, who was named executive vice president and chief strategy officer at the top of 2026. She came to ChristianaCare in 2018 to initially serve as chief legal officer. Prior to that she spent over a decade at Lourdes Health System, where she was vice president of legal affairs & general counsel as well as its executive director.
> Maui Health CEO Lynn Fulton will be stepping down on May 3 after a little over two years in the Hawaiian health system's top role. She plans to return to central Illinois to be closer to her family, according to the announcement that promises a leadership transition plan "in the coming days."
Fulton is credited with overseeing improved quality and financial stabilization during her time at the three-hospital nonprofit system.
> Tenet Healthcare Chief Information Officer Paola Arbour plans to retire at the end of this year, according to a recent regulatory filing from the for-profit hospital and ambulatory surgical center chain. She's been in the role since 2018, and plans to stick with the organization in a part-time, non-executive role through April 1, 2028 "to provide continuing transition services and support."
> Samuel Marchio was named senior vice president, chief government relations and policy officer at Ascension, per a social media post. He comes off a 15-year stint at Elevance Health (initially Anthem), where most recently served as regional vice president of federal government affairs.
> Stephen Taluja was named chief mission officer of Providence, a role that tasks him with aligning the Catholic nonprofit system's charity and service aims with ongoing strategic and organizational transformation. The appointment takes effect on June 29.
Taluja comes to the organization from a Bon Secours Mercy Health, where he is currently chief sponsorship and formation officer. He's been there in various roles since 2014, and before that led multicultural parish ministries.
> Addiction treatment provider Birches Health has added former Cigna Chief Medical Officer Doug Nemecek, M.D., to its advisory board as a senior adviser. As a senior adviser, Nemecek will work closely with the leadership team at Birches as it evolves its clinical and payer engagement strategies.
Nemecek's experience in the payer market will be key to informing this work, according to an announcement.
> Oraida Roman has been named as Aledade's new chief commercial officer, the company revealed on Wednesday. In the role, she will be tasked with leading the team's strategy around national health plan partnerships.
Roman brings 25 years of experience to the role, and will spearhead work around 200 contracts including Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial plans.
Week of April 6
> WellSpan Health President and CEO Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D, is calling it a career after more than eight years at the nonprofit system's helm.
WellSpan's board announced the plans April 6, sharing that Gapstur will continue in the role until the transition to a replacement is complete. No specific or expected timeline was given, other than sharing that a national search for that new executive has begun.
The system, which employs 23,000 people, has grown under her tenure from eight hospitals to 12, and from $2.5 billion of revenue to $4.7 billion. Its footprint has also expanded from five counties to 12 across Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, now reaching more than 1 million patients.
The announcement credits Gapstur with bringing "clear strategic direction" that focused on quality, safety, patient experience and employee engagement. That approach brough national recognitions and designations to its facilities, plus new developments like a genomic program bringing precision medicine into patient care.
> Centene Corporation has created two new positions to lead key segments of its insurance business.
The company said in an announcement that it has named Daniel Finke as group president for markets and commercial and Michael Carson as its group president for Medicare and specialty. Both executives will report to CEO Sarah London, per Centene.
Finke is an experienced insurance executive and will be tasked with overseeing and scaling the company's Medicaid and commercial segments. He joins the insurer from Convey Health Solutions, where he was CEO, and has also previously served as president of Aetna at CVS Health.
Carson, meanwhile, will take on an expanded role in overseeing Centene's Medicare Advantage, Part D, dual-eligible and specialty populations. He joined the company as CEO of WellCare in 2024, and previously held leadership roles at Bright Healthcare and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
London said in the announcement that the shift recognizes Carson's significant contributions to the company and the experience that Finke brings to the table in driving operations forward.
"Their collective experience will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen performance across the portfolio and deliver sustainable, profitable growth," she said.
Week of March 30
> Cory Mead was named CEO of HCA Florida Palms West Hospital, effective March 30. With more than a decade in leadership roles with HCA Healthcare, Mead most recently served as CEO of HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital.
> Elevance Health unveiled a slew of new leadership appointments within its Health Benefits business and Carelon, the unit leading services such as pharmacy benefits, behavioral health and value-based care enablement.
Kristy Duffey was named president of Carelon Health. The nurse practitioner-turned-executive recently helped scale care models and boost performance at Optum and CINQCARE. She'll be taking over for Peter Haytaian, who's slated to leave the role on May 4 to focus on family commitments but will remain through the end of the year as a special advisor to ease the transition, the company previously announced.
Aimée Dailey was appointed president of government business. She's already attributed with playing "a pivotal role" in expanding Elevance's government programs, and will now have responsibilities covering Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Government Solutions and Group Retiree Solutions.
Additionally, Will Feest, currently chief operating officer for Carelon, will be adding president of Carelon Insights to his title card; Darrell Oliveira was named chief financial officer for Carelon; and Jeff Plante, previously president of Carelon Insights, was dubbed chief financial officer for the Health Benefits segment.
Elevance said the new leaders will help expand and scale Carelon, which reaches over 90 million healthcare consumers. The Health Benefits segment provides coordinated solutions to more than 45 million Elevance members.
> Kurt Small was named president and CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, effective May 4.
Small is currently president of Medicaid at Elevance Health, where he has been for nearly seven years. He has over 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, including roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Highmark and Aetna.
At Elevance, he oversaw a Medicaid business with about 8.5 million members. CareFirst, meanwhile, is a nonprofit with 3.5 million members primarily living in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia. It has been without a permanent top executive since last September, with Ja'Ron Bridges serving as interim president and CEO.
> Barclay Berdan, CEO of Texas Health Resources, will retire in September after four decades at the 29-hospital nonprofit.
The executive stepped into his role in 2014, and was credited by the organization in its announcement release for guiding the system "through some of the most complex public health challenges in modern U.S. history while leading significant transformation across the organization’s clinical, digital and operational capabilities."
On deck is Winjie Miao, who is currently senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. She's set for a promotion to president on April 5, priming her to step in as CEO in September when Berdan steps away. Miao has been Texas Health Resources' chief operating officer since 2022, but first joined the organization in 2000.
> Elisabeth Armstrong is the new chief of staff at the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director, filling in the void left with Seana Cranston's resignation earlier in March.
Armstrong, who has a doctorate in bioethics, comes from the Food and Drug Administration, where she served as director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat. Prior to joining government, she conducted healthcare policy equity research for Raymond James & Associates’ Global Equities and Investment, advised and held various ethics positions at biotech and healthcare organizations and was a broadcast journalist, among other roles.
Week of March 23
> Cigna Healthcare, the insurance arm of the Cigna Group, announced that it named Stanley Crittenden, M.D., as its new chief medical officer.
In the role, Crittenden will the lead the insurer's clinical operations, and will be tasked with partnering with other key leaders across the company to support the central goals of improving access and simplifying the healthcare journey for both patients and providers.
Crittenden brings years of experience in managed care, value-based care and population health to the role, Cigna said in an announcement. He most recently served as CMO at Quantum Health, and also held leadership roles at Evergreen Nephrology, Anthem and Humana.
Crittenden is also board certified in internal medicine and nephrology, Cigna said.
“I’m honored to join Cigna Healthcare at this important moment in its transformation toward making health care simpler, more personalized and more affordable,” said Crittenden in the announcement. “I am committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, doing everything we can to improve the experience and outcomes of all those we serve.”
Week of March 16
> John Haupert, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Grady Health System, will be handing the reins over to current Chief Operating Officer Anthony Saul at the end of this year.
Saul is immediately claiming the president title, and will shuffle into the top spot on Jan. 1, 2027. Haupert will stick around through 2027 in an advisory role to soften the transition, support philanthropic and capital fundraising and provide strategic guidance on a new $1+ billion medical campus the nonprofit also announced this week.
Haupert has headed Grady for the past 15 years. Saul has been around for seven, initially joining as chief financial officer.
> AI-powered prior authorization company Humata Health is bringing Liz Fowler, former director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), onto its board of directors.
The company said in an announcement that Fowler's experience at CMMI will support the team's efforts to accelerate Humata's mission to ensure patients get the care they need quickly. At CMMI, Fowler was tasked with rethinking reimbursement in Medicare and Medicaid to drive uptake of value-based care, providing critical insights she can bring to Humata.
Before her stint at CMMI, Fowler held leadership roles at the Commonwealth Fund and Johnson & Johnson. She currently serves as a distinguished scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Carey Business School.
“Liz is a unicorn, a rare leader with deep experience in all realms of the healthcare ecosystem,” said Jeremy Friese, M.D., Humata’s co-founder and CEO, in the announcement. “She understands the inherent complexities of the health system, and her expertise will be instrumental as we work toward our mission of solving these challenges."
From her role driving innovation at CMMI to her track record of bipartisan work on federal health legislation, Liz’s experience will be an invaluable asset as we make AI-driven medical review a seamless process that ensures every patient receives the right care as quickly as possible," Friese said.
Week of March 9
> Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., is retiring from his roles as CEO of Vanderbilt Health and dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine at the end of 2026.
The academic system's board of directors has kicked of a national search for a successor who would hold both titles, according to the March 12 announcement.
A 1990 Vanderbilt graduate himself, Balser spent years as a cardiac anesthesiologist and surgical intensivist at Johns Hopkins before returning to Vanderbilt in 1998. He was named chair of the Department of Anesthesiology in 2001, dean of the medical school in 2008 and head of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2009. He has served as dean and in the health system's top executive role for the past 17 years.
The organization has grown from a four-hospital system to an eight-hospital system under his tenure, during which its annual net revenue also grew from around $2 billion to nearly $9 billion, according to the announcement. Part of that time was an effort he led to legally and financially separate the medical center and its system from the university as a standalone nonprofit. The organization's cash reserves also have also grown from 50 days to more than 110, with total cash on hand plus investments now exceeding $3 billion.
> Greg Hoffman, chief financial officer of Providence, will retire in June, the organization announced.
Hoffman has been with the major nonprofit system for over a decade, and served as CFO for the past five years. His tenure in the role is marked by a multi-year financial turnaround that finally brought operations into the black during the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025. The announcement of his retirement also pointed to his role striking up new strategic partnerships, resetting contracts with commercial payers and heading the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system.
Providence said it plans to conduct an internal and national search for Hoffman's replacement.
Week of March 2
> Kevin Tabb, M.D., president and CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health, has given notice to the system's board that he plans to step down after this year.
The physician executive was tapped as CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess in 2011, and stayed at the top through its merger with fellow Massachusetts provider Lahey Health in 2019. Today the organization spans 14 hospitals, employs 42,000 people and cares for 1.7 million patients annually.
Alongside navigating the merger and a pandemic, Tabb is credited with advancing initiatives around care access and connecting services delivered between its locations. Beth Israel Lahey also notched new partnerships: a teaching relationship with UMass Chan School of Medicine and an upcoming cancer collaboration with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Tabb will remain in his role while the system's board searches for his successor, a process expected to take about eight to 10 months, according to the announcement.
> Health tech company Stellar Health has added Raul Smith, a veteran of Elevance Health, as its chief financial officer.
Smith has 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership, according to an announcement, including six years as president CFO for Anthem's East Region. He has also served as CFO for Duo Health and Gold Kidney Health Plan.
Stellar said that Smith's experience in the health insurance industry will help the company build out its platform. Stellar supports payers in value-based care by making it easier for providers to engage with these complex environments.
In addition, he'll play a key role in driving the financial evolution of its risk-based portfolio, including the tech-enabled accountable care organization, shaco.
"Stellar is already setting the pace for value-based care, and Raul adds the institutional caliber to match our growing scale," said Michael Meng, CEO and cofounder of Stellar Health. "Raul brings the financial authority to stand behind the definitive value we deliver to our payor partners. His leadership solidifies that our ROI is absolute and verifiable—impact that will only continue to compound and get better year over year."
> Wellpoint Tennessee, an Elevance Health subsidiary, has named Rachel Chinetti as president of its health plan.
As president, Chinetti will be tasked with leading the insurer's strategy and operations across the state, including a focus on affordability, access and quality for individuals enrolled in TennCare, its Medicaid program.
She brings almost two decades of experience in Medicaid and long-term services and supports (LTSS) to the role, per an announcement from the insurer. Chinetti has held multiple roles within TennCare and most recently served as a staff vice president within Elevance Health's government unit, where she led a center of excellence in LTSS.
Chinetti is also a native of the state who lives in Nashville, with strong community relationships, the company said.
“It is an honor to serve Tennesseans in this role,” Chinetti said in the release. “Wellpoint Tennessee has a strong legacy of partnership and innovation. I look forward to working alongside TennCare, providers, advocates, and community leaders to strengthen rural and maternal health, enhance long-term services and supports, and deliver more coordinated, person-centered care that helps our members live healthier, more independent lives.”
Week of Feb. 16
> James Downing, M.D., will be stepping down from his role as president and CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital near the end of 2026, the pediatric research hospital announced.
The physician executive has been with the organization for four decades, and has sat at its head for the past 12 years. Under his leadership St. Jude underwent the largest strategic expansion in its history, which included the completion of two separate strategic plans requiring nearly $20 billion of investment and over 2,300 new positions; major expansion to St. Jude's main campus; and greater international collaboration.
Prior to that he served as scientific director for eight years, a period in which he spearheaded the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project.
Downing plans to transition into a faculty role at St. Jude's Department of Global Pediatric Medicine after handing over the reins. The organization said a replacement is expected to be named over the summer.
“I’ve watched St. Jude transform the care of pediatric cancer around the world, and I’m grateful to have played a small part as its CEO," he said in the announcement. "It has been the honor of a lifetime to wake up every day and know that I have a purpose, to be a part of this workforce, and to change the outlook for children everywhere.”
Week of Feb. 9
>The Department of Health and Human Services announced several leadership changes as the agency looks to advance Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make American Healthy Again agenda.
HHS said that Chris Klomp will step into the role of chief counselor at the agency, where he will "oversee all operations of the department." Klomp currently serves as the director of Medicare.
In addition, both Politico and the Washington Post have reported that Jim O'Neill, deputy secretary of HHS and the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will step down from both roles. Sources told the Post that O'Neill will be offered a position as an ambassador.
The Post reported that the shakeup comes amid significant controversy over the shift at HHS in vaccine policy and other hot-button topics. Kennedy is looking to shift talking points to more politically palatable topics, like healthy food, per the Post.
In addition to the new title for Klomp, Kennedy has tapped Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham to serve as senior counselors for the Food and Drug Administration as well as John Brooks to step in as senior counselor for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
HHS said that each of these three will also continue to hold their current roles in addition to supporting Kennedy's office.
"I am proud to elevate battle-tested, principled leaders onto my immediate team—individuals with the courage and experience to help us move faster and go further as we work to Make America Healthy Again," Kennedy said in the press release.
Week of Jan. 12
>The Federation of American Hospitals announced multiple leadership appointments this week.
The organization's new CEO, Charlene MacDonald, took the role on Jan. 1, and on Jan. 14, FAH revealed the names of key members of her team, including:
- Tilithia McBride, chief operating officer
- Adam Broder, chief strategy officer
- Alyssa Keefe, senior vice president and head of policy
- Katie Tenoever, senior vice president and general counsel.
McBride brings more than 25 years of overall healthcare experience to the COO role, including more than four years at FAH as its leading voice on patient safety, quality and public health. Broder has been at FAH for more than two years, and will take on an expanded role as chief strategy officer, spearheading efforts to support the organization's mission as well as its long-term stability and growth.
Keefe joined FAH in December 2024 and has more than two decades of policy experience, both at the state and federal levels. Tenoever will continue in the general counsel role, and has held similar titles at other trade associations, FAH said.
“Our exceptional new executive team will be integral to the Federation’s success as we write our next chapter,” MacDonald said in the announcement. “We’re at a critical moment for health care coverage and access, and our team’s proven ability to be strategic, nimble, and relentlessly solutions-oriented will allow the Federation to deliver for our members and the millions of patients they serve.”
Week of Jan. 5
>Eduardo Conrado stepped into the CEO chair at Ascension on Jan. 1, taking over for the retiring Joseph Impicciche.
Conrado has been the major health system's president since 2023, and continues to hold that title. He joined in 2018 to serve in digital, strategy and innovation positions. Prior to that, he’d spent 26 years at Motorola Solutions and served on Ascension’s board for five years.
In a blog post published this week, Conrado said his focus as CEO will be for Ascension to strengthen access to care, modernize care delivery and deepen commitments to those most in need—achieved through a combination of mission-driven strategy, capital deployment and talent.
>Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D., has joined clinical AI company Aidoc as its new chief medical officer.
Ehrenfeld, a board-certified anesthesiologist and clinical informaticist, steps into the role after a stint as president of the American Medical Association. There, he led advocacy on issues like physician wellbeing and the responsible use of AI in clinical care. His new post will keep to those subjects as he supports Aidoc's health system customers.
“It’s clear that Aidoc’s success to date has been rooted in building technology physicians trust," he said in a release. "I’m joining to help scale that impact, ensuring that clinical AI continues to be a seamless, essential part of the modern care delivery model.”
>Abhi Rastogi took on the roles of president and CEO at Temple Health on January 2, taking over for Michael Young, who retired.
Rastogi has been with the organization for more than 20 years. He most recently served as the president and CEO of Temple University Hospital and its campuses, as well as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the broader system. He's credited with delivering more than $100 million in annual impact via operational and financial improvements.
>Christian Pass was named chief financial officer of Keck Medicine of USC, and will officially begin the new role on Jan. 12.
He comes to the academic health system from Optum, where he was president of provider and payvider enterprise clients. Before that he had several senior financial leadership titles at John Muir Health that culminated in a chief financial officer role.
“Pass has more than 30 years of health care finance leadership experience with a proven history of cultivating high-performing teams and guiding organizations through critical financial and operational transformations,” Rod Hanners, CEO of Keck Medicine, said in a release. “He brings tremendous knowledge and skill to this position that will support the continued growth of the health system.”
>Sarah Ness officially began her new job as president and CEO of PeaceHealth on Jan. 3.
Ness has been with the nine-hospital system for more than 20 years, most recently as its executive vice president and chief administrative officer. She's credited with leading organizational transformations within the system's culture, technology systems and operations.
She takes over for Liz Dunne, who had announced her retirement last year.
>Chip Hubbs, the president CEO of Marysville, Ohio-based Memorial Health, shared plans to retire at the end of this year.
He's held the roles for nearly 22 years, and before that was the CEO of Community Memorial Hospital elsewhere in the state. "In all, Chip has worked for nine different hospitals throughout his career in every facet from groundskeeper and maintenance to intern, fellow, Evening Administrator, Executive Director, and CEO," according to the announcement.
Hubbs plans to work with the health system's board on a long-term strategy and transition plan during his final year in the office.
>The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, the lobbying group representing pharmacy benefit managers, has named longtime policy expert David Marin as its new CEO, succeeding J.C. Scott.
Marin will officially take the CEO chair on Jan. 20, according to a PCMA announcement. He comes to the organization from drugmaker Viatris, where he was the global head of government affairs, public policy and advocacy. He also previously served as a managing principal at Podesta Group, where he led advocacy efforts for a slew of firms including the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Mylan.
He also held key staff roles on the Hill, according to the announcement.
“David Marin is the ideal leader for PCMA at a time of significant change in our industry,” said PCMA Board Chair Adam Kautzner, President of Express Scripts and Evernorth Care Management.
In addition to Marin's hire, PCMA announced that Brendan Buck will serve as the organization's new chief communications officer, also effective on Jan. 20. Buck joins PCMA from public affairs firm Seven Letter.