Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 100 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2021. These exceptional individuals are guiding healthcare delivery, leading changes and enhancing policy improvements nationwide. The evolving field of medicine requires a depth of knowledge, focus and collaboration from its leaders and this year’s awardees have demonstrated each of these attributes. Their commitment to the field impacts individuals daily, transforming outcomes for patients and families for the better.
Kathy Parrinello, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of the University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital has stayed true to her alma mater by continuing to serve its patients for the past 46 years. Awardee Vicenta Gaspar-Yoo is breaking into new territories as the first practicing Physician President of Allegany Health Network. Deborah Hayes, CEO and President of Christ Hospital Health Network is not only leaving a mark within the hospital system but she is also educating future leaders as a professor with Xavier University.
This past year has been the ultimate test for many of the awardees. Their unwavering loyalty to the facilities and people they lead during this unique time has shown their level of expertise and dedication to the field of medicine. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 100 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2021.
2. Vicenta Gaspar-Yoo
Allegheny Health Network
Vicenta Gaspar-Yoo is the President of Allegheny Valley Hospital of the Allegheny Health Network in the Greater Pittsburgh region. The system is a non-profit, 14-hospital academic medical system with facilities located in Western Pennsylvania and one hospital in Western New York. Gaspar-Yoo is the hospital’s first practicing physician president.
Before joining Allegheny Valley Hospital, she was a Chief Medical Officer at University Hospitals Health System (UH) in Cleveland, Ohio. She received her medical degree from the University of the East Medical Center in Manila and completed further training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She later earned an MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.
5. Barbara Barnett
Mount Sinai Health System
Barbara Barnett is the Chief Medical Officer of Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She first joined the hospital in 2014. Mount Sinai Beth Israel, a teaching hospital founded in 1889 on Manhattan's Lower East Side, is known for its unique approach at combining medical excellence with clinical innovation.
Previously, Barnett was a Chief Medical Officer at North Shore-LIJ Health System. Barnett earned an MD from SUNY Health Science Center and an undergraduate degree in Psychobiology from New York University.
11. Janet Wagner
Sutter Health
Janet Wagner is the Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Health. She first joined the system in 1990. Sutter Health is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit healthcare networks, which includes award-winning physician organizations, acute care hospitals, surgery centers, medical research facilities and specialty services.
Wagner earned an MSN from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, and Duke University and an undergraduate degree in Nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
16. Susan Lee
Renown Health
Susan Lee is the Chief Medical Officer of Renown Regional Medical Center of Renown Health. She first joined the hospital in 2020 as a Chairman of Medical Specialties. Renown Health is northern Nevada's largest not-for-profit health network and a nationally recognized healthcare leader. With their dedicated staff, modern facilities, state-of-the-art technology, commitment to quality care, and role in educating future physicians and nurses, Renown Health delivers excellence in healthcare.
Prior to joining Renown Health, Lee was the Chief of Hospital Medicine for the Carilion Clinic. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with an MBA, from Nova Southern University with a doctorate and from Duke University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology.
22. Lorrie Liang
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Lorrie Liang is President of Sarasota Memorial Hospital – Sarasota Campus, one of the largest public hospitals in Florida. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Liang joined Sarasota Memorial Health Care System as Chief Operating Officer in 2015 and was promoted to President of the Sarasota campus in 2021. With more than 30 years of experience, Liang oversees strategic initiatives, operations and overall performance of the health system’s 895-bed flagship hospital, trauma center and complete continuum of outpatient care.
Previously, Liang was a Vice President at LifeBridge Health. Liang earned a graduate degree from The George Washington University - School of Business and an undergraduate degree in Health Science and Policy from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
26. Denise Webber
Stillwater Medical Center
Denise Webber began her professional career 17 years ago. Today, she is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Stillwater Medical Center. Stillwater Medical Center is a 117-bed, not-for-profit, public trust, acute care hospital serving patients in a six-county area of north central Oklahoma.
Prior to her current roles, Webber was a Physician Practice Management Director, Vice President of Administrative Services and Chief Operating Officer with Stillwater Medical Center. Webber graduated from Oklahoma State University with an MS and from Oklahoma State University with an undergraduate degree in Sports Medicine.
30. Kay Takes
Mercy Health Network
Kay Takes is the President of the eastern Iowa region of MercyOne. She has served as president since 2015. MercyOne is a system of hospitals, clinics, and health care facilities in the U.S. states of Iowa, Nebraska and surrounding communities. It is run under a joint operating agreement between Catholic Health Initiatives and Trinity Health.
Takes earned an MA in Nursing Administration from the University of Iowa.
View the complete list of awardees.
37. Shlomit Schaal
UMass Memorial Medical Group
Shlomit Schaal is the President of UMass Memorial Medical Group, one of the largest and most experienced caregiver networks on the East Coast. They are committed to improving the health of people in Central Massachusetts through excellence in care, comprehensive health services, teaching and research.
In addition to her role as President, Schaal is also a Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UMass Memorial and UMass Chan Medical School, and a Senior Lecturer at the Association of American Medical Colleges. She was previously an Associate Professor and Director of Retina for the University of Louisville. Schaal received an undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences, an MD in Medicine and a PhD in Biochemistry from the Israel Institute of Technology. She is also a graduate of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with a masters degree in Health Care Management.
42. Jennifer Davenport
St. James Healthcare
Jennifer Davenport is the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of St. James Healthcare in Butte, Montana. St. James is the regional referral center for Southwest Montana serving a largely rural population and the region's critical access hospitals. She first joined the hospital in 2020.
Davenport practiced as a pediatric interventional cardiologist prior to taking on the Chief Medical Officer position with St. James Healthcare. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a Fellow of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Intervention. She founded the Women's Section of Pediatric Intervention within SCAI in 2012. Davenport graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine with an MD and from the University of Michigan School of Public Health with an MHA.
48. Marjorie Jenkins
Prisma Health
Marjorie Jenkins is the Chief Academic Officer of Prisma Health. She first joined the hospital in 2019. Prisma Health is the largest not-for-profit health organization in South Carolina, serving more than 1.2 million patients annually. They are dedicated to improving the health of all South Carolinians through improved clinical quality, access to care and patient experience, while also addressing the rising cost of health care.
In addition to her roles with Prisma Health, Jenkins is an Associate Provost and Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She previously served as a Professor with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and as a Director of Scientific and Medical Programs and the FDA. Jenkins also served as the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Director for Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. She graduated from East Tennessee State University with an MD, from Tennessee Technological University with an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and from Johns Hopkins University with a master’s degree in education in the health professions.
54. Megan Mahoney
Stanford Health Care
Megan Mahoney began her professional career 7 years ago. Today, she is the Chief of Staff of Stanford Health Care. Stanford Health is internationally renowned for leading edge and coordinated care in cancer care, neurosciences, cardiovascular medicine, surgery, organ transplant, medicine specialties, and primary care.
Mahoney first joined Stanford Health Care as a Medical Director before being promoted to Chief of General Primary Care. Prior to Stanford Health Care she was a Residency Program Director and Associate Professor for Aga Khan University Hospital in East Africa. Mahoney graduated from the University of California, San Francisco with an MD and from the University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology.
58. Lynette Scherer
Surgical Affiliates Management Group
Lynette Scherer is the Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Affiliates Management Group. She first joined the group in 2013 as Chief Medical Officer. Surgical Affiliates is the leading surgical hospitalist company focused on improving surgical quality and performance in trauma care, acute care surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and urology. Their hospital partners recognize the need for dedicated in-house surgical teams so patients with emergency surgery needs always have access to the highest quality of care.
Prior to joining Surgical Affiliates, Scherer served as Professor of Surgery and Chief of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. She also assisted the Air Force in training trauma surgeons to treat soldiers wounded on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as traveled to Afghanistan for on-site evaluation as part of this assignment. Scherer is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is an active member in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. She has published work in the Annals of Surgery and has also published sentinel works related to surgicalist models – both in academic and private hospital settings. She is a graduate of UC Davis Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine.
60. Kelly Hancock
Cleveland Clinic
Kelly Hancock is the Chief Caregiver Officer of Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center providing clinical and hospital care and a leader in research, education and health information. She is responsible for leading the development and implementation of all aspects of caregiver engagement for the clinic’s 70,000 caregivers.
Hancock has served the patients and employees of Cleveland Clinic for more than 25 years. Prior to her current role she was the Executive Chief Nursing Officer for the health system and the Chief Nursing Officer for the main campus. Hancock earned her DNP from Chamberlain College of Nursing, an MSN from the Breen School of Nursing at Ursuline College and is a board-certified Nurse Executive through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
View the complete list of awardees.
67. Jane Willemsen
John Muir Health
Jane Willemsen is the Executive Vice President and President of Hospital Operations of John Muir Health’s Walnut Creek & Concord Campuses and John Muir Behavioral Health. A leader in health care in the San Francisco Bay Area, John Muir Health is a not-for-profit integrated system of doctors, hospitals and other services. They make a commitment to provide the highest quality care to their patients every day through the contributions of their physicians, employees and volunteers. Willemsen has 15 years in the hospital and healthcare field. She began her career in 2006.
Before joining John Muir Health, Willemsen was an Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Queen of the Valley Medical Center and before that a Vice President of Nursing and Allied Health and Assistant Director of Nursing at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Willemsen graduated from Northwestern University with a graduate degree and from the University of Iowa with an undergraduate degree in Nursing.
70. Stacey Johnston
Baptist Health
Stacey Johnston is the Vice President and Epic Program Executive of Baptist Health. Baptist Health serves families throughout the Northeast Florida region with high-quality, comprehensive care for every stage of life. Johnston has 10 years in the hospital and healthcare field. She began her career in 2011.
Before joining Baptist Health, Johnston was a Medical Director of the Hospitalist Program at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Johnston graduated from Emory University School of Medicine with an MD.
75. Gay Landstrom
Trinity Health
Gay Landstrom is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Trinity Health. Trinity Health is one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, serving diverse communities that include more than 30 million people across 22 states. Landstrom has 32 years in the hospital and healthcare field. She began her career in 1989.
Before joining Trinity Health, Landstrom was a Chief Nursing Officer at Ascension Michigan and before that a System Chief Nursing Officer at St. John Providence. Earlier in her career she worked with Advocate Health Care as the Director of Medical Surgical Nursing. Landstrom graduated from the University of Michigan - Rackham Graduate School with a PhD and from Rush University with an undergraduate degree in Nursing.
78. Kim Volk
Mercy Iowa City
Kim Volk is the Vice President of Patient Care Services and the Chief Nursing Officer for Mercy Iowa City. Mercy is an acute care community hospital and regional referral center for southeast Iowa, providing a full range of medical services at the hospital and through 27 primary and specialty care clinics. Volk has over 25 years in the hospital and healthcare field. She began her career in 1995.
Volk first started her career as a Staff Registered Nurse with Mercy Iowa City before moving on to managing roles including Nurse Manager and Nurse Practice Analyst. In 2019 she became the Director of Nursing Operations, her most recent role prior to being promoted to CNO and VP of Patient Care Services. Volk graduated from Kirkwood Community College with an associate degree in nursing, from Upper Iowa University with an RN, and from Mount Mercy University with a master’s degree in nursing administration.
83. Catherine Codispoti
Children’s National Hospital
Catherine Codispoti is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of Children’s National Hospital. She first joined the hospital in 2019 as Vice President and Associate Chief People Officer. Children’s National Hospital is among the nation’s top 10 children’s hospitals and is ranked No.1 for newborn care for the fifth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. It is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
In addition to her roles with Children’s National Hospital, Codispoti is a Founding Member of Chief, a private network designed specifically for women leaders to strengthen their experience in the C-suite, cross-pollinate power across industries, and effect change from the top-down. Codispoti was previously with Texas Children’s Hospital where she held several roles including Vice President, Director, Manager and Administrative Fellow within operations, finance and human resources. She graduated from Wofford College with an undergraduate degree in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Medicine and from the University of Oklahoma with an MHA. Codispoti lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband Austin and their three children (6yo, 4yo and 19 mos).
86. Connie Andersen
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Connie Andersen is the Chief Nursing Officer of Sarasota Memorial Hospital – Sarasota Campus, one of the largest public hospitals in Florida. She first joined the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in 1997, and has served as CNO of the system’s 895-bed flagship hospital in Sarasota since 2016.
Previously, Andersen was an Assistant Vice President of Nursing at Central Suffolk Hospital and before that a Critical Care RN at Martin Memorial Hospital. Earlier in her career she worked with University Hospital in Augusta as the Head Nurse for Critical Care, Telemetry and Open-Heart Recovery. Andersen earned a graduate degree from Stonybrook University and an undergraduate degree in Nursing from Excelsior College.
88. Michelle Medina
Cleveland Clinic
Michelle Medina currently serves as the Interim Chief of Population Health, Director and Staff Physician of Cleveland Clinic Community Care. Cleveland Clinic Community Care offers high quality, patient-centered primary care. Their dedicated care teams provide healthcare for all ages, from newborns to older adults.
Prior to her current roles Medina served in several other roles with Cleveland Clinic including Associate Chief of Clinical Operations and Regional Medical Director. She also spent several years as the Medical Director of Elmore Community Rural Health Clinic. Medina is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.
View the complete list of awardees.
90. Linda Tyler
University of Utah Hospital
Linda Tyler is a Clinical Professor for the Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy of University of Utah Health. University of Utah Health is the Intermountain West’s only academic health care system, combining excellence in patient care, the latest in medical research, and teaching to provide leading-edge medicine in a caring and personal setting. Tyler has 35 years in the hospital and healthcare field. She began her career in 1986.
Before her current role, Tyler was a Director of Drug Information Services at University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. Tyler graduated from the University of Utah with an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy.
99. Renee Rassilyer-Bomers
Swedish Foundation
Dr. Renee Rassilyer-Bomers is currently the Chief Quality Officer of Swedish Medical Center. She first joined the organization in 2002, and served as the Regional Director of Clinical Education and Practice since 2015. At Swedish, the mission is to improve the health and well-being of each person they serve, and their commitment to safety and quality is unwavering. Their caregivers thrive in a collaborative team environment where resilience and drive to achieve are both supported and rewarded.
Earning a BSN, BAH, MSN and DNP from Seattle University, Rassilyer-Bomers continues to support as a faculty member and with securing student clinical placements opportunities. An active board member for numerous non-profits academic and healthcare organizations, Rassilyer-Bomers is committed to workforce development and nursing advancement. Additionally, during the pandemic, Rassilyer-Bomers helped lead the vaccination effort in Seattle, opening the largest civilian run mass vaccination site in the country in partnership with the City of Seattle.
100. Alison Flynn Gaffney
University of Utah Hospital
Alison Flynn Gaffney is the Interim Chief Operating Officer of University of Utah Health. She first joined the hospital in 2017 as Executive Director of Perioperative & Ancillary Services. University of Utah Health is Intermountain West’s only academic health care system, combining excellence in patient care, the latest in medical research, and teaching to provide leading-edge medicine in a caring and personal setting.
Previously, Gaffney was a Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at GNYHA Ventures and before that a Senior Vice President and Healthcare Practice Lead at Giuliani Partners. Earlier in her career she worked with Beth Israel Medical Center as a Project Manager for Infection Control. Gaffney earned a graduate degree and an undergraduate degree in Health Care Administration and Management from Iona College.
View the complete list of awardees.