National Center for Healthcare Leadership Names Jill Schwieters Board Chair, Adds Six New Board Members

CHICAGO, April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), a nonprofit committed to advancing evidence-based leadership practices to drive quality care and improved outcomes, announced today that Jill Schwieters, managing partner, JAS & Associates, has been named board chair.

"Jill has a keen understanding of the essential need for effective leadership to advance organizations. In her role as board chair she brings experience and commitment to building leadership capabilities across the industry," outgoing NCHL Board Chair Tim Rice said.

"I am excited to work with Jill at this critical time when healthcare organizations are seeking outstanding leadership to improve outcomes and drive needed changes across the industry," NCHL CEO LeAnn Swanson added.

Schwieters, founder and former president of Cielo Healthcare, has been an NCHL member since 2014. She joined the board in 2016, where she has been instrumental in growing NCHL's brand and solidifying its reputation for leadership excellence.

Schwieters replaces Tim Rice who has served as board chair since 2015. Rice, who is CEO emeritus of Cone Health, will remain on the board as past chair.

"I want to thank Tim for leading NCHL through an important period of growth and his vision to evolve the organization to best serve our members going forward. I am delighted he will remain a member of our board and I am honored to serve as board chair," Schwieters said.

NCHL is also pleased to announce the addition of six new board members. They include:

• David Ertel, chief financial officer, Vizient, Inc. Ertel has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare and financial management, business strategy, operations, and mergers and acquisition.
• M. Michelle Hood, executive vice president and chief operating officer, American Hospital Association. Hood is also the former president and CEO of Northern Light Health.
• Carrie Harris-Muller, senior vice president of population health, OhioHealth. Harris-Muller has extensive experience in healthcare insurance, data analytics, system integration, and population health.
• Ann Hines, executive vice president, human resources, Sodexo Healthcare North America. Hines brings 38 years of corporate experience that has spanned multiple industry sectors and global geographies.
• Barbara Ralston, senior consultant of strategic development, Dignity Health International. Ralston has oversight for organizational structure and offshore planning.
• John Talaga, executive vice president of healthcare, Flywire. Talaga has more than 20 years of experience working with healthcare providers to develop patient billing and payment solutions.

NCHL's existing board members include: Jeanne Armentrout, executive vice president & chief administrative officer, Carilion Clinic; John W. Bluford, III, president, Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute & president emeritus, Truman Medical Centers; Peter W. Butler, chair, Rush University's Department of Health Systems Management; Richard O. Davis, PhD, CEO, Henry Ford Hospital & senior vice president, South Market, Henry Ford Health System; Shoou-Yih Daniel Lee, PhD, professor & associate chair, Health Management & Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health; Christy Harris Lemak, PhD, chair, University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Health Services Administration; and Joseph Moscola, senior vice president & chief people officer, Northwell Health.

ABOUT NCHL
The National Center for Healthcare Leadership is the leader in advancing evidence-based leadership practices to drive quality care and improved outcomes. Through its three premier membership programs, including the Leadership Excellence Networks (LENS), US Cooperative of International Patient Programs (USCIPP) and National Council on Administrative Fellowships (NCAF), members are supported through collaboration, education, and research. These member benefits serve as a catalyst for organizations to access and apply leadership solutions that drive achievement of organizational goals as they pursue organizational excellence. Visit NCHL for more information.

SOURCE National Center for Healthcare Leadership