A message from President and Chief Executive Erik Wexler
Dear Providence family,
We are only a few weeks into the new year, and you continue to demonstrate how the Mission calls us to be steadfast during the most challenging times. It has been inspiring to see you rally around our many caregivers and medical staff devastated by the Los Angeles wildfires. You’ve also stepped up to ensure safe, high-quality patient care during the labor strikes in Oregon. Thank you for your dedication. These sacred encounters are making an important difference in the lives of those who need us most.
To serve our communities today and into the future, I have been organizing the system executive leadership team to ensure we are well-positioned to support our local ministries, advance our strategic priorities and ultimately help us realize our vision of Health for a Better World. This includes streamlining the executive management structure to help us sharpen our focus on care delivery, expedite decision-making, accelerate our path to transformation, and increase subsidiarity at the local level.
On the journey ahead, there are two words you will hear me say often: focus and discipline. This is a lens the executive team and I will be highly dedicated to using, and I call on you to do the same. To be a high-performing organization that achieves the best outcomes for our communities, we must relentlessly prioritize initiatives to ensure we can plan and implement them impeccably. As a result, we will introduce fewer new systemwide initiatives that demand your time and attention, an approach that aligns with the feedback you shared during our Engagement and Dialogue visits last year.
Leadership Alignment
We’ll talk about our leadership structure during my monthly webcast tomorrow, Jan. 23 at noon Pacific time. Until then, here is a brief overview of how we are aligning our team. These changes go into effect Feb. 1.
 Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Elmouchi started in this role earlier this month and has enthusiastically begun meeting with teams across the system to get to know as many of you as possible. In addition to overseeing division operations, home and community care, and compliance, Dr. Elmouchi will also have oversight over key clinical care functions. Our chief nursing officer, Syl Trepanier, will report to him, as will system ancillary services, ambulatory surgery centers, patient experience, facilities, real estate, and resource, engineering and hospitality. |
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 Susan Huang, M.D., Chief Physician Executive, Providence and Chief Executive, Providence Clinical Network
In this expanded role, Dr. Huang will be the top physician executive for the ministry and will continue to oversee our network of physician clinics, diagnostics and urgent care centers, as well as our clinical institutes and graduate medical education programs. She will also take on responsibility for research, genomics, analytics, value-based care, PACE and the Institute for Human Caring, all of which will help bring clinical excellence and innovation closer to the patients we serve. |
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 Greg Hoffman, Chief Financial Officer
Greg’s responsibilities continue to include all financial functions, corporate development, revenue cycle and Providence Health Plan. We will also bring our services companies and business affiliations under Greg’s leadership. This includes R1, Ayin, Tegria, Compassus, Allumia Ventures (formerly Providence Ventures), among others. |
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 Sara Vaezy, Chief Transformation Officer
With Sara’s proven track record in digital innovation, I have asked her to lead the Office of Transformation, which will be accountable for driving the responsible adoption of AI to enable the delivery system of the future. This effort will also focus on developing and investing in next-generation innovations and forging partnerships to scale sustainable technology solutions. Sara will continue to lead digital care, as well as marketing, which will integrate with the brand function to gain further synergies on these important strategies. |
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Prub “PK” Khurana, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer
In addition to his existing accountability for care delivery strategies, PK will assume responsibility for our overall growth and strategic planning for the organization, including the Providence Global Center in Hyderabad, India. |
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 Ali Santore, Chief Communication and External Affairs Officer
Ali will take on the additional responsibility of internal and external communications while continuing to lead advocacy, board relations, philanthropy, environmental stewardship, health equity and the Well Being Trust. |
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 Greg Till, Chief People Officer
Greg will continue leading Human Resources, cultivating a “best place to work” culture, developing the workforce of the future, transforming our work to ensure continued delivery of high-quality care and working to simplify and enhance the caregiver experience with technology. |
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 Dougal Hewitt, Chief Mission Officer
Dougal will continue his focus on Mission and formation, the University of Providence, spiritual health, ethics and community benefit, as well as serving as our liaison with the Providence St. Joseph Health Sponsors Council. |
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 Anna Newsom, Chief Legal Officer
The Department of Legal Affairs, labor counsel, and risk management will continue to be the primary functions under Anna’s leadership. |
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 Ivette de Rubens, Interim Chief Information Officer
In this critical role, Ivette will continue to oversee IS operations and infrastructure, cybersecurity and IS services as we actively recruit a permanent leader to fill this role. |
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Honoring Two Leaders
As we go through this time of transition, I want to honor two leaders who have contributed significantly to the ministry.
Hoda Asmar, M.D.
As we streamline and integrate clinical accountabilities, Dr. Asmar will be departing to pursue new opportunities. I want to personally thank Dr. Asmar for her leadership. She stewarded our clinical organization through a challenging post-pandemic recovery, addressing critical imperatives that helped expand access to care. Through it all, she kept the focus on our patients, serving as a champion for safety, quality and experience. |
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 Orest Holubec
Orest will shift from his longtime role as Chief Communication Officer to a critical open position in Mission, reporting to Dougal Hewitt. Having completed a master's degree in Catholic clinical ethics from Georgetown University and as the incoming chair of the Catholic Health Association, Orest is passionate about strengthening the focus on our Mission, especially during challenging times. Orest will be the Mission leader for our shared services, community health and health equity teams. He will serve as Mission liaison to joint ventures, major vendors and collaborators, ensuring key partners are aligned with and inspired by our Mission, values and identity. Additionally, Orest will lead Mission Experience, advancing awareness about the good work our faith-based organization provides in the communities we serve. Our Mission is what differentiates us, and this new scope will create opportunities for our caregivers and communities to experience it more tangibly and powerfully. |
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I am highly confident and enthusiastic about this realigned team’s ability to meet the challenges ahead, especially in support of our physicians, caregivers and core leaders as we advance our Mission together.
As always, please help communicate this information to your team and stakeholders. Though the changes to our executive leadership won’t impact most of our caregivers, I believe it’s important for everyone to understand why these changes are being made and where accountabilities lie.
Thank you for an impactful and energized start to the year. I am deeply grateful for each of you.
