The American Hospital Association Grassroots Champion Award  recognizes those hospital leaders who most effectively educate elected officials on how major issues affect the hospital’s vital role in the community, who have done an exemplary job in broadening the base of community support for the hospital and who are tireless advocates for hospitals and their patients.

 

The 2016 Grassroots Champions are:

 

Alabama – A. Elizabeth Anderson

Administrator, USA Medical Center

 

Alaska – Julie Taylor

Chief Executive Officer, Alaska Regional Hospital

 

Arizona – Julia Strange

Vice President of Community Benefit, TMC HealthCare

 

Arkansas – Corbet Lamkin

Chairman, Ouachita County Medical Center

 

California – Christopher Manson

Regional Director, Northern California, Advocacy, Government Relations & Public Policy,

St. Joseph Health

 

Colorado – Konnie Martin

Chief Executive Officer, San Luis Valley Health

 

Connecticut – Stuart Rosenberg

President, Johnson Memorial Medical Center

 

District of Columbia – Amy Freeman

Chief Executive Officer, Ascension Community Health

 

Delaware – Tom Brown

Senior Vice President, Nanitcoke Memorial Hospital

 

Florida – Steven Johnson

President & CEO, Health First

 

Georgia – John Haupert

Chief Executive Officer, Grady Health System

 

Hawaii – Phyllis Dendle

Director of Government Relations, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

 

Idaho – Rachel Gonzales

Chief Executive Officer, Madison Memorial Hospital

 

Illinois – Kenneth Boyd

President & CEO, McDonough District Hospital

 

Indiana – Brian Bauer

Chief Executive Officer, Lutheran Hospital of Indiana and Lutheran Health Network

 

Iowa – Karen Cole

President & CEO, Shenandoah Medical Center

 

Kansas – Carrie Saia

Chief Executive Officer, Holton Community Hospital

 

Kentucky – Lori Jarboe

Chief Executive Officer, HealthSouth Lakeview Rehabilitation Hospital

 

Louisiana – Phyllis Peoples

President & CEO, Terrebonne General Medical Center

 

Maryland – Steven Sharfstein, M.D.

President & CEO, Sheppard Pratt Health System

 

Massachusetts – Peter Holden

President & CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital

 

Michigan – James Falahee, Jr.  

Senior Vice President of Legal & Legislative Affair, Bronson Healthcare Group

 

Minnesota – Steven Mulder, M.D.

President & CEO, Hutchinson Health

 

Mississippi – Daryl Weaver

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Baptist Medical Center Leake

 

Missouri – Paula Baker

President & CEO, Freeman Health System

 

Montana – Jason Spring

Chief Executive Officer, North Valley Hospital

 

Nebraska – Daniel McElligott

President, CHI Health St. Frances

 

Nevada – Brian Brannman

Senior Vice President of Operations, Nevada, President & CEO Siena Campus, Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican

 

New Hampshire – Chris Accashian

Chief Executive Officer, Parkland Medical Center

 

New Jersey – Lisa Morina

Vice President, Marketing & External Relations, Kennedy Health

 

New Mexico – Feliciano Jiron

Chief Executive Officer, Los Alamos Medical Center

 

New York – Joseph McDonald

President & CEO, Catholic Health System

 

North Carolina – Douglas Luckett

President & CEO, CaroMont Health

 

North Dakota – Matt Grimshaw

President, CHI St. Alexius Health Williston

               

Ohio – Chip Hubbs

President & CEO, Memorial Health

 

Oklahoma – James Moore

President, Integris Southwest Medical Center

 

Oregon – Carol Bradley

Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer, Legacy Health

 

Pennsylvania – David Scott

President & CEO, Ohio Valley Hospital

 

Puerto Rico – Joaquin Rodriguez

Chairman & CEO, Grupo HIMA San Pablo Inc.

 

Rhode Island – Lester Schindel

Chief Executive Officer, CharterCare Health Partners

 

South Dakota – Timothy Tracy

Chief Executive Officer, Sanford Vermillion Medical Center

 

Tennessee – H. Alan Watson

Chief Executive Officer, Maury Regional Health System

 

Texas – Glenn Robinson

President, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Hillcrest

 

Utah – Mark Dalley

Administrator, Gunnison Valley Hospital

 

Vermont – Jill Berry Bowen

Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern Medical Center

 

Virginia – James Cole

Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Hospital Center

 

Washington – Eric Lewis

Chief Executive Officer, Olympic Medical Center

 

West Virginia – Christopher Colenda, M.D.

President & CEO, West Virginia United Health System

 

Wisconsin – Michael Wallace

President & CEO, Fort HealthCare

 

Wyoming – Gerard Klein

Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County

 

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