236 women hospital and health system leaders to know for 2026

Leadership in healthcare depends on vision, steady judgment and a deep commitment to the communities a system serves. Becker’s is highlighting women hospital and health system presidents and CEOs who are said to bring those qualities to their work, along with efforts to expand access to care, advance equity and inclusion, and improve patient care. Their influence is described as extending well beyond individual institutions and into policy discussions, community partnerships and bedside care.

Becker’s says the list was assembled through nominations and editorial research. It is not exhaustive, and inclusion does not amount to an endorsement of any leader, hospital, health system or affiliated provider. Leaders cannot pay to be included. The publication also thanked Rhoda Weiss for her contributions and noted that the leaders are presented in alphabetical order. Questions and comments were directed to Anna Falvey at the email address provided in the source.

Rhonda Abbott is senior vice president and CEO of TIRR Memorial Hermann, Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital–Katy and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network in Houston. In that role, she oversees clinical, operational and strategic functions across a rehabilitation system that includes inpatient rehabilitation facilities, outpatient sites, a community wellness program, an education academy and a research arm. Becker’s says she has led clinical care redesign, expanded therapy education programs and helped multiple locations earn accreditation as rehabilitation facilities.

Abbott has spent more than two decades with Memorial Hermann, progressing from physical therapist to CEO. The source says she has used her clinical background to improve access, equity and quality for patients with disabling conditions. Under her leadership, TIRR Memorial Hermann was designated a national rehabilitation innovation center in 2023 and continues to rank among America’s best rehabilitation hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. She also serves as vice chair of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association board and supports initiatives focused on disability inclusion and women leaders.

Sharon Adams, BSN, RN, is president of Nuvance Health Eastern Region and president of Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital in Connecticut. Becker’s says she is directly responsible for the successful operations of the two hospitals and began her current role in May 2026. Her responsibilities include operations, integration and strategic direction, and she is overseeing a comprehensive, growth-based transformation plan for the rural hospitals.

Before her updated role, Adams served as president of Nuvance Health Eastern Region and president of Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Sharon Hospital and homecare services. The source does not provide additional detail on her earlier career, but it presents her as leading an active period of organizational planning and hospital integration across the region.

Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, is president and CEO of Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo. Becker’s describes Craig as a premier center for specialty neurorehabilitation and research for people with spinal cord injury and/or brain injury. The private, nonprofit hospital provides both inpatient and outpatient care, including acute care and short- and long-term care. Allen-Davis oversees patient care and safety, financial stability, strategic planning, the research team and outcomes, capital improvements and community relations.

The source says Allen-Davis is also committed to increasing the number of women in healthcare and mentoring young leaders. No additional outcomes or initiatives were reported in the source beyond her role in leading a specialty rehabilitation institution and supporting leadership development.

Sue Andersen is president and CEO of Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, Calif. Her leadership extends across Marian Regional Medical Center, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Becker’s says she oversees an organization with more than $1 billion in annual net revenue and a broad portfolio that includes three hospital locations, residency programs, a skilled nursing facility, cancer centers, surgery centers, a crisis stabilization center, an acute rehabilitation facility, a homecare entity, three hospital foundations and outpatient laboratories, imaging and infusion centers.

Under Andersen’s leadership, all three hospitals have received “A” ratings from Leapfrog, and French Hospital has earned its 28th consecutive Leapfrog “A” grade along with a 5-star rating from CMS. She also oversaw the opening of a level 2 trauma center at Marian Regional Medical Center, which the source says expanded access to critical care for Northern Santa Barbara County residents, and the launch of a crisis stabilization center for people experiencing mental health crises. A new cancer center in San Luis Obispo is scheduled for completion this year, according to the source. Andersen is current board chair of CenCal Health, the region’s two-county Medicaid program, and previously served as a market CFO for five hospitals before 2018.

Alison Avendt is president of Mercy Health–Perrysburg Hospital in Ohio. Becker’s says she oversees daily operations and strategic initiatives while ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care across services that include surgery, critical care, a 24/7 emergency department and a level 2 cardiac catheterization lab. Since joining Mercy Health, Avendt has led growth and transformation efforts, including the integration of more than 400 associates after the closure of McLaren St. Luke’s Hospital in 2023.

The source says Avendt has also introduced engagement efforts such as pet therapy and community events to support staff morale. Her leadership has been linked with high staff retention and multiple Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence awards for patient satisfaction. Her career spans more than 38 years and began as a licensed occupational therapist specializing in neonatal intensive care.

Gail Aviado is CEO of Chino Valley Medical Center in California. Becker’s says she has led improvements in safety, quality and financial performance. In 2024, the hospital received an “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group and earned multiple 5-star ratings from Healthgrades for services including hip fracture treatment, gallbladder surgery and diabetic emergency care.

Aviado also led work to improve Inland Empire Health Plan quality metrics, which generated more than $300,000 in additional reimbursement, according to the source. By improving revenue cycle processes and driving business development, she increased earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by 20.4% over the previous fiscal year. The source says she also launched the Beta Heart Program to improve cardiovascular outcomes and attract new funding, and that her leadership has received regional and national recognition, including a Women Who Lead honor from the Inland Empire.

Daffodil Baez is president of Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center in Maryland. Becker’s says she brings experience in health system operations, community-based care and culturally responsive leadership. Her career began in healthcare finance and later moved into executive roles in Texas, Arizona and Washington, D.C., including leading the faculty medical group at Howard University and launching a major regional multispecialty campus for a top Texas academic medical center.

Baez is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a founding member of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives’ Dallas-Fort Worth chapter. The source also identifies her as an entrepreneur and founder of Fortress Therapeutics, a company focused on herbal remedies, and as a consultant in cultural sensitivity and outpatient optimization. She serves on several boards, participates in the National Association of Health Services Executives, organizes free health fairs and contributes to wellness curricula. Becker’s says she is focused on improving access for underserved populations.

Sandy Badinger is CEO of Slidell Memorial Hospital in Louisiana. She oversees strategic, operational and financial leadership for the organization, including its Main and East campuses, affiliated clinics and outpatient facilities. In partnership with Ochsner Health, she coordinates operations across a regional healthcare network while remaining accountable for quality of care, patient safety, financial performance and long-term growth.

Becker’s says Badinger brings a finance background to the role and approaches service expansion with discipline so it remains sustainable. The source says she also emphasizes innovation, technology, workforce development and physician alignment. As a visible community presence, she personally visits more than 75 local businesses, civic groups and churches each year to hear community needs and concerns. She previously served as CFO of Slidell Memorial Hospital from 2012 to 2020 and earlier held CFO and controller roles at other hospitals and at Universal Health Services across multiple hospitals. Her additional leadership roles include service on the St. Tammany Chamber board, the St. Tammany Corporation economic development board, the Ochsner Health Network executive committee and the Slidell Memorial Hospital Foundation board. Under her leadership, the hospital has earned recognitions including accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, primary stroke center designation and breast imaging recognition, though the source is truncated after that point and does not report the remaining details.