VHHA Elects 2023-2024 Board of Directors Officers During Annual Spring Meeting

April 27, 2023

 New Slate of VHHA Board of Directors Officers Includes Ballad Health COO Eric Deaton, VCU Health COO Michael Elliott, Valley Health System President and CEO Mark Nantz

RICHMOND, VA – During its annual Spring Meeting this week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) elected the 2023-2024 slate of officers to its Board of Directors. The Board, comprised of hospital and health system leaders from across the Commonwealth, unanimously elected Ballad Health Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton as Chair, VCU Health Chief Operating Officer Michael Elliott as Vice Chair, and Valley Health System President and CEO Mark Nantz as Secretary-Treasurer. Other Board of Directors officers include Clinch Valley Health Chief Executive Officer Peter Mulkey as the Immediate Past Chair, and VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. VHHA Board officers are elected to 12-month terms. In addition to the Board officers, VHHA’s Executive Committee also includes Sentara Leigh Hospital President Joanne Inman, HCA Capital Division President Dr. William Lunn, and Inova Health System Executive Vice President and Chief of Clinical Enterprise Dr. Stephen Motew.

“Following a difficult three years, hospitals and the nation are emerging from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic having learned some important lessons yet still facing significant challenges such as lingering financial hardship and workforce shortages across the health care delivery system,” said Deaton. “As a hospital community, we have been tested by one of the most harrowing public health emergencies in recent memory. Looking forward, our hospital and health system members will continue to care for patients and collaborate to protect public health, enhance access to care, and prepare for future challenges ahead. I am honored my colleagues have entrusted me to serve as VHHA Board Chair and I look forward to working with hospital leaders across Virginia in this role to continue advancing those priorities.”

The VHHA Board of Directors slate of officers elected during the annual Spring Meeting are:

• Ballad Health COO Eric Deaton, MHA, MBA, FACHE, is the new VHHA Board of Directors Chair. Deaton has served in hospital leadership roles in Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina for several decades, including a previous role as Executive Vice President and COO at Wellmont Health System prior to its merger with Mountain States Health Alliance to form Ballad Health. He also previously served as Market President for Lifepoint Health, a role in which he oversaw operations at Danville Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville (hospitals now known as Sovah Health – Danville and Sovah Health – Martinsville, respectively). Deaton is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
• Board Vice Chair Michael Elliott, PharmD, MSHA, FACHE, is the Chief Operating Officer for VCU Health. In his current role, Elliott has responsibility for integrating the academic health system’s organizational strategic plan with its operations. Prior to VCU Health, Elliott held several leadership roles with Lynchburg, Virginia-based Centra Health System including Interim President and CEO, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. Elliott is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
• Valley Health System President and CEO Mark Nantz, MHA, FACHE, is the new Secretary-Treasurer. Prior to joining the Winchester, Virginia-based health system, Nantz served in executive roles with Bon Secours Mercy Health, including as Chief Administrative Officer and Atlantic Group President, and prior to that as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Bon Secours. He also held executive positions at Carolinas Healthcare System (now Atrium Health) and Carolinas Medical Center – NorthEast. Nantz is a Certified Public Accountant and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 26 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Its vision is through collaboration with members and stakeholders, to ensure the sustainability of Virginia health care system, transform the delivery of care to promote lower costs and high value across the continuum of care, and to improve health for all Virginians. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Walker
Vice President of Communications
(804) 297-3193 office
(804) 304-7402 mobile
jtwalker@vhha.com