Ochsner Health's New CEO Appoints Exec Team

Pete November, who became CEO at the beginning of the month, promoted and appointed 10 leaders to the system's top spots.

Ochsner Health announced a new executive leadership team recently, including a new CEO for the New Orleans-based nonprofit academic health system.

At the beginning of November, Pete November succeeded Warner Thomas who left his post after a decade to serve as president and CEO of Sutter Health in Sacramento, California. November has served in numerous leadership positions for Ochsner, most recently serving as executive vice president and CFO for the health system.

Previously, he served as executive vice president and digital health and administrative officer, as well as senior vice president, general counsel, and chief compliance officer for Ochsner.

The new executive leadership team includes the appointments of:

Robert Hart, MD, as chief physician executive for Ochsner Health and president of Ochsner Health

Hart, who most recently served as the health system's CMO, joined Ochsner in 1994 as a pediatrician and internist. In his new role, he will lead the health system's clinical enterprise of more than 4,500 employed and affiliated physicians. He will also lead the creation and growth of world-class healthcare patients. Hart will be "instrumental" in leading all aspects of the organization's clinical and other operations to ensure high-quality care is provided to patients and to ensure the best environment for physicians and providers.

Mike Hulefeld, as president and COO

Hulefeld joined the health system in 1998 and has served in numerous leadership positions, including as COO for the organization. In his new role as president and COO, he will lead the clinical operations of the system's 47 hospitals and over 370 clinics. Additionally, he will oversee corporate functions such as information services and Ochsner's North Louisiana region.

Tracey Schiro as executive vice president, chief human resources officer and chief administrative officer

Schiro joined Ochsner in 2007 as assistant vice president of compensation, benefits, and human resources information systems. She most recently served as executive vice president and chief risk and human resources officer on the executive team. She will lead all aspects of human resources for the organization's more than 36,000 employees, as well as leading talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, employee development and learning, and employee wellbeing programs. She will continue to oversee the system's risk factors, including compliance and legal.

Scott Posecai as executive vice president, CFO and treasurer

Posecai, who joined Ochsner in 1987, became CFO in 1995 and held that role until 2001 when Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation merged. Following the merger, he served as CFO of Ochsner Clinic Foundation and has served as treasurer since 2018. Most recently he served as executive vice president of insurance partnerships and treasurer for Ochsner. He will once again be responsible for the organization's accounting, financial planning and analysis, reimbursement, and revenue cycle functions.

Denise Basow, MD, as executive vice president and chief digital officer

Basow joined Ochsner in 2022 as the system's first chief digital officer. She will continue her role in growing the system's expanding suite of digital programs, which includes innovationOchsner, virtual care, remote patient monitoring, and chronic disease management. Additionally, she will lead Ochsner's physician medical information officers. She will also lead the system's effort in being the most consumer-friendly healthcare organization.

Leonardo Seoane, MD, as executive vice president and chief academic officer

Seoane joined Ochsner in 2001 and has served in numerous leadership roles, including head of Queensland Ochsner Clinical school and medical director of the Ochsner Medical Center Lung Transplant Program. In his new role, he will lead the system's continuum of education, which includes undergraduate, graduate, continuing medical education, and research initiative programs. He will also oversee the system's partnership with the University of Queensland Ochsner Clinical School and continue to serve as the executive leader for Ochsner's Health State initiative. Additionally, Seoane will continue to serve as interim CEO of Ochsner LSU Health System in North Louisiana, associate vice-chancellor of academics for LSU Health Shreveport, and professor of medicine for the University of Queensland.

David Gaines, as executive vice president and chief external affairs officer

Gaines joined the health system in 2010 and most recently served as CEO of health and wellness solutions and senior vice president of public affairs. In his new role he will serve as the organization's voice and liaison with donors, media, elective officials, and community leaders. Gaines will lead the system's marketing, public relations, and communications teams, while overseeing the organization's philanthropy efforts.

Deborah Grimes, RN, JD, MSHQS, as system vice president and chief diversity officer

Grimes joined Ochsner in 2020 as system vice president and chief diversity officer, where she has driven the organization's diversity and inclusion efforts. She will continue to play a leading role in the organization's workforce and employee strategy and will develop diversity and inclusion policies and practices that promote recruitment, retention, workforce planning, and career development. She also manages Ochsner's health equity strategy in collaboration with Dr. Eboni Price-Hayward.

Additionally, November promoted:

Corwin Harper, as senior vice president and chief growth officer

Harper joined the health system in 2021 as CEO of the system's Northshore and Mississippi Gulf Coast Region. He now serves as the system's first chief growth officer, where he will focus on growth initiatives to find new and nurture existing partnerships and business ventures. Recently, he was honored by the National Association of Health Services Executives for his dedication to creating DEI in healthcare.

Jeffrey Fernandez, as senior vice president, population health and CEO of Ochsner Health Plan

Fernandez began his career with Ochsner Health Plan of Louisiana as an account executive between 1996 to 1998. In 2022 he returned to the organization to serve as CEO of Ochsner Health Plan. He also leads Ochsner Health's efforts in alternative care models. In his newly created position as senior vice president of population health, he will oversee the growth of Ochsner Health Network, which is Louisiana's largest clinical integrated network. He will focus on risk-based and value-based delivery models and the Ochsner Accountable Care Network.

"I'm honored to lead Ochsner with an exceptional team of leaders," November said in a statement. "Our executive team brings a wealth of talent and knowledge to our organization with a mix of longstanding Ochsner leaders bringing a combined 150 years of service at Ochsner to the team, and professionals who recently joined our team with decades of expertise from the nation’s leading healthcare, insurance, and digital health organizations. This is a team that has a proven track record of success and a commitment to servant leadership, inclusivity, and teamwork. I could not be prouder to work with this team."

November and his executive team's appointments come three months after Ochsner Health merged with Rush Health systems, becoming Ochsner Rush Health. This added seven hospitals in Mississippi and Alabama and 30 clinics to Ochsner's growing footprint of more than 40 hospitals and 100 health centers and urgent cares.