Michael is a senior healthcare industry executive with extensive and progressive leadership success, generating organic and acquisitive growth for healthcare systems, and creating industry-leading efficiencies in hospital and ambulatory care operations. He is widely recognized for developing both forward-thinking innovative enterprise strategy, as well as investing in infrastructure to fully leverage assets and create competitive advantage in the dynamic healthcare environment. Significantly adding to Michael’s value is his powerful industry network and his extensive board experience working directly with board leadership as the CEO of several large healthcare organizations including Catholic Health Initiatives’ Texas operations and the San Diego based Palomar Health System (one of the top small healthcare systems in the country as recognized by Modern Healthcare Magazine). He has served as the Vice-Chair of the University of Arizona Health Network as well as the chair of the board of directors for numerous high visibility non-profit organizations, including industry associations, civic and agency groups and academic institutions. He is the past chair-elect of the California Hospital Association, past chair of the Association of Hospitals and Health Systems of Florida and a past member of the board of the Texas Hospital Association and the American Hospital Association’s Health Systems Governance Council.

Michael serves as the System COO for the Northeast Georgia Health System. Prior to his work at Northeast Georgia, he was the CEO of (CHI) St. Luke’s Health System in Houston, Texas, Michael led the management and operation of 17 hospitals (1800+ beds/$2.5B/10,000 FTEs), 10 community emergency centers, 25+ ambulatory care centers and an 800+ physician group. Here, he tripled the health system’s size in 24 months; grew operational volume and financial performance by 7% year over year; and initiated the organization’s first regional strategic plan incorporating the complexity of facilities from an academic medical center to tertiary community institutions and disparate physician groups into a cohesive, board-led, focused organization.

Prior to joining CHI, Michael served as the President/CEO of the Palomar Health System, the largest public health care district in the state of California and one of the seven largest in the United States. There he led all strategic and day to day operations of three hospitals (700+ beds/$1.5B/5000 FTEs), two skilled nursing facilities, two surgery centers, a home health agency, 10 ambulatory care settings, three community urgent care centers and a 200+ physician group. His efforts resulted in the health system winning the California Baldrige Award, the establishment of the first Mayo Clinic affiliation in California and the first unique joint venture relationship with Kaiser Permanente Health System. He led the efforts to build a new 250+ bed hospital that was recognized as the most innovative of its kind in the country by the American Institute of Architects and the Engineering News-Record in 2012/2013.

In previous roles, Michael was the President of the Washington Hospital Center in D.C. (responsible for the care of those involved in the Pentagon tragedy of 9/11); and President of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, an 850-bed facility in Florida. Earlier in his career he served as the Executive Director and Associate Dean of The Ohio State University Medical Center and School of Medicine, and as the Senior Vice President of the PCA Insurance Corporation.

Michael has been engaged as a keynote speaker at high profile industry events, is a regular speaker at the American College of Healthcare Executives Congress on Administration, and worked with investment firms to provide strategic counsel on the evolving/uncertain future of the U.S. healthcare system.

Michael received his Master of Health Administration from the Washington University School of Medicine, and B.S. in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis.