Front Lines: Health-care leaders speak out

BizWest presents Front Lines, second in our Business Strategies: Coping with COVID-19 webcast series. This session features leading executives from regional hospitals sharing information on how their organizations are coping with the pandemic and what businesses need to know about the crisis.

BizWest would like to thank Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Caplan & Earnest for sponsoring this event.

Kevin Unger, President & CEO, UCHealth Northern Colorado

Kevin L. Unger serves as president and CEO of Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies, two of 12 hospitals within UCHealth, a nationally recognized health-care system with operating revenue of $4.5 billion and a workforce of more than 23,500 people. Unger also oversees other UCHealth locations in Northern Colorado, including Yampa Valley Medical Center, Greeley Hospital, Longs Peak Hospital and numerous ambulatory medical centers.

Margo Karsten, Western Division President, Banner Health

Margo Karsten joined Banner Health as chief executive officer for Banner Fort Collins Medical Center, McKee Medical Center and North Colorado Medical Center in 2016. In 2018 she became president of the Western Division in a dual role. She currently serves as the Western Division President for Banner Health. She provides overall leadership for three hospitals in the northern Front Range and oversees an additional 13 acute and critical access hospitals in six states.

Jennifer Alderfer, President, Good Samaritan Medical Center

Jennifer Alderfer has been SCL Health’s Good Samaritan Medical Center’s President since September of 2017 and the health system’s Transformation Officer since January of 2019. Prior to joining Good Samaritan, she served within the HCA/HealthONE system for almost 18 years, having been the President and CEO of North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton from 2010-2017.

Dr. Andrew French, Chief Medical Officer, Centura Health

Dr. Andrew French comes to St. Anthony North from our sister hospital, Castle Rock Adventist, where he was the Chief Medical Officer since March of 2018. Prior to his role at Castle Rock, Dr. French worked as the Medical Director of the adult emergency department for Denver Health Medical Center. An accomplished, enthusiastic leader, Dr. French was recognized in 2017 as one of the Denver Business Journal’s 40 under 40 for his business and community contributions.

Dr. Robert Vissers, President & CEO, Boulder Community Health

Dr. Robert J. Vissers has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Boulder Community Health since July of 2015. He is a highly experienced leader with more than 25 years of clinical and health care management experience in academic and community hospital settings. Before focusing on health care management, Dr. Vissers was an emergency medicine physician and a nationally recognized expert in emergency airway management, quality and patient flow.