Health System with 2 hospitals across 1 state
| Health System | Cook County Health |
|---|---|
| Total Hospitals | 2 |
| Commercial/Acute Hospitals | 2 |
| Total Beds | 1140 |
| Commercial/Acute Beds | 1140 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, IL |
| Website | cookcountyhealth.org |
| Hospital | Type | Beds | Teaching | Recently Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County | Acute Care Hospital | 918 | Yes | No |
| Provident Hospital of Cook County | Acute Care Hospital | 222 | Yes | No |
Dr. Erik Mikaitis provides executive leadership to advance the health system's strategic imperatives and ensure the provision of high-quality care and services. [4] He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in October 2024, after serving as Interim CEO since November 2023. [4, 8] Since joining as Chief Quality Officer in 2022, he implemented quality initiatives and enhanced the system's quality and safety dashboard. [4] Prior to CCH, he served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Franciscan Health Crown Point. [4] He is a board-certified Internal Medicine Physician and holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago, DePaul University, and Ross University. [4]
Nicole Almiro is the Chief Corporate Compliance and Privacy Officer at Cook County Health. She possesses extensive experience in the creation and upkeep of effective compliance and ethics programs. Prior to her role at Cook County Health, she served as the interim Chief Compliance Officer for UI Health from 2018 and as the Director of Compliance for the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Medicine since 2013. At UI Health, she oversaw the compliance program for their academic health enterprise. Ms. Almiro earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law.
Ms. Andrews is CCH's inaugural Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer. [2] In this role, she is developing a system and strategies for diversity and inclusion and leads supply chain initiatives and language services. [2] She previously served as Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Chicago and has nearly 20 years of government experience. [2] She holds a bachelor of arts in English from Hampton University. [2]
Donnica Austin-Cathey is the Chief Hospital Executive for John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. In this role, she is responsible for leadership of hospital operations and finances, and fostering an environment that supports Cook County Health's mission of service and health equity. She has over 25 years of experience in executive healthcare leadership, operations, service line management, corporate compliance, strategy development, and patient experience. Before joining Cook County Health, Austin-Cathey was the President of Holy Cross Hospital and Vice President of Operations for the Acute Care Hospitals at Sinai Chicago. At Sinai Chicago, she also served as Vice President and Chief Integrity Officer, overseeing the Corporate Compliance Program and serving as Chief Privacy Officer. She is noted as the first African American woman to be appointed President of Holy Cross Hospital. Austin-Cathey holds a Master's degree in Health Administration from Governors State University and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated from Governors State University in 1998 and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in 2022. She is a proponent of public health and is committed to serving her community.
Win Buren is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Cook County Health. Prior to this role, he served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Metra, where he was responsible for the public transit system's people strategy, including talent acquisition and development, performance management, and equal employment opportunity initiatives. Mr. Buren's experience also includes serving as the Vice President of Human Resources for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and the Regional Vice President of Operations for the Midwest for MV Transportation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.
Pamela Cassara is the Chief Financial Officer at Cook County Health, overseeing all financial and accounting functions, including revenue cycle, reimbursement, financial reporting, and planning. She also helps guide the strategic operational and fiscal direction of the health system. With over 35 years of experience in healthcare finance, Cassara previously served as the Market CFO for the northern Indiana division of Franciscan Health and held CFO roles at MetroSouth Medical Center, DeKalb Health, and the Lutheran Health Network. She is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Indiana University.
Letitia Close is the Executive Director of Government Affairs at Cook County Health, a position she has held since 2013, following a role as Chief of Staff to the CEO. In her current capacity, she acts as a liaison between Cook County Health and governmental bodies at local, state, and federal levels to promote the organization's policies and initiatives. Prior to joining Cook County Health, Close had an extensive career in various roles within Cook County and the City of Chicago. For over 13 years, she served as a Legislative Aide and later as the Chief of Staff to Alderman Patrick J. O'Connor. After some time as a private sector consultant, she returned to the public sector, working in Planning and Development at Cook County and in Government Relations at the Chicago Transit Authority. She also served as Special Assistant to the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Letitia Close holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Loyola University in Chicago. She is also listed as a liaison for the Cook County Health Foundation Board of Directors.
Kimberly Craft is the Employment Plan Officer at Cook County Health. She is responsible for overseeing and supporting compliance with policies and procedures related to employment actions, such as hiring, discipline, and transfers. Before joining Cook County Health in 2019, Ms. Craft worked as an attorney, primarily handling medical negligence defense cases. She also has over a decade of experience in employment compliance gained through her work with compliance administrators appointed by the federal court. Ms. Craft holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She provides overviews of the Employment Plan Officer's Semi-Annual Reports to the Cook County Health Board of Directors.
Ms. Gibson previously served as CCH's Interim Chief Business Officer (CBO). [2]
Amanda Grasso is the Chief Data Officer at Cook County Health, responsible for data strategy, governance, and leveraging data for decision-making and operational efficiency. She has over 12 years of experience with the health system, having previously served as the Director of Business Intelligence and a Data Scientist and Epidemiologist at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Prior to that, she was a Research Assistant at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare/NorthShore University Health System. Amanda Grasso holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Mr. Haley has more than 12 years of health care operational and financial leadership experience in revenue cycle. [2] He is focused on providing strategic direction, planning and development of revenue cycle management. [2] Most recently, he served as the Vice President of Revenue Cycle Operations for AMITA Presence Health. [2] Previously, he worked at Sinai Health, MetroSouth Medical Center, Saint Elizabeth Medical Center and Kishwaukee Health. [2]
Charles A. Jones is the Chief Procurement Officer at Cook County Health. He joined Cook County Health in March 2012 as Director of Strategic Sourcing and Contract Management and has served in his current role since September 2017. In this position, he oversees the health system's strategic sourcing and procurement, contracting and contract management, materials management and logistics, value analysis, and vendor management. Before joining Cook County Health, Jones held various Supply Chain Management leadership positions in the telecommunications industry for 21 years and in private healthcare for 7 years. He is a graduate of Virginia State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration and holds a Project Management Certificate from DePaul University.
Dr. Kiran Joshi is the Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), having previously served as Interim COO since January. He has over 10 years of experience at CCDPH, during which he served as Senior Medical Officer and led initiatives such as establishing the Community Behavioral Health and Community Immunization Units. Dr. Joshi co-led the COVID-19 pandemic response for CCDPH and Cook County from 2020 to 2022, and was recognized in 2021 by the Institute of Medicine Chicago for his leadership during this time. Dr. Joshi completed medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago and trained in preventive medicine at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and in family medicine at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and an Attending Physician with Cook County Health's Department of Family Medicine, seeing patients at the North Riverside Community Health Center. Prior to joining Cook County Health, he was a faculty attending physician at the Northwestern McGaw Family Medicine Residency Program and worked as a consultant for the World Health Organization, assisting in developing training for health workers in sub-Saharan Africa. His interests include quality improvement, global health, and community-based participatory research.
Rudolf K.D. Kumapley serves as the Interim Chief Medical Officer for Cook County Health. In this role, he is responsible for leading the development of Cook County Health's clinical quality agenda, setting patient-centered standards of care, measuring and improving clinical outcomes, and disseminating best practices. Dr. Kumapley has been with Cook County Health for over 30 years, initially joining the health system during his internal medicine residency. He has held multiple leadership positions within the organization, including Chair of the Division of Hospital Medicine and Chair of the Cook County Health Utilization Management Committee. He was appointed Medical Director of Stroger Hospital in 2019. Dr. Kumapley earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Ghana and completed his residency and a fellowship at Cook County Health & Hospitals. He is a board-certified Internist with over 30 years of experience in the medical field and is affiliated with John H Stroger JR. Hospital.
Jeff McCutchan is the General Counsel at Cook County Health. He provides legal counsel to the Cook County Health Board of Directors and administrators, and oversees the Office of General Counsel and Risk Management Department. McCutchan also works with the Cook County State's Attorney and represents the health system in legal proceedings, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Before joining Cook County Health in 2015, he spent over 10 years at the Cook County State's Attorney Civil Actions Bureau. His career also includes roles in private practice and legal education. Throughout his career, McCutchan has primarily represented public interest clients, such as municipalities, not-for-profits, and other local government units. He holds a political science degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia and earned his law degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Alexandra Normington is the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at Cook County Health. In this role, she is responsible for the organization's reputation and branding through the development and leadership of marketing, communications, and community relations strategies. Before her current position, she served as Associate Chief Communications & Marketing Officer and Director of Media at Cook County Health. Prior to joining Cook County Health, Normington worked as a communications advisor, providing support to hospitals in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, crisis management, and reputation building. Her professional background also includes communications roles at the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, serving as a public information officer for the state of Minnesota, and working as an assistant assignment editor at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. Alexandra Normington holds a master's degree in public health from New York Medical College and earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota. She has also served on the board of Pillars Community Health.
Dr. Thomas Nutter is the Chief Behavioral Health Officer for Cook County Health. He is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 20 years of post-residency clinical experience in private, public, and academic settings. In his role at Cook County Health, he provides leadership and clinical expertise to expand behavioral health programs and support community-based services, focusing on increasing access to care for patients with mental health and substance use disorders, as well as justice-involved patients. Prior to joining Cook County Health in August 2023, Dr. Nutter served as Chief of Mental Health at the Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital for seven years. He is a graduate of Valparaiso University and the University of Illinois College of Medicine-Rockford, and he completed his psychiatry residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University.
Beena Peters, DNP, RN, FACHE, FABC, serves as the System Chief Nursing Executive at Cook County Health (CCH). She joined Cook County Health in 2018 as Chief Nursing Officer and was appointed to her current role in 2021. With over 30 years of experience in healthcare leadership, Dr. Peters previously spent nearly three decades at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System in Chicago, where she held various nursing roles, including Associate Chief Nursing Officer. Dr. Peters' educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and The Advisory Board. In her role at Cook County Health, she provides strategic leadership for nursing operations, clinical practice, quality, education, research, and workforce development. She has focused on improving patient safety and quality, implementing leadership and academic partnership programs, and securing grants for workforce development. Dr. Peters was the recipient of the 2023 Joan L. Shaver Outstanding Illinois Nurse Leader Award.
Mark Spranca, PhD, is the Chief Scientific Officer at Cook County Health (CCH). He provides leadership and direction for all clinical research activities at CCH, overseeing data collection, documentation, analysis, and reporting. His responsibilities also include directing the strategic, administrative, operational, and financial initiatives related to clinical research. Dr. Spranca is a behavioral scientist with expertise in quality of care, patient experience, clinical decision support, and health behavior, and is recognized for his experience in building research operations. Before his time at CCH, he consulted for health system CEOs on research strategy and held a role as a Chief Strategy Officer. Earlier in his career, he was a Vice President at Abt Associates, beginning in August 2005. His background also includes work cited in research on areas like omission bias and the assessment of patient education materials.
Raji Thomas is the Chief Quality Officer at Cook County Health. She became the Interim Chief Quality Officer in 2024, having joined Cook County Health in July 2022 as the System Director of Patient Safety. Her experience includes leading teams in patient safety and regulatory compliance, and using data to improve quality. Before joining Cook County Health, Thomas was the Director of Quality and Patient Safety at The Joint Commission and the Director of Patient Safety and Performance Improvement at Rush University Medical Center. She has also held leadership positions at Advocate Health and Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. Raji Thomas earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Loyola University-Chicago and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Lewis University. She is also a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS).
Dr. Arnold Turner is the Chief Hospital Executive for Provident Hospital at Cook County Health. In this capacity, he is responsible for providing leadership for hospital operations and is accountable for clinical, operational, and financial performance. Dr. Turner has a significant history with Cook County Health, having previously served as Provident Hospital's Medical Director and as an attending physician since 2016. He is a Board-certified internist. Before his roles at Cook County Health, Dr. Turner was the Associate Medical Director for the UIC Physician Group and the Chief Health Officer for Altgeld Health Center. He also spent 27 years caring for patients at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, where he held the position of Associate Chief of Service for the Department of Internal Medicine. Academically, Dr. Turner is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center. His clinical expertise includes chronic disease management, modifying cardiovascular risk factors, and improving clinical outcomes. He is affiliated with John H Stroger JR. Hospital and Provident Hospital of Cook County.
Craig Williams serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for Operations & Development at Cook County Health. In this role, he is responsible for building an effective, highly integrated health system, establishing standards for system-wide high-quality care delivery and operational excellence, and collaborating with clinical and administrative staff to develop patient-centered care models. He also holds the position of Chief Operating Officer at Cook County Health. Before joining Cook County Health, Williams held leadership positions including Chief Operating Officer at Beverly Hospital, where he contributed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and President at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, overseeing a large workforce and substantial revenue. His prior experience also includes administrative roles at healthcare organizations such as Partners HealthCare and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He also served as the Chief Operating Officer of Northeast Hospital Corporation in Massachusetts and in leadership roles at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and Tufts Medical Center. Academically, Craig Williams holds an M.B.A. in Health Care from Suffolk University and a Master's in Public Health from Boston University. He also completed fellowship training from the Massachusetts Hospital Association Healthcare Leadership College. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Suffolk University, Boston, MA.