Mark B. McClellan, MD, PhD, is a doctor and an economist whose work has addressed a wide range of strategies and policy reforms to improve health care, including payment reforms to promote better outcomes and lower costs, methods for development and use of real-world evidence and approaches for more effective drug and device innovation.

McClellan is a former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he developed and implemented major reforms in health policy. McClellan has served as a member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and as deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy. He was also a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of economics and medicine at Stanford University where he directed the Program on Health Outcomes Research.

William J. Fulkerson, Jr., MD, is professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and former Executive Vice President for Duke University Health System (DUHS). As executive vice president, he oversaw over a decade of unprecedented quality, growth and community benefit across the health system clinical enterprise.

Fulkerson is a North Carolina native and received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Fulkerson earned his MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business in 2002. 

Fulkerson has served previously as Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs for DUHS, CEO of Duke University Hospital, and Vice President of the Duke University Health System. He is a nationally recognized specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and has authored/co-authored numerous books, chapters and peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Fulkerson has twice received the Eugene A. Stead Jr. Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Duke Department of Medicine. He is past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, North Carolina Hospital Association. In 2021, he was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest honor, which recognizes persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.

Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH, an internationally recognized epidemiologist who has worked on the front lines of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 treatment and research, is the director of the Duke Global Health Institute.

Beyrer, who has worked on COVID-19 vaccine trials since 2020, currently serves as senior scientific liaison to the COVID-19 Vaccine Prevention Network. He is past president of the International AIDS Society, the world’s largest body of HIV professionals and has served as advisor to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the National Institutes of Health’s Office of AIDS Research, the U.S. Military HIV Research Program, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Open Society Foundations, among numerous other organizations. The author of “War in the Blood: Sex, Politics and AIDS in Southeast Asia,” he has conducted collaborative research in Thailand for 30 years.

Before coming to Duke, Beyrer was the inaugural Desmond M. Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he also was a professor of epidemiology, international health, nursing and medicine. At Johns Hopkins, he directed the T32 Training Program in HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Science and served as associate director of the JHU Center for AIDS Research and the Center for Global Health. He was the founding director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights.

Beyrer received his medical degree from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2014 and serves on the Academy’s Board for Global Health, and on the Committee for Human Rights.

Megan Haymaker was named Assistant Vice President, Community Hospitals HR, Duke University Health System, in October 2025. Before that she served as the Chief Human Resources Officer for Duke Raleigh Hospital, a Campus of Duke University Hospital, and Interim Chief Human Resources Officer for the Duke University Health System Clinical Labs group.

Haymaker brings more than 18 years of healthcare experience to the team, with a strong background in healthcare, having previously served in a variety of HR leadership roles with Indiana University (IU) Health for over 15 years.

Haymaker is a tremendous asset to Duke Health and has participated in a number of key strategic HR initiatives to continue enhancing the value HR brings. She is a compassionate people-first leader who always seeks to understand the needs of our team members and holds a deep appreciation for the care they provide.

Dr. Ted Boyse, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer for Duke Raleigh Hospital, a Campus of Duke University Hospital. He was appointed as chief in July, 2022. Prior to this, Dr. Boyse served as Associate Chief Medical Officer for one year.

Over the past 18 years, Dr. Boyse has made important and varied contributions to Duke Health System. He has held multiple leadership roles at Duke Raleigh Hospital, including eleven years as part of the hospital’s medical executive committee, holding the roles of department chair, president elect, and president.

Dr. Boyse is known and recognized for his commitment to valuing and developing people while creating effective care environments through process improvements. He brings unique insight into how Duke Raleigh can best grow and support its medical staff, expand services, and further Duke Health’s commitment to delivering the best patient care.

Dr. Boyse earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, completed his Radiology Residency at the University of Michigan and his Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis.

Ian Lee Brown, DMH serves as Chief Community Health and Social Impact Officer for Duke University Health System, where he leads enterprise-wide strategies for community health, social impact, and cross-sector partnerships that advance care that is accessible, responsive, and grounded in community needs, population health, and whole-person care.

With more than two decades of leadership experience, Ian has held senior roles across academic medical centers, health systems, senior living, affordable housing, finance, and social-impact organizations. His career is grounded in early work in community health and development in the Washington, DC region, where he led community and political affairs, volunteer services, pastoral care, and nationally recognized violence-prevention initiatives.

At Duke Health, Ian has previously served as Chief Employee Experience Officer and Interim Associate Vice President for Community Health, overseeing employee experience, employee listening, change management, organizational culture, belonging, workforce well-being, professionalism, and workplace violence prevention, as well as community health assessments, community benefit portfolios, and multi-sector coalitions.

Ian holds a Doctor of Medical and Health Humanities and a Contemplative Professional Graduate Certificate from Drew University; a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science and Organizational Development and a Graduate Certificate in Senior Living and Healthcare from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School; a Master of Liberal Studies from Lake Forest College; and completed his undergraduate education at Brooklyn College. He has additional training in Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. In recognition of his leadership and impact, Ian was named an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Influential Leader in 2022 and a Distinguished Johns Hopkins University alumnus in 2025.

An immigrant from Jamaica, Ian brings a community-rooted, interdisciplinary approach to advancing equitable health outcomes.

Colleen Shannon is the Vice President of Compliance and Administration at Duke University Health System (DUHS). She is responsible for implementing and overseeing the Health System’s compliance and privacy programs and facilitating the DUHS enterprise risk management process. Shannon also coordinates activities with the Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP) and School of Medicine leadership to advance our collaboration and prioritize services. Shannon reports to the DUHS Compliance/Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and Health Affairs Chancellor and DUHS President and CEO. Shannon co-chairs the DUHS Privacy and Security Steering Committee and administers various facilities’ compliance committees. 

Shannon joined DUHS in July 2007 and has 26 years of health care regulatory experience. Prior to joining DUHS, Shannon was the Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer for OhioHealth, an integrated multi-hospital health system in Columbus, Ohio. Shannon served as a Regulatory and Licensing Attorney for Cole Managed Vision, a 50 state vision benefit administrator, developing its privacy program at the inception of HIPAA privacy regulations. She also served in multiple positions within The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, including staff counsel, Chief Operating Officer of Lakewood Hospital and Chief Integration Officer, Western Region, Cleveland Clinic. 

Shannon is a graduate of the University of Virginia Law School. Shannon served as Chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Compliance Officers’ Forum (COF) and established the AAMC COF, Privacy Committee. Shannon serves as a member of American Association Hospital, Chief Compliance Officer Forum and is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and Association of American Medical Colleges Compliance Officers’ Forum.

Paul Vick is the Associate Vice President for Government Relations at Duke University Health System. He has headed Duke Health’s government relations office since its inception in 1999. He has more than three decades of experience in government relations and public policy work at the federal, state and local levels, including a three-year stint in Washington, DC, as chief of staff to United States Senator (and Duke University President) Terry Sanford.

During his career at Duke, Vick was director for nine years of Duke University’s Office of Government Relations and Community Affairs and has held several other university positions overseeing local, state and federal relations, alumni affairs, and special events. He has served as an elected official at the local level as well as an appointed member of numerous state and national boards. He spearheaded the creation of Project Medical Education, as a coalition of America’s leading medical schools and hospitals working together to inform Congress about medical education, and served for four years as its executive director.

A 1966 graduate of Duke University, he holds a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A. Eugene Washington, MD, MPH, MSc, is Chancellor Emeritus at Duke University. An internationally renowned clinical investigator and health policy scholar, Dr. Washington has been a leader in assessing medical technologies, developing clinical practice guidelines, and establishing disease prevention policies, particularly in women’s health. The thread that runs throughout all of this work is improving quality of healthcare and eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in health outcomes. His research and numerous publications have greatly impacted the practice of medicine in prenatal genetic testing, cervical cancer screening and prevention, noncancerous uterine conditions management, and reproduction-related infections. His executive leadership has inspired academic health systems to adopt public health principles as core to their mission. His service to the nation through professional and government boards and committees has emphasized the importance of health equity and community engagement in health policy and public discourse.

Dr. Washington has held academic leadership positions and senior executive posts in three prominent academic health systems. Previously, Dr. Washington was the Chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University, where he also served as President and CEO of the Duke University Health System from 2015-2023. Dr. Washington was appointed as Chancellor Emeritus in 2023. Just prior to Duke, Dr. Washington served as Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences, Dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Chief Executive Officer of the UCLA Health System. At the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Dr. Washington served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. There, he co-founded and directed the Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations, one of the first centers of excellence conducting research on health services for minority populations. Before joining the faculty at UCSF, Dr. Washington was an epidemiologist and clinical investigator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

Dr. Washington is known as one of the most vocal proponents in the U.S. of Academic Health Systems adopting health improvement as their ultimate mission, beyond the traditional missions of research, education and patient care. At Duke University, he initiated and led the transition of Duke Medicine to Duke Health, which is today demonstratively more focused on socio-economic determinants of health and building healthy communities. At UCLA, Dr. Washington consolidated disparate and widespread projects into a comprehensive and organized community engagement entity that magnified the impact of these activities. And at UCSF, he strengthened the institution’s commitment to service by building lasting partnerships with the community and by creating alignment across the entire enterprise.

Dr. Washington has also impacted the national health and healthcare agenda through his thought leadership. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (now the National Academy of Medicine) in 1997 and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2014. He chaired the Boards of Directors of both the California HealthCare Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation, served on the Board of Trustees of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and was a director of Johnson and Johnson. Dr. Washington is founding Chair of the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), a national research organization authorized by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

Rhonda Brandon is the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Duke University Health System.

In her role, Brandon oversees efforts to advance a world-class workforce that positions the health system to meet our long-term strategic goals. She is a key driver of our initiatives to improve performance measurement, professional development and our work culture. She offers trusted counsel to senior staff, advocating on behalf of all of our employees.

Brandon was most recently the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for BJC Healthcare in St. Louis, MO. She joined BJC Healthcare in 2006 as Vice President of Human Resources for Missouri Baptist Medical Center and was named Vice President of Operations for BJC’s Shared Services Human Resources team in 2010.

Prior to her service to BJC Healthcare, Brandon served as Vice President of Human Resources for Colonial Pipeline Company and prior to that, as Director of Human Resources and Global Information Technology for Nike. She is a cum laude graduate of Hampton University (BA, mass communications) and American University (MS, organization development.)

Kevin W. Sowers, MSN, RN, FAAN, is the President of Duke University Hospital. Sowers joined Duke University Hospital in 1985 as a staff nurse in oncology and has been in leadership roles within Duke University Health System over the last 20 years.Prior to becoming president, Sowers served as the Chief Operating Officer for Duke University Hospital from 2003 to 2009. He received his BSN from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and his MSN from Duke University School of Nursing. Sowers is accountable for the operations of the 957-bed academic teaching hospital with over 10,000 faculty, staff and volunteers. He is responsible for driving organizational excellence and implementing the strategic plan of the organization in collaboration with the Duke Health physician group. Sowers is internationally known for his lectures and writings on the issues of leadership, organizational change, mentorship and cancer care. He is currently on the Board of Directors for University Healthcare Consortium and the Counsel of Teaching Hospitals. He is adjunct faculty at Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Fuqua School of Business and UNC School of Public Health. He has also served in leadership roles with the American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen and a variety of leadership roles at the national level within the Oncology Nursing Society.  

Michael H. Merson, M.D., is founding director of Duke Global Health Institute and the Wolfgang Joklik Professor of Global Health at Duke University. He joined the Duke faculty in November 2006. Merson was named Vice Chancellor for Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Affairs in March 2010. Most recently, Merson was named the Vice President and Vice Provost of Global Affairs at Duke University in June 2011.

Merson graduated from Amherst College (BA) and the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center. After serving as a medical intern and resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, he worked in the Enteric Diseases Branch at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA and then served as the Chief Epidemiologist at the Cholera Research Laboratory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His research focused on the etiology and epidemiology of acute diarrheal diseases, including cholera, in developing countries and on the cause of travelers’ diarrhea in persons visiting these countries.

In 1978, he joined the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Medical Officer in the Diarrheal Diseases Control Program. He served as director of that program from January 1980 until May 1990. In August 1987, he was also appointed Director of the WHO Acute Respiratory Infections Control Program. In May 1990, he was appointed as Director of the WHO Global Program on AIDS. This program was operational worldwide and responsible for mobilizing and coordinating the global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In April 1995, he joined Yale University School of Medicine as its first Dean of Public Health and as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, positions he held until December 2004. In 2001, he was named as the Anna M. R. Lauder Professor of Public Health in the Yale University School of Medicine. From 1999 to 2006, he also served as Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS at Yale University, which undertakes research on HIV prevention in vulnerable and underserved populations in this country and abroad. He also led a number of training programs that strengthened the capacity of scientists in Russia, China, India and South Africa to undertake HIV/AIDS prevention research.

Merson has authored more than 175 articles, primarily in the area of disease prevention. His most recent contributions concern HIV policy and prevention in developing countries and broader global health issues. He is the senior editor of Global Health: Disease, Programs, Systems, and Policies, which is a leading global health textbook in the United States.

He has served in advisory capacities for UNAIDS, WHO, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, World Bank, Doris Duke Foundation, World Economic Forum, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and on several NIH review panels and advisory committees. He is a member of the Commission for Smart Global Health Policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Merson has received two Commendation Medals from the U.S. Public Health Service, the Arthur S. Flemming Award for distinguished government service, the Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Medal and two honorary degrees and is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine in the National Academy of Sciences.

Jason A. Carter is the President and Chief Operating Officer for Duke Regional Hospital and joined the team in November, 2023. Jason has more than 15 years of senior management experience working for healthcare organizations across North Carolina and the Southeast.

Prior to joining Duke Regional, Jason served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the University of Maryland Medical System where he managed clinical and non-clinical operations of the medical center and its ambulatory operations.

Jason received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Appalachian State University, and his master's degree in Business Administration from Winston-Salem State University. He was born and raised in North Carolina.

Thomas Owens, MD, is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Duke University Health System. With more than two decades of experience at Duke Health, Dr. Owens serves as the principal senior leader overseeing health system operations, working with enterprise leaders across Duke Health to deliver outstanding clinical outcomes and remarkable patient experience across Duke’s network and the full continuum of care, from the hospital to ambulatory settings to care in homes and the community.

In his previous role as Senior Vice President, Dr. Owens managed DUHS-employed physicians, Duke Primary Care, Duke HomeCare and Hospice, Graduate Medical Education, population health management programs, and payer value-based contracts through Duke Connected Care. As President of Duke University Hospital, our academic medical center was consistently ranked as North Carolina’s No. 1 hospital for quality. In 2021, he and his DUH team opened the 350-bed, Duke Central Tower. 

In 2020, Dr. Owens played a critical role in leading DUHS’s COVID response, collaborating with state government officials, operational leaders and frontline team members to care for our community, patients, and team during the pandemic. In partnership with colleagues in the Private Diagnostic Clinic, community practices and the Duke University School of Medicine, Dr. Owens served as DUHS’s lead executive in planning the Duke Health Integrated Practice, projected to open July 1, 2023.

Previous roles at DUHS and DUH include Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Chief of Duke Hospital Medicine Programs, Co-Director of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency programs, and more.

Dr. Owens received his M.D. with honors from the University at Buffalo School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He completed his Internal Medicine and Pediatrics training at Duke University Medical Center.

Michael Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, is the Associate Chief Nurse Executive (ACNE) of Academic Partnerships and Innovation for Duke University Health System, Professor of Nursing and Global Health, and Dean of the Duke University School of Nursing. He previously served as Associate Dean for Global and Community Affairs from 2014-2023 and as the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education and Director of the Accelerated BSN Program for the School of Nursing from 2008-2014.

His research focuses on the psychosocial aspects of HIV using mixed-methods, particularly focusing on intimate partner violence, HIV-related stigma, and interventions to promote engagement in HIV-oriented primary medical care. Additionally, through his research, he has documented the role of the professional and advanced practice nurse in the prevention, care and treatment of persons at risk for or living with HIV.

Dr. Relf’s work examining the intersection of intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviors among men who have sex with men received international press attention. As a co-investigator on a President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded project to build nursing capacity in the context of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, Dr. Relf, in collaboration with colleagues from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Zimbabwe, published the Essential Nursing Competencies related to HIV and AIDS endorsed by the International Council of Nurses, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. In collaboration with Dr. Julie Barroso from the Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Relf has tested the efficacy of an internalized stigma reduction intervention among women living with HIV in the United States. He is now collaborating with partners in Rwanda (University of Rwanda) and Tanzania (Muhimbili University of Health and Applied Sciences) to adapt the intervention to the culture and context in these two countries.

Dr. Relf’s work examining the intersection of intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviors among men who have sex with men received international press attention. As a co-investigator on a President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded project to build nursing capacity in the context of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, Dr. Relf, in collaboration with colleagues from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, published the Essential Nursing Competencies related to HIV and AIDS endorsed by the International Council of Nurses, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. In collaboration with Dr. Julie Barroso from the Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Relf has tested the efficacy of an internalized stigma reduction intervention among women living with HIV in the United States. He is now collaborating with partners in Rwanda (University of Rwanda) and Tanzania (Muhimbili University of Health and Applied Sciences) to adapt the intervention to the culture and context in these two countries.

Dr. Relf is an Advanced HIV/AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (AACRN) and certified nurse educator (CNE). Prior to joining the School of Nursing in 2008, Dr. Relf was a tenured faculty member and Chair of the Department of Nursing at Georgetown University and the Associate Medical Administrator/Director of Nursing and Clinical Support Services at Whitman-Walker Clinic. He earned his BS with a major in nursing from South Dakota University, his MS in nursing administration in healthcare services from Georgetown University and his PhD in nursing from Johns Hopkins University. He has been a visiting professor at Queen University Belfast (Northern Ireland), the University of Zululand (South Africa) and Fudan University (China). In September 2023, he was appointed a Consulting Professor at the Fudan University School of Nursing (Shanghai, PRC). He is a 2019 Fellow of the NLN’s Academy of Nursing Education and a 2008 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Terry McDonnell, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC is the Chief Nursing Executive and Senior Vice President at Duke University Health System, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at the Duke University School of Nursing, and Watts College of Nursing, Board Chair. In her leadership role, she collaborates with Chief Nursing Officers and system leaders to foster a culture of belonging and purpose among frontline clinical teams, ensuring that patients and their families receive exceptional, patient-centered care. She continues to work as a Gastrointestinal Oncology Nurse Practitioner at Duke Cancer Institute.

Previously, McDonnell served as Vice President of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, where she oversaw clinical operations and professional staff, enhancing the delivery of high-quality, patient-focused services. Her leadership and management skills were instrumental in the success of the center's operations. An acute care-certified nurse practitioner, she specializes in gastrointestinal cancers and is a Clinical Associate of Medicine at the University of Washington. McDonnell has also contributed as a clinical preceptor at Harvard Medical School and the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Recognized for her empowering leadership style, McDonnell excels in developing high-performing teams through collaboration and engagement. Her commitment to compassionate care has earned her several accolades, including the National Pancreas Foundation Compassionate Caregiver Award.

McDonnell holds undergraduate degrees in English and Economics from Boston College, a Master’s in Acute Care Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Administration from the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Jevon Peterson is the Chief Operating Officer for Duke Raleigh Hospital, a Campus of Duke University Hospital and has served the hospital for six years in various leadership roles, spanning facilities and hospital operations. Most recently, he served as Assistant Vice President, Hospital Operations. He has led large-scale projects such as the development and construction of the hospital’s new South Pavilion. Jevon brings a wealth of experience to the team and a unique insight into how Duke Raleigh can grow in Wake County. A community leader, Jevon also serves as vice chair of Raleigh Midtown Alliance.

Kristin Merritt, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K, is Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) of Duke Regional Hospital and a registered nurse with over 28 years of experience.

Prior to assuming her role as CNO, she was Associate Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) in Neurosciences for Duke University Health System and was responsible for neuroscience nursing practice and clinical and administrative operations across the health system. Merritt also served as the Duke Raleigh Hospital ICU and Neuroscience Stepdown Nurse Manager from 2012 to 2016 and as Neuroscience Service Line Director from 2016 to 2018. Before joining the Duke team, Merritt worked in over 29 hospitals throughout the United States as a staff nurse, travel nurse, and nursing leadership position.

Merritt holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice in Leadership from East Carolina University. She graduated from The Healthcare Management Academy GE Chief Nurse Officer Fellowship in 2021. She also graduated from the 2012 Nurse Manager Fellowship program at the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL). In addition, Merritt holds two professional board certifications in nurse executive advanced and critical care nursing.

She is a member of the following professional organizations: American Nurses Association (ANA), AONL, American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), AACN – Greater Raleigh Area Chapter, and North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA).

Merritt is active in the community. She serves as a clinical assistant professor for East Carolina University Department of Advanced Nursing Practice and Education and a member of the East Carolina University Doctorate in Nursing Practice Advisory Board. She has been a member of the AONL Membership Committee for the last three years, a member of the Wake Early College Health and Sciences Advisory Board, a reviewer for the American Nursing Credential Center (ANCC) Magnet Conference and an expert reviewer for AACN Circle of Excellence, Chapters, and Evidence-Based Practice, and for the North Carolina Great 100 Nurses Selections committee.

Mary Martin is the Chief Operating Officer for Duke University Hospital. In her role as COO, she and her senior leadership team oversee Duke University Hospital, a 1000+ bed (adult and pediatric), quaternary care, Level 1 trauma and academic medical center with more than 15,000 employees.

Throughout her career, Mary has been known for leading teams in project efficiencies, capacity management, and process improvement including Lean implementation. In her role as interim president, Mary leads the hospital’s senior leadership team in key priorities such as employee engagement and retention, utilization and efficiencies, reduction of workplace violence, and clinical quality and safety.

As COO, Mary has served as incident commander of Duke University Hospital’s COVID response, maintained services with zero layoffs during the pandemic and activated a new patient tower a year ahead of schedule. Mary also led teams to implement the CARE Hub, a world-class patient flow and transfer center to facilitate movement of patients between the three Duke hospitals and from outside hospitals.

Before coming to Duke in 2019, Mary held increasing leadership positions in University Hospital, a 600-bed hospital within Michigan Medicine/University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Mich. She served as Associate Hospital Director for major clinical services and operational areas that include: Surgical Services, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Psychiatry; Operations and Clinical Services. Mary previously served as director of Lean Performance Improvement and a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet for the City of Detroit, and in senior leadership roles with Detroit Medical Center.

Mary completed her undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, with a related area of study in French, from James Madison College at Michigan State University. She earned a Master of Public Administration from Rackham Graduate School at The University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Barbara Griffith, MD, began her tenure as President of Duke Raleigh Hospital, a Campus of Duke University Hospital in October 2021. Prior to joining Duke Raleigh, Griffith served as President and CEO of Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La.

Griffith’s healthcare experience includes 20 years of clinical practice and more than 15 years in a variety of leadership roles that have spanned hospital leadership, operations, physician practice management, clinical affairs and board governance.

Griffith served as chief medical officer for Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, N.C., for seven years. In her role, she led business development and strategy for clinical programs while focusing on excellence in patient care quality and safety.

Earlier in her career, Griffith served as president and CFO of Durham Emergency Physicians, the medical practice that staffed Duke Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department. As an active leader within Duke Regional’s medical staff of more than 1,000 providers, she served as medical staff president. Her emergency medicine background brings a broad understanding of all aspects of healthcare, particularly the needs of patients and families in today’s healthcare environment.

Board Certified in emergency medicine, Griffith obtained her medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She trained in emergency medicine at Christiana Care in Newark, Del. Her business training includes healthcare executive education at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians and American College of Healthcare Executives.