New VMC CEO Linda Smith

(republished from Connections, a newsletter for employees of the Santa Clara County Health & Hospital System)

Linda M. Smith Appointed to Head Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

On December 17, 2010, the County Executive Jeff Smith announced the appointment of Linda M. Smith, FACHE as SCVMC Chief Executive Officer effective February 1, 2011. Ms. Smith will be returning to SCVMC where she began her health career as a respiratory therapist.

Ms. Smith was employed by the $4 billion non-profit Aurora Health Care system in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 2001 to 2010. During her tenure, she served as Hospital Administrator of the Aurora BayCare Medical Center, responsible for daily management of the 167-bed regional tertiary level 2 trauma center with two ambulatory surgery centers.

From 2003 to 2009, Ms. Smith served as Executive Vice President for Aurora’s North Region overseeing 24 clinics and two hospitals, co-leading LEAN and Six Sigma initiatives. In recent restructuring, she became Vice President for Critical Growth Markets and oversaw the successful openings of two medical centers, and served as interim Chief Administrative Officer for Aurora Sheboygan Medical Center.

Prior to joining Aurora, Ms. Smith was employed for 17 years by LA/USC Medical Center. She served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Center from 1998 to 2001.

Sylvia Gallegos, Acting Director for SCVHHS, welcomes her arrival. “We have high confidence in Linda and know she will help move SCVMC forward toward health care reform implementation. She has been successful in leading hospital and clinic operations and achieving high patient outcomes.”

Ms. Smith, a returning San Jose native, received her MBA from the University of Florida, MPH in Health Services Administration from Columbia University, BA in Health Arts and Science from UC Berkeley, and AS in Respiratory Therapy from Foothill College.

“I am excited to be returning to the facility that inspired my career for the past 25 years,” said Linda Smith. “My passion for superior patient care has its origins in the patients I served at SCVMC. I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the facility and meeting the staff, the patients, and the community of Santa Clara County.”