Kevin Sowers Named President of the Johns Hopkins Health System and Executive Vice President of Johns Hopkins Medicine

To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community

Dear Colleagues:

I am delighted to report that on Friday, Dec. 8, the trustees of the Johns Hopkins Health System, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine approved the appointment of Kevin W. Sowers, M.S.N., R.N., F.A.A.N., as the next president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Kevin will assume these positions on Feb. 1, and I look forward to the energy, enthusiasm and vast leadership experience he will bring.

Sowers' appointment marks another major milestone for Johns Hopkins Medicine. As the second person to hold these dual roles, Kevin will help define and execute strategic initiatives that advance all three parts of our mission—delivering outstanding care, training the next generation of leaders, and advancing research and discovery. Working collaboratively with all Johns Hopkins Medicine organizations, he also will focus on more fully integrating our clinical delivery system.

Kevin joins Johns Hopkins Medicine from Duke University Hospital—the flagship academic hospital for Duke University Health System—where he has served as president and CEO for eight years. In this position, he oversees operations of the 1,000-bed teaching hospital, including implementation of the strategic plan, in collaboration with the physician practice group and school of medicine. Under his astute leadership, the hospital's clinical quality, patient satisfaction, work culture and finances have improved. He also led several major building projects for the hospital, including an expansion of the emergency department, a modernization of operating rooms, a new cancer center and an ICU bed tower.

Throughout his 32-year career with Duke University Health System, Kevin had the opportunity to work in multiple areas of health care delivery, from providing direct patient care to serving in clinical and administrative leadership roles. In all of those positions, Kevin has been admired for his engaging and collaborative spirit and his ability to partner effectively with people at all levels of the organization.

He began his career with Duke University Medical Center Hospital in 1985 as a staff nurse in oncology. For the next nine years, he held several key nursing positions, including nurse educator, director of medical oncology and nurse internships, and director of a cancer care consortium and unit manager for hematology, oncology and GYN oncology.

Prior to assuming his current position at Duke University Hospital, Kevin held numerous senior leadership positions across the Duke University Health System, including chief operating officer for Duke University Hospital and interim CEO for Durham Regional Hospital. He has also held a variety of senior administrative roles overseeing the consolidation of Duke's clinical lab services, emergency and trauma services, and managed care and patient care services.

In addition to exhibiting consistently excellent leadership, Kevin has committed to educating and mentoring others. He is a skilled teacher and holds several faculty positions, including adjunct professorships at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Duke University Fuqua School of Business, and clinical associate at Duke University's Graduate School of Nursing. He served as a consultant to the Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center in Taiwan, establishing a much-needed department of oncology nursing and educating nurses on oncology care. When asked what he is most proud of over his tenure at Duke, he immediately points to the leaders he has helped develop who have gone on to lead their own organizations.

Kevin earned his bachelor of science degree from Capital University School of Nursing and a master of science from Duke University School of Nursing. He has published extensively and speaks nationally and abroad on issues such as leadership, organizational change, mentorship and cancer care.

Active in many professional and community organizations, Kevin serves as chair of the AmSurg Board and is a member of the Vizient Board of Directors, North Carolina Hospital Association Board of Trustees, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Board of Directors and the Council of Teaching Hospitals Administrative Board. He is an American Academy of Nursing Fellow and has collaborated on numerous research efforts as well as consulted internationally. He has also served in leadership roles with the American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen and the Oncology Nursing Society.

As we usher in a new era of leadership, I would like to thank Ron Peterson once more for his dedication and exemplary leadership during his 20 years as president of the health system and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine—and throughout his 44-year career with Johns Hopkins. His commitment to this organization and this community have had a lasting impact on each and every one of us.

I would also like to express my appreciation to the many people across Johns Hopkins Medicine who participated in the search process, and particularly David Hodgson, chair of the JHM Board of Trustees, who co-led the search committee with me. Over the past six months, we conducted an extensive national search, and I appreciate the time and insights of all who participated.

Based on my own conversations with Kevin and comments from those involved in the selection process, and from individuals who have worked with him throughout his career, it is evident that he is a visionary leader with a deep understanding of the role and responsibilities of academic and community health centers, as well as the challenges we face. With his experience leading a prestigious academic health center, his ability to forge strong collaborative relationships, and his demonstrated knack for thriving in complex environments, Kevin will be instrumental in advancing our mission and reinforcing our commitment to the communities we serve.

Please join me in congratulating Kevin Sowers on his appointment as president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine, and in welcoming him and his partner, Anthony, to Baltimore in February.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine