Leadership

The leadership at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is proud to steward one of the most prestigious health systems in the country. It includes:

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS, MAMSE
Chief Academic Officer and Executive Vice President, Advocate Health
Chief Executive Officer, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Wake Forest University

L. Ebony Boulware, MD, MPH
Dean, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Chief Science Officer, Atrium Health
Vice Chief Academic Officer, Advocate Health

Kevin High, MD, MS, MACP, FIDSA
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Ruben A. Mesa, MD, FACP
President, Cancer Service Line, Atrium Health
Executive Director, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
Senior Vice President, Atrium Health
Vice Dean for Cancer Programs and Professor of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Todd M. Bankhead, MBA, MPA, PMP, CSSBB
Sr. Vice President, Clinical Operations
COO, Clinical Service Lines

Chad Brown, FACHE
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Davie Medical Center
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Wilkes Medical Center

Anthony Cunningham, MBA
Vice President, Patient Financial Services

Andrea Fernandez, MD, FACOG
Regional Chief Medical Officer - Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Chief Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Officer - Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Mick Fisher, MA
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Jena Folger, MBA/MHA
Vice President, Network Growth, Strategy and Business Development

Gary R. Gunderson, DMin, MDiv
Vice President, FaithHealth

Terry Hales, MBA
Senior Vice President, Academic Administration and Operations, and Executive Vice Dean, Wake Forest School of Medicine

Deb Harding, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Vice President and Regional Chief Nursing Executive - Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Jim Hoekstra, MD
Senior Vice President and Associate Dean, Clinical and Academic Network Development
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center

Jennifer Houlihan, MSP, MA
Vice President, Value-Based Care and Population Health

Russell M. Howerton, MD, FACS
President of Wake Forest Health Network
Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations
Professor of Surgical Sciences – Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

William B. "Bill" James, MHA, FACHE
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Lexington Medical Center

Yates Lackey
Vice President and Chief Audit and Compliance Officer

Stephan Lillie
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Richard Lord, MD, MA
Vice President, Primary Care and Population Health
Chair, Family and Community Medicine

Karin Mabe, MBA
Vice President Reimbursement and Managed Care

Lisa Marshall
Vice President, Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, Chief Philanthropy Officer

Christopher O'Byrne, MS
Vice President and Associate Dean, Research Administration and Operations

Denise Potter
Vice President and Chief Communications, Marketing and Media Officer

Alisa Starbuck, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, NEA-BC
President, Brenner Children’s Hospital and
Vice President, Women’s and Children’s Health Service

Mike Waid, MBA
Senior Vice President, Health System Operations and Integration

McLain Wallace, JD
Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Cathleen Wheatley, DNP, RN, CENP
President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Sr. Vice President of Clinical Operations

Terri Yates, PhD
Vice President and Associate Dean, Healthcare Education Administration