Adventist Health appoints president for Mendocino County
UKIAH » Judson Howe has been named president of Adventist Health in Mendocino County effective Dec. 18, 2020; Adventist Health announced in a press release earlier this week. Howe will lead and support the three Adventist Health hospitals in Fort Bragg, Ukiah and Willits as well as medical offices and other services throughout the county.
“Judson is a dynamic leader with a passion for quality, innovation and excellence. His expertise and knowledge of the community and our hospitals in Mendocino County will allow us to continue on our vision to improve access to care and transform the experience for those we serve,” said Scott Reiner, Adventist Health CEO.
Howe has been serving as the finance and strategy officer for the three hospitals in Mendocino County for the last year, after leading finance and strategy for Adventist Health Howard Memorial since 2016. He brings more than 15 years of experience in healthcare finance and strategy to this role. Under Howe’s leadership, Adventist Health improved access to care by bringing in new physicians, enhanced coordination of care and synergy across three hospitals and invested in much-needed equipment and facility upgrades.
Howe said he is honored to lead and support the exceptional Adventist Health team and expand the organization’s mission of inspiring health in Mendocino County. “I’m excited to support our teams in their work of caring for our friends and neighbors, especially during this critical time. Mendocino County is our home, where my wife and I have chosen to raise our family. I am blessed to serve in this capacity to help improve the care for families in our community for generations to come.”
Howe will fill the position vacated by Jason Wells, who has been named chief consumer and innovation officer for Adventist Health systemwide. Wells will continue to be engaged and help support Mendocino County as he will serve as the board president for the three hospitals in the county.
Howe is passionate about investing in the Mendocino County team and services. “This pandemic has highlighted the importance of having the resources and systems in place so our teams can continue to provide exceptional care. When we invest in our people and provide them the tools and resources, they need to bring their best to work every day, we are investing in our communities, meeting their needs and elevating care for all.”
Community wellness and well-being are also important to Howe. “Beyond just caring for our community members when they’re sick, we recognize that overall health and well-being is about addressing the social determinants of health and providing access to resources beyond the walls of our hospital. We also recognize that it will take partnerships with organizations who have expertise in those areas so we can be more coordinated and amplify our impact.”
Howe said he looks forward to addressing community needs.
“The pandemic has really highlighted the health disparity and inequities in our community and how it affects overall health,” he said.
“I’m inspired to look at wellness through this lens and focus on how we can address this as a community.”