Mary Chatman, PhD, RN EVP, Wellstar Health System President, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital

Mary Chatman, Ph.D., R.N., Wellstar Health System’s executive vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals, leads with a collaborative work ethic and the constant pursuit of achieving Wellstar’s vision of delivering world-class healthcare to every person, every time. With interim oversight of Wellstar Paulding, North Fulton, and Cobb Hospitals, Mary leads a total of five hospitals, five health parks, and 46 outpatient departments within Georgia's most integrated healthcare system. Having begun her career as a nursing assistant, Mary is committed to providing patient-centered care and implementing effective operational strategies. She manages a team of more than 10,000, including finance, human resources, nursing, operations, and medical staff. A visionary leader, she led the charge for the 2020 opening of the southeast’s largest emergency department at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, which was designed to further enhance emergency and Level II trauma care for Georgians. By engaging in dialogue with community partners and using the input to conceptualize and build the new facility, Mary has worked diligently to ensure Wellstar is an industry leader in best practices, with world-class providers, team members, and service. Mary joined Wellstar in March 2017 as vice president and chief operating officer for Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, then later in the year, she was appointed interim president while still maintaining her chief operating officer duties. In 2018, she was promoted to senior vice president and president, and also assumed responsibility for Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital. She serves as trustee for the Georgia Hospital Association, examiner and national fellow with the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, and board member for United Carolina Bank. Mary is a member of the American Nurses Association and American College of Healthcare Executives. She was appointed by Governor Deal to serve on the Board of Nursing in 2011, where she served two years, one as vice-chair. To meet vital community needs, Chatman is focused on addressing social disparities and health inequities in the diverse populations that Wellstar serves, including championing a partnership with Rotary Club of Marietta’s 2020 “Legacy of Love and Learning” program that offered a first book to every baby born at Kennestone. She also moderated the recent Diabetes Awareness Month panel for the American Diabetes Association and served on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation board. Mary is a supporter and former board member of Camp Kudzu, a mentor for Girls, Inc. and a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. She has supported several other organizations including BUY-Cobb Inc., American Diabetes Association, McKinsey Accelerate Black Executive Leadership Program, and local Kiwanis and Rotary clubs. Mary has been recognized locally and nationally as a prominent leader and strong patient advocate in healthcare. Atlanta Daily World recognized her among the 2018 Women of Excellence. Diversity MBA Magazine named her among the 2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive & Emerging Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her a 2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM award winner. Most recently, Mary was recognized as the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines for Cobb County, fighting COVID-19, and working with local leaders. Prior to joining Wellstar, Mary served as chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial University Health System in Savannah for eight years. During this time, she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital as well as nursing operations. In addition, she served as interim chief information officer for Memorial and led the $85M electronic health record conversion from McKesson to EPIC. Her healthcare career began when she became a nursing assistant in 1988 at Vidant Health System, an 861-bed academic medical center in Greenville, North Carolina. As she cared for patients, her authentic leadership skills became evident, and she was encouraged to transition to management. During her 20 years at Vidant, she was promoted 10 times, ultimately serving as chief nursing officer. She developed a keen sense of operational best practices having the opportunity to work in, oversee, or manage every department in the hospital except Finance and Information Systems, as well as to manage ambulatory and for-profit business lines. Mary is a native of eastern North Carolina, and she earned three nursing degrees from East Carolina University, including a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree.