Valerie Powell-Stafford has completed her first year as a healthcare leader in the region.
In May 2024, she was named Hartford market president for Trinity Health Of New England, for which she leads St. Francis Hospital. She officially started in that role on June 3 last year, when she succeeded Thomas Burke.
In addition to leading the 617-bed St. Francis Hospital, Powell-Stafford also oversees Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford.
In August, she was appointed to the Connecticut Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. She also serves on the board of the MetroHartford Alliance.
Powell-Stafford has more than 25 years of experience in health care. Before joining Trinity Health, she served as president and CEO of HCA Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
During her tenure, HCA was named one of Healthgrades “America’s Best 250 Hospitals” and earned the Patient Safety Excellence Award for 2024, ranking among the top 5% of all hospitals for clinical performance and patient safety.
Before joining HCA Northside, Powell-Stafford served in a number of leadership roles with other HCA Healthcare Florida hospitals, including as CEO of Englewood Community Hospital, chief operating officer and ethics and compliance officer at Blake Medical Center and chief operating officer of Doctors Hospital.
She received her master’s degree in health science administration from the University of Michigan. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, currently serving as ethics committee chair.