Emplify Health seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking enterprise leader to serve as its next Chief Quality Officer (CQO). This is a distinctive opportunity to shape and unify quality and safety strategy within a newly formed, high-potential integrated health system, advancing a consistent, systemwide standard of clinical excellence during a period of continued transformation and growth.
Emplify Health is a nonprofit, physician- and clinician-led health system formed through the integration of Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System, two highly respected organizations with deep regional roots and longstanding commitments to community-based care. The combined system includes 11 hospitals and more than 100 clinics across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, serving both urban and rural populations. With approximately 15,000 team members, Emplify Health is unified by a shared mission to “amplify empathy” in healthcare, bringing together clinical excellence, compassion, and innovation to improve outcomes across the continuum.
As a recently integrated system, Emplify Health is at an inflection point, aligning distinct cultures, clinical practices, and performance infrastructure into a cohesive, high-performing enterprise. The CQO will play a central role in this evolution by establishing a unified vision for quality, reducing variation across legacy organizations, and driving alignment around evidence-based care delivery in close partnership with operational leaders. This individual will build on strong existing foundations, including nationally recognized programs and high-performing sites such as Bellin Hospital, which has consistently achieved CMS 5-star recognition.
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CQO will set strategy and drive execution for quality, safety, and clinical performance across the enterprise. Key priorities include standardizing care models, advancing data-driven performance improvement, strengthening regulatory readiness, and embedding accountability at all levels of the organization. In close collaboration with physician and administrative leaders, this individual will align clinical priorities with operational and financial goals while fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement while inspiring others to take ownership of quality across the organization.
The ideal candidate will bring a demonstrated track record of leading quality transformation within a complex, multi-site health system, particularly in environments undergoing integration or scale. They will be a visible and credible leader who can influence across a matrixed organization, engage physicians and clinicians, and translate data into actionable improvement. Deep expertise in quality metrics, CMS performance frameworks, and patient safety is essential. A Bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field is required; a Master’s degree and/or medical degree is preferred, along with additional training in public health, healthcare administration, or quality improvement.
Candidates will have the option to make their primary work location in either the Green Bay or La Crosse, Wisconsin, market areas.
Expressions of interest and applications are welcome and can be made via the WittKieffer website using the buttons below or by sending resumes, nominations, and inquiries to Dan Young, Holly Nandan, or Stacy Lind, preferably via email at [email protected].