Providing leadership in a health care organization requires expert skill, knowledge and ability across all areas of the enterprise. In addition to leading complex organizations in “normal” times, hospital leaders have been challenged like never before and have responded to the onset of COVID-19 by providing an increased level of leadership and compassion in their organizations.

Join three VCU alumni experts from the Master of Health Administration program in the VCU College of Health Professions as they discuss their leadership journeys through the past six months and how they have led their teams to continue providing top patient care while supporting the hospital staff delivering care during these unprecedented times.

Join the Q&A live on Facebook.

About the panelists

Alan B. Keesee (M.H.A.’09/HP): He is CEO of HCA North Florida Division’s Capital Regional Medical Center. His responsibilities include oversight of a fully accredited 266-bed facility with more than 1,200 employees and 400 physicians, as well as two freestanding emergency departments, with a third opening this year, and a cancer center. He has been with HCA for 10 years, most recently serving as chief operating officer at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas. He previously served within the North Florida Division as chief operating officer at Capital Regional Medical Center as well as associate chief operating officer at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Keesee obtained his master’s degree in health administration from VCU and bachelor of economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is the 20019 recipient of the Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award for Young Healthcare Executive of the Year.

Coleen Santa Ana (M.H.A.’05/HP): Coleen Santa Ana is the President of Sentara Obici Hospital, Sentara BelleHarbour, and Sentara St. Luke’s (Isle of Wight). Prior to her role at Sentara Obici Hospital, Coleen led the turnaround and system-integration of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center (SAMC), which was a new acquisition at the time. Her work helped SAMC achieve significant improvements in safety, quality and financial performance.  Recognized for her success, Coleen earned the Modern Healthcare’s ‘Up and Comers Award’ in 2018.  In 2019, Coleen was honored as one of the ‘Women in Business’ by Inside Business. She is also a graduate of the Hampton Roads CIVIC Leadership Institute. She has enjoyed mentoring health care administration students, especially female minority candidates. Coleen is a Virginia Beach native. Growing up she watched her mother, an oncology nurse with her patients and it was that compassion that led Coleen to start her career in healthcare. Coleen started her career with Sentara Healthcare and in her time with the company has earned several leadership positions, including becoming president of two hospitals – all before the age of 40. Coleen was appointed to the VCU Board of Visitors by Governor Ralph Northam in 2019.  She received a Master of Health Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2005 and Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University in 2001.  

Roberta Tinch, FACHE (M.H.A.’09/HP): President of Inova Mount Vernon Hospital and system administrator of the Musculoskeletal Service Line, Tinch is an accomplished health care executive with more than a decade of experience leading hospital operations and employee relations, while developing physician partnerships that have enhanced team engagement and the patient experience. Prior to joining Inova, she was chief operating officer at HCA Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, a 300-bed hospital with complex service lines such as Comprehensive Stroke Center, Robotic Surgery Center of Excellence, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Inpatient Rehab. Her previous roles include chief operating officer at HCA Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and associate chief operating officer at HCA Brandon Regional Hospital in Brandon, Florida. Tinch has a strong commitment to communities in which she lives and works. She has extensive volunteer work with the YMCA, the March of Dimes annual March for Babies and has a seat on the University of Mary Washington’s College of Business Advisory Board. She holds an M.H.A. from VCU and a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Virginia.