Former New Jersey Department of Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson has been named the new CEO of University Hospital in Newark, it was announced Wednesday.
The appointment, which takes effect later this year, follows an extensive nationwide search, according to Tanya Freeman, the impactful chair of the University Hospital board of directors.
Johnson succeeds interim CEO Dr. Kaitlan Baston.
“I welcome Carole to Newark and to University Hospital,” Freeman said. “This is an important moment for our hospital, and our board looks forward to working with her to carry our mission forward in this next chapter.
“Together, we’ll make sure University Hospital is ready to meet the needs of our patients and community today and in the future.”
Johnson has dedicated her life to expanding access to health care services in the communities who need it most.
As commissioner of the state’s largest cabinet-level agency — serving one in every five New Jersey residents — her she has a great understanding of the day-to-day challenges many New Jerseyans, including many University Hospital patients, encounter in accessing care, state officials said.
Johnson has worked to improve and expand the state’s lifesaving and life-sustaining Medicaid program that provides health care to nearly two million New Jerseyans and to increase access to vital social service programs.
Most recently, Johnson served as the federal Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a clear mission to improve health care access in historically underserved communities. Here she led federal efforts to address the maternal mortality crisis, advance health equity and access to care, and recruit and train the next generation of the health care workforce. Her work also led to the first major restructuring of the national organ transplant network in 40 years — an important and significant process for hundreds of hospitals, including University Hospital, which is a national leader in long-term liver transplant survival.
“I am honored to join the incredible team at University Hospital that works tirelessly every day to serve the people of Newark,” she said. “I thank the board for their strong support and look forward to working together with them and state, local, and community leaders as we continue to expand access to high-quality health care services at New Jersey’s only public academic medical center.
“Having spent my career focused on strengthening and supporting the health care safety net, I understand and value University Hospital’s critical role in delivering care to the diverse communities of our state’s most populous city. The work of University Hospital is a historic commitment and a sacred trust, and I hope to bring my experience to continue to advance UH’s community-driven approach to health care and to work with the community to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of the people of Newark.”
Johnson arrives at University Hospital at a key time.
New Jersey’s only public academic medical center and the only state-designated Level I Trauma Center for Northern New Jersey, it is progressing on a multi-year, phased campus plan that includes expanded emergency-rooms services.
Johnson previously served in both the Obama and Biden White Houses, working on critical health care and public health issues, including the Affordable Care Act, the maternal mortality crisis, the national responses to COVID, Ebola and Zika, and the opioid epidemic. She worked with national cardiology and neurology leaders during her tenure with the American Heart Association, and with national public health leaders when she designed and implemented programs with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ health care team.
The announcement was cheered by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
“Known for her talent to welcome all stakeholders to the table, we are excited to create a close partnership with her to ensure that Newarkers are involved, and to put our city at the pinnacle of America’s health care policies,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin agreed.
“The thread that ties Carole Johnson’s career together is her unwavering commitment to health equity, meeting the needs of every community with creativity, strategic investments, and steady guidance through unforeseen challenges,” Ruiz said. “Her record of expanding access to care, addressing the maternal health crisis, and responding proactively during the COVID-19 pandemic makes her the right person to lead and oversee the expansion of University Hospital into a premier destination for practicing medicine and delivering compassionate care to every patient who walks through its doors. Newark and all of New Jersey welcome her and look forward to the continued transformation of University Hospital and its lasting impact on our state.”
Pintor Marin said strong leadership at University Hospital is essential to ensure equitable access to care for every family.
“As New Jersey’s only state hospital, it holds an irreplaceable role in providing critical services for the most urgent moments,” she said. “Carole’s experience and vision make her well prepared to guide the hospital through its campus expansion plan, and I look forward to working with her to build a stronger and healthier future.”
