Valley Health System has announced the promotion of Dr. Puneeta Sharma to vice president for Valley Health System and chief medical officer for Valley Medical Group, effective immediately.
In this expanded leadership role, Sharma will oversee the operations, physicians, and staff across all of Valley Medical Group’s specialties. Her portfolio includes a wide range of services such as cardiology, general surgery, hematology/oncology, pediatrics, primary care, women’s services, and various medical subspecialties including endocrinology, gastroenterology, and pulmonology.
Additionally, Sharma will lead Valley’s Office of Academic Affairs, collaborating with the Chief Academic Officer to drive the growth and development of graduate medical education programs—sponsored by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai—and local research initiatives.
Sharma’s career at Valley has been marked by consistent advancement and a commitment to integrated, high-quality patient care. Since joining the system in 2017 as the Director of Palliative Care, she has played a pivotal role in shaping clinical operations. In 2019, she was named Chair of Medical Specialties for Valley Medical Group, and in 2022, she was appointed Chief Medical Officer for the medical group.
“I am honored to serve as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer and to support the physicians and staff across Valley’s many specialties,” Sharma said. “I look forward to collaborating with our teams and ensuring every patient receives compassionate, high-quality care.”
Dr. Robert Brenner, president and CEO of Valley Health System, lauded the appointment, noting, “This step reflects the growing scope of her contributions across the health system and her addition to Valley’s executive leadership team,” he said.
Sharma brings extensive expertise to her new role, including:
- Education: A medical degree from Karnataka Medical College and a master’s degree in healthcare management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
- Certifications: Board-certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in hospice and palliative medicine; she is also a Certified Physician Executive through the American Association for Physician Leadership.
