The Merrimack Health Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Diana L. Richardson has accepted the permanent position of President and CEO. Richardson, who in an interim role led the unification of the Merrimack Valley’s first regional health care system, was offered the position after a unanimous Board vote.
“Over the past several months, the Board had the opportunity to observe firsthand Diana’s stellar leadership, her ability to stabilize the organization, and her work to connect with our communities,” said Rosemarie Day, Chair of the Merrimack Health Board of Trustees. “Diana is the right person to lead our system into the future amid our challenging health care environment. She has set a clear direction for Merrimack Health with strong fiscal improvements, a successful rebrand, and a thoughtful integration strategy all while prioritizing the needs of our patients. It was clear that this positive momentum should continue, and that a formal search would not be necessary. We are confident that her leadership will serve our patients, employees, and region well as we move forward.”
Richardson has led Merrimack Health in an interim role since mid-April, overseeing the integration and rebranding of the formerly named Lawrence General and Holy Family Hospitals and their community physician practices. This includes addressing the organization’s disparate systems and resources, investing in its facilities and technology, and ensuring the continuation of 24/7 emergency care at all three hospitals.
“Diana has effected real and positive change during her time with the organization,” said Dan Rivera, Vice Chair of the Merrimack Health Board of Trustees. “She understands the importance of access to quality health care for our region and will continue to strengthen Merrimack Health in alignment with the needs of our communities.”
“It has been a privilege and joy to build connections with our patients, staff, and community members as we create a health system where everyone in the region has access to trusted and compassionate care,” said Richardson. “I am grateful to serve our communities across the Merrimack Valley, and for the opportunity to chart a strong, mission-driven future for care in the region alongside our talented clinicians and teams.”
Prior to joining Merrimack Health, Richardson was a senior transition liaison with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), where she played a key role in the state’s incident command response to the Steward Health Care bankruptcy crisis. Before her time at DPH, Richardson served as executive vice president of Tufts Medicine and president of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, after previously holding the role of senior vice president and chief operating officer. Additionally, she was vice president of operations at UF Health – Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL.