Cejka Expands Healthcare Search Staff

December 8, 2016 – Cejka Executive Search has named Mary D’Ignazio as executive vice president and managing principal. She will lead a national practice that partners with hospitals, health systems and health-related organizations on executive search engagements for senior level healthcare executives.

Ms. D’Ignazio’s focus, which is on search engagements for newly created senior roles at the health-system level, is an ideal fit for Cejka as its own research shows the rising demand for emerging roles, such as chief transformation officer, chief clinical integration officer, chief patient experience officer and chief medical information officer, among others.

In her new role, she and her team will emphasize the delivery of inclusive panels of qualified search candidates for each of the client organizations she serves.

Growing Demand for Healthcare Leaders

Ms. D’Ignazio’s diversified background, which includes Fortune 500 companies, boutique search firms, academic institutions and as a business owner, contributes to her long track record in the emerging healthcare leadership segment. She is also an advocate for the furtherance of women’s roles in healthcare leadership. Ms. D’Ignazio has served several healthcare organizations, including Geisinger Health System, John Hopkins and SSM Health. Prior to joining Cejka, she was a managing director at Diversified Search. She also worked with Barnes & Roche, a boutique recruiting firm specializing in the non-profits sector.

The addition of Ms. D’Ignazio, as well as other search experts, comes in response to growing demand for healthcare executives in light of the healthcare industry’s transformation.

“Regardless of where the incoming presidential administration takes healthcare reform, the need for innovative healthcare leaders capable of navigating organizations into the future state of healthcare delivery remains strong,” said Paul Esselman, the firm’s senior executive vice president and managing director.

This recent appointment follows the addition of four regional vice presidents for Cejka’s physician search division. John Elffers brings a long background in healthcare business management and healthcare recruitment. Jill Hickey has a diverse background in recruitment, healthcare business operations and sales. Thomas Hoecker gives the firm decades of healthcare executive recruiting expertise. Lastly, David Pierce has deep experience in developing innovative sourcing strategies for private healthcare employers nationwide.

Earlier this year, Cejka named healthcare executive Joyce Tucker as an executive vice president responsible for senior level healthcare search services and recruiting consultation. During her more than 30 years as a healthcare executive, she has been responsible for healthcare administration and management, human resources, budgeting, purchasing, marketing, strategic planning and process improvements. Previously, she was VP of executive recruitment at life sciences recruiter The Chase Group. Earlier in her career, she gained search experience with B.E. Smith.

“We are in one of the most competitive and complex healthcare employment markets in decades,” said Cejka president John Gramer. “Both healthcare leaders and practicing clinicians have greater career choices than in the past. Healthcare reform has created additional opportunities for healthcare leaders to oversee care coordination, utilization management, employee health, and population health.”

Cejka Executive Search has provided recruiting services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than 35 years. Its client roster includes a number of well-known institutions, including Georgetown University Hospital, Northwestern Memorial, Levine Cancer Institute, St John Providence Health System, Tenet, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Centene Corporation, Cape Fear Valley Health, and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.

At these organizations, the firm has conducted searches covering positions including chief medical information officer, chief compliance officer, chief of oncology, chief medical officer, chief of pediatrics, chief of neurology, chief nursing officer, CEO, CFO, COO, department chair, chief clinical officer, medical director, and chief strategy officer, among a host of others.

Cejka is part of Cross Country Healthcare, a Healthcare staffing services concern.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media