Lindauer Recruits CEO for the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare
April 9, 2024 – Lindauer has assisted in the recruitment of Michael Gustafson as the new CEO of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. The search was led by Lindauer senior consultant Diane Felicio and executive vice president Libby Roberts. “Michael’s visionary leadership, strategic acumen, and dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of healthcare workers, patients, and families align seamlessly with our core values,” said Ellen Cohen, founder and board member of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare.
“As we embark on this new chapter under Dr. Gustafson’s guidance, we are confident that his leadership will further enhance our ability to serve the healthcare community, drive innovation, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we support,” said Mark E. Reynolds, Schwartz Center board chair and president of CRICO.
Dr. Gustafson has three decades of experience in healthcare strategy, operations, and leadership, as well as an inspiring personal commitment to improving patient safety, quality of care, and the patient/family experience throughout his career. He brings a wide range of experience, passion, and commitment to the Schwartz Center’s mission of keeping compassion at the heart of healthcare.
Dr. Gustafson most recently served as president of UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMMMC), an 800-bed tertiary teaching hospital in central Massachusetts that serves as the clinical partner of the UMass Chan Medical School. Over his five-year tenure, he guided UMMMC through the COVID-19 pandemic while simultaneously implementing a strategic plan to transform quality and safety, patient experience, and caregiver engagement.
Previously, Dr. Gustafson served as the president and COO of Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, the Brigham’s fully integrated community hospital in Boston from 2011-2018 and as SVP for clinical excellence at Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 2000-2011. During this time, he founded the Brigham’s Center for Clinical Excellence, which was heralded as a national best practice for how to effectively organize and drive improvement activities within a large, complex academic medical center.
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“As I step into my new role as CEO of the Schwartz Center, I’m committed to championing compassion and driving innovation while building a better healthcare world for all,” said Dr. Gustafson. “With support from our generous donors, healthcare members, and dedicated volunteers and staff, I look forward to bringing to life the Schwartz Center’s vision of creating a world where all who seek and provide care experience compassion.”
Experienced Search Consultants
Lindauer serves higher and secondary education, hospitals, academic research centers, think tanks, research facilities, and foundations, as well as advocacy, public service, social justice and other mission-driven non-profits. The firm has led searches for the Boston YMCA, Center for Applied Special Technology, Healthy Minds Innovations/Center for Healthy Minds, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Cockrell School of Engineering, among others.
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Lindauer was recently retained by Duke University to lead in its search for a new associate vice president and chief engagement officer. Senior vice president and managing director Jill Lasman and senior consultant Raegan Harvey are leading the assignment. The chief engagement officer a key leadership role within Duke University’s alumni engagement team, will be central to the success of the “Activating the Global Network” initiative. This is a unique opportunity for an authentic leader with a proven track record in effective collaboration to build a different kind of alumni program, fostering a culture of inclusion, innovation, and enduring engagement.
Deb Taft is CEO and leads Lindauer with over 25 years of executive and senior-level experience across the non-profit sector, from education to healthcare/academic medicine to the youth service and voluntary sectors. Her expertise includes governance, strategic planning, fundraising, program and staff management, strategic marketing, analytics, and constituent engagement, as well as talent recruitment, retention, and development.
With over 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles, Dr. Felicio has served as a strategist, executive director, operations expert, fundraiser, crisis manager, and trusted advisor and relationship builder across a broad range of institutions in the non-profit and related sectors. Within these positions, she has been directly involved with recruitment activities across numerous roles including college and university faculty/deans/provosts/presidents, development professionals, and operations staff/ directors/executive directors, as well as board recruitment and governance.
Ms. Roberts has extensive philanthropic experience at top organizations establishing relationships with diverse constituents, focusing on strategic planning, executive search, team building, and board development. Her signature clients at Lindauer since 2014 have included: Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Berea College, Brookings Institution, Cranbrook Educational Community, Emerson College, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mind Springs Health, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Museum of Arts and Design, and University of Technology Sydney.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
