Rokos Group Seeking Chief Medical Officer for Alameda Health System

March 12, 2025 – Newport Beach, CA-based executive search firm Rokos Group has been retained by Alameda Health System (AHS) in Alameda, CA. Reporting directly to the CEO, the chief medical officer serves as the senior medical leader and strategic visionary for Alameda Health System. As both a physician executive and clinical strategist, the CMO champions AHS’s commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care and clinical excellence. Collaborating closely with clinical chiefs, department chairs, the president of the medical staff, and other medical leaders, the CMO ensures seamless alignment between clinical priorities and operational goals.

This role also partners with senior hospital and ambulatory service executives to drive innovation and enhance care delivery across AHS’s network. The CMO acts as a trusted advocate for the medical staff, guiding their roles and responsibilities while fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability. Additionally, the CMO represents AHS with key internal and external stakeholders, serving as a dynamic voice for the organization’s mission of advancing health equity and excellence in care.

For this role, a doctor of medicine (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) is required, with a master’s degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public health, or a related field strongly preferred. Candidates should have at least five years of clinical experience as a practicing clinician or clinical leader, along with substantial administrative or leadership experience in an accredited hospital or medical center. Prior experience as a chief medical officer or an equivalent role in a large, complex hospital or health system is preferred. A current and unrestricted medical license in any U.S. state is required, along with current or past board certification. Membership in an appropriate medical professional organization is also expected.

Alameda Health System stands as a cornerstone of public health care in the region, encompassing five hospitals and four wellness centers, with over 800 beds and a network of 1,000 dedicated physicians. Founded in 1864, as the Alameda County Infirmary, AHS has built a rich legacy of service, innovation, and community commitment. Today the organization has 4,500 employees.

Rokos Group is a retained executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of healthcare executives. With over 30 years of experience, they partner closely with healthcare, life sciences, and non-profit organizations in the Western U.S. to build and augment senior leadership teams. Their innovative approach incorporates video technology to deliver a personalized and efficient search process.

Greg Rokos, managing partner of Rokos Group, has over 30 years of experience to his clients. He has helped healthcare organizations including hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, non-profits, life sciences companies, health plans, and physician groups recruit executive leaders across all C-Suite roles including CEO, COO, CFO, CNO, CMO, CHRO. Throughout his career, Mr. Rokos has worked with some of the most respected healthcare organizations including Keck Medicine of USC, UCI Health, Universal Health Services, Huntington Health, Tenet Healthcare, Sansum Clinic, and Dignity Health.

In addition to his executive search work, in 2008 Mr. Rokos founded a pioneering video interview company, GreenJobInterview.com which twice made the Inc. 500 fastest growing private companies in America list working with Fortune 500 clients that included Walmart, PepsiCo, Mayo Clinic, and Home Depot. After growing the business to 30+ employees serving 200+ clients, Mr. Rokos led the firm through its successful acquisition in 2017.

Chief Medical Officers

Chief medical officers are typically cited as the senior government official designated head of medical services, sometimes at the national level. The post is held by a physician who advises and leads a team of medical experts on matters of public health importance. According to recruiters, the role of the chief medical officer has evolved in recent years, and organizations are looking for leaders with broader skill-sets. This has kept executive search firms busy in recent months. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

Life sciences recruiting specialist Coulter Partners has assisted in the recruitment of Jonathan Sadeh as executive vice president, chief medical officer and head of R&D at NYSE-traded Bausch Health Companies Inc. Antonietta Baffa, Lilyana Chukova, and Nona Footz led the assignment. “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan as our new head of research and development,” said Thomas J. Appio, CEO at Bausch Health. “His extensive experience and innovative vision will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our pipeline and strive for groundbreaking advancements.” Dr. Sadeh brings experience and a proven track record both as a physician-scientist and a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. He has over 20 years of expertise in clinical research and drug development. Most recently, at Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Dr. Sadeh was responsible for multiple drug approvals in dermatology and gastroenterology and held several key roles including senior vice president and global programs head for immunology, cardiovascular and neuroscience, immunology therapeutic area head, as well as the China R&D head. 

Life sciences-focused search firm Slone Partners recently placed Eugene P. Kennedy as chief medical officer at Carisma Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative immunotherapies. “Dr. Kennedy is a highly accomplished and respected physician, healthcare executive, and thought leader with extraordinary vision and passion and a history of driving successful new ventures across various therapeutic areas,” said Jennifer Lemasters, senior vice president, executive search, and partner at Slone Partners. “He comes to Carisma at an exciting time in its evolution and will be a tremendous addition to its leadership team.” Dr. Kennedy brings more than 15 years of clinical and industry experience to Carisma, including cross-functional leadership driving clinical development and regulatory strategies for oncology and immuno-oncology focused organizations. He most recently served as chief medical officer at Galera Therapeutics, where he oversaw the development of the company’s radiotherapy in cancer.

San Diego, CA- based Caliber Associates assisted in the recruitment of Mitchell Jones as the chief medical officer of Palisade Bio, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company advancing therapies for acute and chronic gastrointestinal complications. “We are delighted to welcome Mitch to Palisade Bio as our chief medical officer,” said J.D. Finley, CEO of Palisade Bio. “His extensive experience in the GI space and demonstrated skill at launching and directing program strategy from early development through late-stage clinical studies or monetization will be instrumental as we move forward with our newly expanded GI-focused pipeline. His leadership and background in translational and clinical research related to locally acting therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease positions him as a valuable addition to the Palisade team.” Dr. Jones has a track record of developing oral biotherapeutics and locally acting immunomodulating therapeutics designed to act locally within the gastrointestinal tract, including for inflammatory bowel disease. Throughout his career, he has established a reputation for developing technologies and implementing strategies to de-risk programs from the translational through the clinical development arc. Dr. Jones has also monetized, through sale or going public, several of the assets he has developed.

Related: Chartwell Partners Recruits Chief Medical Officer for Frontier Medicines Corp.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media