Dr. Joanne Ruggiero

Joanne Ruggiero, DNP, MBA, MA, NE-BC, is senior vice president and chief executive officer of Holtz Children’s Hospital and The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial, a 379- bed hospital for complex obstetrical, gynecologic, gynecologic oncology, and pediatric patients, including those in the world-renowned, 126-bed newborn neonatal intensive care unit at Holtz Children’s. Dr. Ruggiero is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations at Holtz Children’s & The Women’s Hospital, one of the largest and most respected hospitals of its kind in the southeastern United States. She joined Jackson in 2021 as chief nursing and chief operating officer of Holtz Children’s and The Women’s Hospital, and was named as its CEO less than a year later. During her tenure at Jackson, Dr. Ruggiero has proven to be an advocate for health equity and best practices in both pediatrics and maternal health. Because of her experience working as a frontline nurse, she has a keen understanding of the field’s challenges and demands, and has made staff engagement and workforce development a priority. Dr. Ruggiero works closely with physician leadership at the University of Miami Health System to ensure that Holtz Children’s and The Women’s Hospital remain uniquely positioned to provide every medical specialty to its diverse patient population, with a focus on growth and innovation. Dr. Ruggiero began her career in 2005 as a bedside nurse at Pennsylvania Hospital – Penn Medicine. She moved into nursing leadership seven years later, where she led her team to many achievements, including a push that resulted in one-third of her nursing staff pursuing higher education degrees and was a key stakeholder in the organizations first Magnet designation. As clinical director of the Women’s Health Department at Pennsylvania Hospital, she established a patient safety program that won state and national recongition. She later led her team to the second magnet certification. Dr. Ruggiero earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Liberty University in Virginia, an MBA in health management and policy from the University of Miami, a Master of Arts in leadership and theology from Liberty University, and a Master of Science in nursing from Walden University.