Leadership

Dawn Rudolph
President and CEO
Dawn Rudolph began her duties as president and CEO of Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville on Nov. 1, 2010. As the only female hospital CEO in Nashville, Rudolph focuses on leading one of the top hospitals in Middle Tennessee that includes 541 acute care beds, 1,700 associates and 750 affiliate physicians with more than 21,000 admissions and 32,000 emergency room visits a year.

Previously, Rudolph served as chief executive officer of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind.

She began her health care career at St. Joseph Hospital in 1990 advancing from a project coordinator to administrator of the Dupont Surgery Center. In 2000, she was named support services team leader at Dupont Hospital, also a part of the Lutheran Health Network. Here, she was promoted to vice president of operations and then served as the chief operating officer of that facility from 2006 to 2009. She returned to St. Joseph Hospital as its CEO in 2009 where she successfully expanded the medical staff, improved EMS-hospital relationships and developed a multicultural community roundtable to improve health indicator metrics in Fort Wayne.

Rudolph received her bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University-Fort Wayne and her MBA (with healthcare specialization) from Indiana Wesleyan University. Active in various community organizations, Rudolph serves as the chair for the Nashville chapter of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement to fight heart disease in women, board member of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and member of Nashville Chamber CEO Champions. She is also a diplomat for the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Don King

King, a licensed physical therapist, previously served as COO of HCA’s Lee’s Summit Medical Center in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Prior to joining Lee’s Summit, King held the positions of vice president of operations at HCA’s Research Medical Center; administrator of urgent and corporate care at Adventist Health System’s Shawnee Mission Medical Center and manager at Health Midwest’s Occupational Medicine Associates.

He received his bachelor’s degree in life science and master’s degree in physical therapy from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, Calif. Among other notable accomplishments in his career, he is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and American Physical Therapy Association.
 

E. Dale Batchelor, M.D.
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
In May 2006, Dr. E. Dale Batchelor was named chief medical officer. For more than 20 years he has served Saint Thomas Hospital, its patients and physicians. His experience and workings with the medical staff is critical to the success of the hospital.

During his tenure, Batchelor has served in various capacity as chief physician executive, interim chief operating officer and chief physician executive. Most recently, Batchelor served as interim president and CEO from January 2005 to May 2006.

Board certified and trained at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Batchelor, a member of Saint Thomas Hospital medical staff since 1986, has practiced ophthalmology in Nashville since 1979.

He has also served as chairman of Saint Thomas Specialty Physicians, division head of ophthalmology and as chair of the Outpatient Advisory Committee.

Anna Harb
Chief Nursing Officer
In August 2006, Anna Harb began her duties chief nursing officer at Saint Thomas Hospital.

Harb has served Saint Thomas Hospital for more than 20 years. Some of Harb's accomplishments include, obtaining Chest Pain Center Accreditation, implementing two Cath Lab PCI programs at Williamson Medical Center and MTMC, and opening the hospital's second Cardiac Short Stay unit. Harb began working at Saint Thomas Hospital in 1986.

Since 2001, she served Saint Thomas Hospital as associate chief of nursing.

Harb earned her master's degree in health service administration from the University of Saint Francis and her bachelor's degree in nursing from Madonna University.

Jerry Kearney
Vice President of Mission
In October 2007, Jerry Kearney began his duties as vice president of mission at Saint Thomas Hospital. Kearney has more than 25 years of senior level health care management experience. Kearney oversees Saint Thomas Hospital's ministry and mission efforts. The Daughters of Charity founded Saint Thomas Hospital in 1898 in Nashville. The mission of Saint Thomas Hospital is based on the works and teachings of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louis de Marillac.

From 2001 to 2007, Kearney served as founder and principal of the Hesed Group in Abilene, Texas. The Hesed Group is a behavioral health care management and operations firm, dedicated to bringing outcome effective, cost-efficient mental health and substance abuse services to underserved areas. Kearney has also directed behavioral health facilities in Kansas, Illinois, Virginia and Maryland.

He has a master's degree in human development from the University of Maryland, a master's degree in theology from Washington Theological Union, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. Joseph's Seminary College.

 
Cathy Childs
Director of Human Resources
Cathy Childs serves as human resources director for Saint Thomas Hospital. Childs, who has significant experience in human resources, hospitality, benefits and training and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the human resources department and working with hospital leadership in employee relations, daily operational staffing activities, salary administration, performance appraisals, regulatory compliance and human resources policies.

She also coordinates with Saint Thomas Health, serving as the human resources liaison between the hospital and health system. Childs began working at Saint Thomas Hospital in 1999, as human resources manager. In January 2007, she was promoted to director of human resources.

Childs earned her bachelor's degree in hospitality management from the University of Alabama.