Beth Killoran named CIO of HHS, and other newsmakers

Beth Killoran has been named CIO of HHS, a position she's held in interim capacity for eight months. She replaced Frank Baitman, who announced his resignation in November 2015 after three years in the post.

In her role, Killoran will oversee cybersecurity and privacy protection efforts. Previously, she was executive director for two years for HHS' Office of IT Strategy, Policy and Governance.

Before joining HHS, Killoran held various leadership positions over 11 years at the Department of Homeland Security, including the executive director of the Office of Program Accountability and Risk Management. She also provided IT support at the U.S. Treasury Department for nine years.

Dr. Robert Weil has been named senior VP and chief medical officer at Catholic Health Initiatives. The Englewood, Colo.-based system operates in 18 states. He replaces Dr. Stephen Moore, who left last year to become CMO at CHI St. Luke's Health in Houston.

Weil, 55, most recently was chief medical executive, associate chief scientific officer of clinical and translational research and medical director of care support systems at Geisinger Health System, based in Danville, Pa. He focused on implementing new service lines and expanding critical-care services throughout northeast Pennsylvania.

A neurosurgeon, Weil practiced at the Cleveland Clinic before joining Geisinger. He was also president of Cleveland Clinic Lakewood (Ohio) Hospital.

Pamela Lindemoen has been named president of St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, effective Sept. 12. She replaces Anna Cheung, who retired in 2015. Michael Carter has served on an interim basis. The hospital is part of Dignity Health.

Lindemoen most recently was VP of hospital operations for Kaiser Permanente's Northern California region. She joined Kaiser in 2014 as COO and interim CFO of Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara (Calif.) Medical Center. Previously, she was COO and executive VP of operations for Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Minnesota, part of Allina Health.

Paul Cleckner has been named COO of St. Thomas Health, Ascension's Tennessee division. He replaces Bernie Sherry, who was promoted to senior VP of Ascension Health Wisconsin.

Cleckner most recently was VP of operations of LifePoint Health's Eastern Group, overseeing operations for seven hospitals in South Carolina, central North Carolina and Georgia. He joined LifePoint in 2012 as VP of business transformation. Previously he was named senior VP of operational and professional services at Emdeon, a healthcare revenue solutions provider.

Dr. Nabil Chehade has been named senior VP of population health at MetroHealth System in Cleveland.

Chehade, 50, has been CEO and market president at HealthSpan Physicians and the Ohio Permanente Medical Group since 2013, overseeing all aspects of the population health program there. Chehade previously held various leadership positions at the medical group, including executive medical director and chief medical informatics officer.