Health Care Hall of Fame Past Inductees

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Inducted in 2009

Cahill's career path could not have been predicted in 1960 when the French major with a law degree—who never practiced law—entered the workforce as a teacher. Although she attributes her steady climb to becoming president and CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives as “being in the right place at the right time,” it was Cahill's skills and ability to work with others that helped her in her career. She would serve in that role from 1996 to 2003.In the '90s, prior to joining CHI, Cahill worked with the Archdiocese of New York and spearheaded the efforts to establish a network of 18 hospitals and nursing homes under a joint religious sponsorship as well as another alliance of 43 hospitals under 15 religious sponsorships. She would go on to head CHI during a time of great transition within Catholic healthcare as CHI was created in 1995 as a merger of 10 separate Roman Catholic religious congregations, which owned more than 100 hospitals. As Cahill interviewed for the job, she won over the steering committee with her experience and her clarity. The committee voted 12-0 to hire her.