CHICAGO – August 12, 2026 – The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Emma Stanley, Strategy Consultant in the Office of Strategy and Management at Yale New Haven Health System, filling the at-large administrative fellow board seat, and Anita Halvorsen, MBA, MS, FACHE, Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. These additions to the Board continue NCHL’s commitment to diversifying perspectives by incorporating voices of emerging and experienced leaders alike, a cornerstone of our mission to develop inclusive and dynamic healthcare leadership.
Anita Halvorsen, MBA, MS, FACHE, currently serves as Assistant Professor of Practice in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She previously served as Senior Vice President, Executive Engagement at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), overseeing membership benefits and engagement for more than 53,000 healthcare executives. Anita brings more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience, including provider-based executive roles as Regional Strategy & Growth Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, and has established two administrative fellowship programs for early-careerist healthcare leaders. She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and is Board Certified in Healthcare Management through ACHE.
“I am excited to join the NCHL Board because it provides an opportunity to support a healthcare leadership organization that fosters community, professional growth, and meaningful connections. As an educator and leader, I look forward to contributing my experience in collaboration, mentoring, and strategic thinking to help advance how NCHL supports our field of healthcare management. I am eager to work alongside the NCHL team to optimize the value proposition of NCHL and support continued success. I look forward to listening, learning, and helping strengthen the organization for the future,” said Anita Halvorsen.
Emma is a healthcare strategy and operations early careerist with over four years of experience supporting executive leadership, boards, and clinical service lines within large academic health systems. She currently serves as a Strategy Consultant in the Office of Strategy and Management at Yale New Haven Health System, where she leads enterprise initiatives spanning service line performance, ambulatory growth, and financial and operational transformation. Emma previously completed the Yale New Haven Health System Administrative Fellowship in the Office of the CEO and holds a Master of Health Administration from Tulane University.
“I’m honored to join the NCHL Board and grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work alongside such an inspiring group of leaders,” said Emma Stanley. “I’m excited to bring my experience to the table and contribute to NCHL’s important work of developing leaders who strengthen health systems and improve outcomes.”
“Emma and Anita each bring a distinct and valuable perspective to our Board,” said Dr. David L. Schreiner, CEO of NCHL. “Emma’s experience in health system strategy reflects our commitment to developing the next generation of healthcare leaders, while Anita’s decades in healthcare administration and professional society leadership bring deep insight into workforce development. We’re thrilled to welcome them both to NCHL’s Board.”
NCHL continues to bring together a diverse and accomplished group of leaders committed to advancing evidence-based leadership practices and strengthening the healthcare workforce. Emma’s and Anita’s appointments reflect the organization’s ongoing commitment to elevating leadership excellence and fostering innovation in how healthcare organizations develop and support their people.
NCHL is fortunate to have nationally recognized leaders continuing to serve on its Board, including:
- Jill Schwieters, NCHL, Board Chair
- Kaitlyn Levicki, Sr. Strategy Planning Consultant, Seattle Children’s
- Jeanne Armentrout, Former EVP & CAO, Carilion Clinic
- Denise Brooks-Williams, EVP & COO, Henry Ford Health
- Maxine Carrington, JD, SVP & Chief People Officer, Northwell Health
- Bob Clarke, Chairman, Furst Group and NuBrick Partners
- Richard “Chip” O. Davis, PhD, CEO, Rochester Regional Health
- David Ertel, CFO, Vizient, Inc.
- David Gillan, Chief Customer Officer, Sodexo U.S. Healthcare and Seniors
- Carrie Harris-Muller, SVP & Chief Population Health Officer, OhioHealth
- Michelle Hood, EVP & COO, American Hospital Association
- Paula Just, EVP & Chief Administrative and Experience Officer, Health First
- Jessica Melton, EVP & Chief Transformation Officer, University of Florida Health
- Jeffrey Simms, Assistant Professor and Associate Chair for Alumni and External Relations in the Department of Health Policy & Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health