BMC Health System Leadership

Megan Bair-Merritt, MD, MSCE

Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Megan Bair-Merritt is vice president and chief scientific officer at BMC. She is responsible for developing and implementing BMC’s research-related strategic vision and provides oversight of research governance across the institution. Dr. Bair-Merritt is also a professor of pediatrics and a leader of the Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Before being appointed to this role in 2023, Dr. Bair-Merritt, who is internationally known for her research in family violence, served as acting division chief of Academic General Pediatrics at BMC, chair of the Women’s Leadership Advisory Council for the Boston University Medical Group’s Office of Equity, Vitality and Inclusion, and executive director of the BMC Department of Pediatrics’ Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family. Dr. Bair-Merritt received a Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Watch Megan Bair-Merritt discuss her goals in leading BMC's world-class research.

Petrina Martin Cherry, MBA

Vice President, Community Engagement and External Affairs

Petrina Martin Cherry is vice president of Community Engagement and External Affairs at BMC. She is responsible for leading all external affairs and community engagement outreach for BMC, with an eye to healthcare equity, social determinates of health, diversity, and inclusion. Prior to joining BMC in 2016, Petrina spent 15 years in entertainment marketing and media training for celebrities and non-profit organizations. Petrina holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson School of Business. She currently serves on the advisory board for The Boys and Girls Club of Boston, Arts Emerson at Emerson College, and Boston Arts Academy and is co-chair of the Women’s Forum for the National Association of Healthcare Executives.

Melissa Shannon, JD

Vice President, Government Affairs

Melissa Shannon is the Vice President for Government Advocacy at Boston Medical Center Health System. She leads government affairs for the health system, advancing BMCHS’s fiscal and community agenda and overseeing advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. Prior to joining BMC, Melissa led the policy agenda for Commonwealth Care Alliance and held a number of leadership positions in Massachusetts health care policy, including at Boston Children’s Hospital, Health Care for All, and the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), as well as the Massachusetts State Senate. Melissa received her JD from Northeastern University School of Law and her BA from Wesleyan University.

Jesse Souweine, MBA

Senior Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer

Jesse Souweine is senior vice president and chief transformation officer at BMC Health System (BMCHS). She is responsible for strategy implementation and organizational alignment in pursuit of the system’s institutional goals. Prior to joining BMCHS, Jesse was executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where she oversaw the institute’s administration, finance and operations with the aim of accelerating scientific discovery. She has deep experience across the non-profit, higher education, philanthropy, and government sectors. Jesse holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She currently serves on the board of several community organizations.

Jodi Larson, MD

Vice President, Chief Quality Officer

Janet (Jodi) Larson, MD, is chief quality officer and vice president at BMC. She oversees quality, safety, risk management, regulatory readiness/accreditation, patient experience, patient advocacy, the Domestic Violence Program, and the Simulation Center, with a focus on rigorously improving quality, patient safety, and patient experience, as well as strategically aligning these areas to improve care delivery. Prior to BMC, Jodi held educational, clinical care, and administrative leadership roles at Mass General Brigham – Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where she most recently served as the chief quality and experience officer and senior vice president. Jodi holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and medical degree from the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She currently practices as a hospitalist.

Alastair Bell, MD, MBA

President and CEO, Boston Medical Center Health System

Dr. Alastair Bell is president and CEO of BMC Health System. He oversees comprehensive system strategy and operations of its entities, including Boston Medical Center, Boston Accountable Care Organization, Clearway Health, and the WellSense Health Plan. Prior to joining BMC in 2012, Dr. Bell was a leader in the North American Payor and Provider Practice at McKinsey and Company, advising a range of national and international healthcare organizations and leading large scale transformation programs. Alastair received a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Oxford in England, a Master of Arts in physiology from the University of Cambridge in England, and a Master of Business Administration with distinction from Harvard Business School. He currently serves as the co-chair of the board for Boston Children’s Chorus.

David Beck, MPP, JD

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Counsel

David Beck is senior vice president and chief legal counsel at BMC Health System. He oversees BMC's legal matters, corporate compliance, and captive insurance company. Prior to joining BMC in 2007, David served as deputy chief of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Public Protection Bureau. He received a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Robert Biggio

Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability & Real Estate Officer

Bob Biggio is the Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability & Real Estate Officer at BMC Health System. In this role, he drives sustainability initiatives and major capital projects, with the goal of furthering BMCHS’ leadership in green healthcare. Prior to joining BMC in 2011, Bob served in executive roles for Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary and Hallmark Health System. Under Bob’s leadership, BMC has won several sustainability awards, including the Norman B. Leventhal Environment Award for Excellence in City Building and the 2014 Energy Project of the Year Award by the New England Chapter of the National Association of Energy Engineers, and has been recognized several times as a Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award winner. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science in marine engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Joe Camillus, MBA, MPH

Chief Operating Officer

Joe Camillus is the chief operating officer at BMC. He oversees growth and innovative reach of our services, value-based and equitable care efforts, and network development with BMC’s affiliation of community health centers throughout Boston. Prior to joining BMC in 2011, Joe was a Deland Fellow in Health Care and Society at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Joe holds a Master of Business Administration from the Yale School of Management and a Master of Public Health from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, where he was awarded a Zuckerman Fellowship in public service.

Watch Joe Camillus share his thoughts on the future of healthcare.

William Creevy, MD, MS

President and Chief Executive Officer, Boston University Medical Group

Dr. William Creevy is president and chief executive officer of Boston University Medical Group (BUMG), BMC's physician organization. He is responsible for the overall strategic direction and direct fiscal and operational oversight of BUMG, which is comprised of more than 1,100 physicians and other health care practitioners. Before being appointed to this role in 2013, Dr. Creevy served as vice chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery for 15 years. He received a Doctor of Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine and a Master of Science in health care management from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Rachel Felix, MBA

Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer

Rachel Felix is the Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at BMC Health System. She oversees marketing, development, and community engagement, to deepen BMCHS’ relationship with all audiences and further the organization’s mission. Prior to joining BMC in 2022, Rachel served as vice president and head of brand management at Mass General Brigham and was senior vice president of partner marketing at ViacomCBS. Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. She currently serves on the board of directors at several Boston and national non-profit organizations.

Watch Rachel Felix talk about how she’s elevating the brand of BMCHS to help drive better outcomes for our patients and families.

Nancy Gaden, DNP, RN, FAAN

Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer

Nancy Gaden, DNP, RN, FAAN, is a senior vice president and the chief nursing officer (CNO) at BMC. Since joining BMC in 2014, Nancy has managed the clinical planning and execution of the merger of two campuses; guided the improvement in quality, patient experience and employee engagement; and led the department to their first Magnet designation from the American Nursing Credentialing Center in December of 2021. Prior to joining BMC, Nancy served as CNO of Hallmark Health system, which received Magnet designation under her leadership. Prior to her tenure at Hallmark, Nancy held CNO roles at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, South Shore Hospital and Milton Hospital. She earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Rochester, her Master of Science from Boston College, and her doctorate in nursing practice from Regis College.

Thea James, MD, MPH, MBA

Vice President of Mission, Associate Chief Medical Officer, Co-Executive Director of the Health Equity Accelerator

Dr. Thea James is vice president of mission, associate chief medical officer, and co-executive director of the Health Equity Accelerator at BMC. She is also an associate professor of emergency medicine and director of the Violence Intervention Advocacy Program. Dr. James works with BMC caregivers and builds BMC’s relationships and strategic alliances with local, state, and national partners, to meet the full spectrum of essentials that enables patients and communities to thrive. The intentionality is to foster a strategic ecosystem of growth, transformation, and effective models of care that are rooted in equity and economic inclusion. Dr. James has held several positions in her 27-year tenure at BMC, and her passion is in public health, both domestically and globally. Dr. James received a Doctor of Medicine from Georgetown University School of Medicine and trained in emergency medicine at Boston City Hospital where she was chief resident.

Lisa Kelly-Croswell, MA

Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

Lisa Kelly-Croswell is senior vice president and chief human resources officer at BMC Health System. She oversees human resources (HR), occupational health, and volunteer services and leads organizational growth strategies for the system. Prior to joining BMC in 2013, Lisa held a wide range of HR leadership roles at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Nitromed, Inc., CIGNA, Monsanto, and Frito-Lay. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in finance and a Master of Arts in labor and industrial relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She currently serves on the board of directors for two public biotech companies and several non-profit organizations.

David McAneny, MD

Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer

Dr. David McAneny is senior vice president and chief medical officer at BMC. He oversees physicians and advanced practice providers in their delivery of exceptional and equitable care to BMC patients and their families. Before being appointed to this role in 2022, Dr. McAneny served as chief surgical officer, chief of the Division of General Surgery, and vice chair of the Department of Surgery, and his research designed models to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. He received a Doctor of Medicine from Georgetown University School of Medicine and maintains an active surgery practice at BMC. In addition, Dr. McAneny is a professor of surgery and associate dean for clinical affairs at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Watch David McAneny discuss the greatest challenge in healthcare and what makes him proud of BMC.

Terri Newsom

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Terri Newsom is senior vice president and chief financial officer at BMC Health System. She oversees all financial planning and operations for the system, which has an annual operating revenue of $6 billion. Prior to joining BMC in 2020, Terri served in senior finance and chief financial officer roles at Prisma Health, Greenville Health System, Duke University Health System, and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Terri received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Appalachian State University. In 2023, she was recognized as a “Hospital and Health System Chief Financial Officer to Know” by Becker's Healthcare.

Joy Brown, MBA

Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Information Officer

Joy Brown, MBA, is Chief Digital Information Officer for BMC Health System. She leads the health system’s digital, technology, cybersecurity and information strategy. Joy most recently served as the Chief Data Officer at Verizon Media, where she led the integration and expansion of advanced digital capabilities across the Verizon Media enterprise. Before her tenure at Verizon Media, she led the credit card global data, analytics, and machine learning function at Capital One. Brown brings a range of experience from key positions at UnitedHealth Group, Vanguard, and General Electric. Joy earned an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University and an undergraduate degree in information systems and data engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Cindy Bo, MBA

Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer

Cindy Bo, MBA, is Chief Strategy Officer at BMC Health System. She leads the health system’s strategic plan and priorities with an emphasis on healthcare innovation, growth, and community and behavioral health integration. She most recently served as the Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Delaware Valley, at Nemours Children’s Health, one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems. Cindy also held consulting and business planning roles at Deloitte, Booz Allen, and Novartis AG and is an Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. Cindy earned an MBA from Columbia Business School and an undergraduate degree from Binghamton University in marketing and management information systems.