University Hospital in Newark on Thursday announced it selected Anna Michelle Brandt as its new chief operating officer (COO). Brandt will serve as the operations executive in the hospital’s C-suite, joining the executive leadership team to further the hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality, patient-focused care to Newark, the county, and state. Her arrival comes at a time of transformation for the organization as the hospital enters the beginning stages of a multi-year plan to modernize and expand its campus.
“I am thrilled to welcome Anna Michelle to the University Hospital family,” Ed Jimenez, president and chief executive officer of University Hospital said. “We considered a field of many qualified and talented executives. Anna Michelle’s track record made her extremely qualified to head operations at University Hospital. Her focus will be on leading the daily running of the hospital with particular focus on patient safety and quality, patient access, and faculty relations.”
A health care veteran, Brandt joins University Hospital with over 15 years of experience across several leadership and hospital roles. Most recently, she served as vice president and Hospital chief of staff at UF Health Shands Hospital, a 1,000+ Academic Medical Center which is part of the University of Florida Health. Under her leadership, the hospital restructured and modernized several areas of excellence, including The Abdominal Transplant Center, which expanded to support a 245% growth in liver, kidney, and pancreas organs within two years.
Before her most recent post, Brandt held several roles at UF Health Shands Hospital, including associate vice president of operations and director of operations. She holds a Master of Science in Health Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Huntingdon College. She is a dedicated member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and served on several boards, including the UF Health and CareSpot Joint Venture Board of Directors and ElderCare of Alachua County.
“It’s an honor to join the exceptional leadership team at University Hospital. We have an incredible opportunity to deepen our positive impact and further our mission of delivering top-tier healthcare to the region. I’m looking forward to working together to ensure the highest standard of care for our patients and community for generations to come,” Brandt said.
