MADISON – Donna Katen-Bahensky, CEO at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at University of Iowa Health Care since 2002, has been named president and CEO of University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. She will join the hospital effective Feb. 4, 2008.
“Ms. Katen-Bahensky brings a genuine zeal for compassionate, patient-centered care, solid leadership, and a commitment to community service,” said Patrick G. Boyle, chair of the UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority Board and UW regent emeritus.
“She also understands that quality patient care is enriched and advanced through partnerships within the medical sciences center, and in her new role will continue her strong commitment to this collaboration,” Boyle added. “In addition, I am very pleased that she is extremely employee-oriented and has a personal approach to leadership.”
University of Iowa Health Care consists of the clinical enterprise functions of the Carver College of Medicine, the 650-member University of Iowa Physicians, and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). The UIHC, Iowa’s only comprehensive academic medical center, is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading medical centers with more than 514 adult and 186 pediatric beds, and more than $750 million in operating revenues.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Donna, and we offer our best wishes for the future,” said University of Iowa President Sally Mason. “We also offer her our thanks for setting a strong foundation for our future success. She will be remembered not only for her leadership at UI Hospitals and Clinics, but also for her commitment to community service.”
Prior to joining UIHC, Katen-Bahensky served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and Medical College of Virginia Hospitals and Clinics, where she oversaw operations for a 750-bed hospital and more than 80 outpatient practice sites.
Katen-Bahensky began her career at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she rose to Hospital Chief Operating Officer after having started as the Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing and completing an administrative residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals.
She received her B.A. in anthropology and a master’s of science degree in public health administration, with an emphasis in health services management, from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Highly active in organizations and community programs, she served on the board of directors of the University HealthSystem Consortium; was an alternate delegate for the regional policy board of the American Hospital Association, and currently a member of the administrative board of the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Katen-Bahensky was a member of the Iowa City Noon Rotary, vice chair of the Iowa Business Council, and was recently selected to serve as chairwoman of the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate Board of Directors.
She was instrumental in establishing the first Iowa Women’s Leadership Conference, and was named one of 10 “2005 Women of Influence” by the Corridor Business Journal, a leading Iowa periodical.
Katen-Bahensky is married to James Bahensky and has one son, Alex.
