Sonoma Valley Hospital CEO Kelly Mather has accepted a new position at another health care company but will stay on part-time during her successor’s transition before she begins her new role on Jan. 1, hospital officials said.
“I think we’ve been very fortunate to have her level of skill and talent,” said Jane Hirsch, board chair of the Sonoma Valley Hospital (SVH) of Mather. “This will be a nice new challenge for her, it was something she was ready for.”
Mather will shift to half-time at SVH beginning Sept. 1 during her transition while working half-time as CEO of BayHealth. She will move to full-time at BayHealth on Jan. 1, Hirsch said.
BayHealth is an Emeryville-based company focused on ambulatory care site development, service line alignment and clinical and system integration, according to the company’s website. According to the press release, BayHealth is one of the early joint ventures between UCSF Health and John Muir Health, and important in the development and growth of the Canopy Health Network, of which Sonoma Valley Hospital is a part.
A search for Mather’s successor will likely begin in August after the hospital finalizes an agreement with a search agency. Two companies are being considered at this time and the board will decide which one will get the contract at its Aug. 4 regular board meeting.
Mather, who has been with Sonoma Valley Hospital since 2010, has shepherded the hospital through some challenging times, Hirsch said.
“Some of the decisions and changes have been difficult,” she said, referring to such matters as closing the obstetrics department and turning over operations of the skilled nursing facility to a vendor.
The changes“, she said, were “very difficult, but necessary.”
“The hospital is in good financial shape,” Hirsch said. “We had to accept that we can no longer be all things to all people.”
Hirsch described having mixed emotions about the departure, after having worked closely with Mather during her eight years on the board.
“It is difficult to see her leave SVH, but I’m pleased that she has found a wonderful and challenging new opportunity with BayHealth.”
Mather, Hirsch said, brought a lot of “energy, enthusiasm and expertise” to her role as CEO, and was instrumental in raising funds for capital improvements at the hospital – such as the new emergency department and the upcoming repurposing of the old surgery department into a 20,000-square-foot diagnostic hub with state-of-the-art imaging.
With so many difficult decisions, Hirsch said Mather “never gave the impression of being daunted.”
Hirsh also praised Mather for developing the partnership with UCSF, which provides the community with access to broad levels of health care at a community hospital.
“It will stand us in good stead going forward,” Hirsch said.
Sonoma Valley is “fortunate to have a thriving small hospital,” when so many others “have had to close,” she said.
For the next CEO, Hirsch said the board will be looking for someone with “executive level experience, and I think certainly community hospital experience.”
Mather’s current salary is just north of $380,000 plus an incentive bonus, according to hospital documents.
“Community experience as well will be important. A small hospital is a much different kettle of fish than a financially robust organization,” she said, so finding someone who has had dealings with the financial challenges of a small hospital will be viewed favorably.
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