From expanding nurse anesthesia education and workforce capacity to building data-driven platforms and shaping systemwide perioperative strategy, anesthesia leaders across the country are driving change in how care is delivered and supported.
Here are five anesthesia leaders making headlines this month:
- Lori Anderson, DNP, CRNA, recognized as Program Administrator of the Year by AANA: Dr. Anderson, program director of the Rosalind Franklin University Nurse Anesthesia Program in North Chicago, Ill., was honored by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology for her leadership in nurse anesthesia education. Since assuming the role in 2019, Dr. Anderson has expanded program class sizes by more than 25% and launched a new training location in Colorado, strengthening workforce development and educational capacity in anesthesia.
- Jason Hennes, MD, builds proprietary anesthesia data platform to address workforce and reimbursement complexity: Dr. Hennes, founder of Anesthesia Data Services and a partner at Naperville, Ill.-based Midwest Anesthesia Partners, said shifting hospital employment models, ASC stipend variability and unreliable manual workflows prompted his group to develop its own anesthesia data, billing and scheduling platform.
The system was designed to improve accuracy in tracking work hours, contract terms and provider pay while supporting advance scheduling and credential-based assignments, helping the group adapt to evolving anesthesia labor and reimbursement dynamics.
- C. David Mintz, MD, PhD, named chair of anesthesiology at University of Maryland: Dr. Mintz was appointed chair of anesthesiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of anesthesiology at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, effective July 2026.
Currently vice chair for clinical operations in anesthesiology at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Mintz oversees services across multiple hospitals and ambulatory sites and serves as executive director for perioperative strategy at Johns Hopkins Health System.
- Jody Casey named chief growth officer at North American Partners in Anesthesia: Sunrise, Fla.-based North American Partners in Anesthesia appointed Ms. Casey as chief growth officer, tasking her with expanding partner relationships, developing new business opportunities and aligning sales and marketing initiatives.
Ms. Casey has 25 years of experience leading sales teams and most recently served as managing director and healthcare technology practice leader at consulting firm Protiviti.
- Hallie Evans, DNP, CRNA, named senior director of education at AANA: The AANA appointed Dr. Evans as senior director of education and professional development, effective December 2025.
In the role, Dr. Evans will lead national initiatives focused on lifelong learning and academic innovation in nurse anesthesiology and will continue to practice clinically.
