Allegheny Health Network announces leadership changes at Allegheny Valley Hospital, elsewhere

A Forbes Hospital executive has been tapped to the senior leadership team at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, officials announced Tuesday.

Krista Bragg, chief operations officer at Forbes, will take on the chief operations officer responsibilities at Allegheny Valley, effective immediately.

In a similar expanded-role job change, Jason Roeback, chief operations officer at St. Vincent Hospital, will take on the duties of COO for Grove City Medical Center.

Bragg and Roeback both joined Highmark’s Allegheny Health Network nonprofit provider system in 2017.

Bragg came to AHN from Holmes Regional Medical Center in Florida, and Roeback previously served as the president and CEO of Sharon Regional Health System in Mercer County.

“Both Krista and Jason are versatile, accomplished health care executives, and their leadership will further help AHN meet the diverse health care needs of the patients and communities served by AVH and Grove City,” said Jim Benedict, Allegheny Health Network chief operating officer in a statement.

Louise Urban, a registered nurse and president of Jefferson and Canonsburg hospitals, has been promoted to senior vice president of operations for Allegheny Health Network.

Urban has been affiliated with AHN since 1991, when she joined Jefferson as a registered nurse in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Since then, she has held several clinical and executive leadership roles, including executive vice president and chief operating officer of Jefferson.

“Louise is an outstanding mentor and a home-grown executive whose professionalism and commitment to patients is unparalleled,” Cynthia Hundorfean, president and CEO of AHN, said in a statement. “She has been an exceptional leader for Jefferson and Canonsburg during a period of significant transformation for both facilities, and I am thrilled to be adding another talented clinician to our corporate senior management team as we continue to advance our clinician-led care model.”

Urban will provide day-to-day operational oversight for the network’s clinical care facilities. She also will develop strategic plans for the network’s various institutes and clinical services.

“I’m proud to have served the patients of Pittsburgh’s South Hills and Washington County throughout my career, and it’s been a privilege to be part of the Jefferson Hospital family for the last three decades,” Urban said in a statement. “I’m excited about the opportunity I now have to play an even bigger role in helping AHN and Highmark Health to deliver exceptional health care experiences and build healthier communities across Western Pennsylvania.”