Deborah Addo was appointed interim chief executive officer on September 28, 2024. As interim CEO, Deborah Addo will maintain the system’s focus on growth, development and overall performance of the system, including its adult and pediatric acute care and specialty hospitals, as well as the continued expansion of Penn State Health Medical Group across the health system’s core counties of Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon and Lancaster.

As president and chief operating officer for Penn State Health, Deborah Addo provides oversight to the health system’s hospitals, clinical service lines and acute care facilities to ensure their operational excellence.

Addo has more than 30 years of leadership experience in health care operations and management. She previously served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Penn State Health, as well as interim president of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Prior to joining Penn State Health, she spent more than seven years as senior vice president of Inova Health System, first as CEO of Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, Alexandria, Va., and as CEO of Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, Va., where she developed a track record of leading hospitals and physician groups through times of transition. Before joining Inova, she was chief operating officer and senior vice president of Meritus Health in Hagerstown, Md., the largest health care provider in Western Maryland. 

She has been named multiple times by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “50 Great African American Leaders in Healthcare to Know.” Her areas of expertise include financial management, LEAN, organization reengineering, strategic planning, physician engagement and population health. 

Addo earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and a master's degree in public health from Walden University. Reverend Addo is also a licensed minister ordained through the Church of God.

Sister Joann Marie Aumand has been a Sister of Christian Charity located in Mendham, N.J. for 48 years and is the elected Provincial Superior. Additionally, she served her community as the novice formation director and on the national level for Formation and Vocations as provincial councilor.  

Aumand worked for 10 years as an elementary school teacher and more than 25 years as an administrator in both elementary and secondary Schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  She also served as an administrator for Catholic Charities' immigration/refugee and human trafficking programs in Newark, N.J. and as a pastoral associate in the Catholic Community of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Hoboken, N.J. 

In addition to serving on the Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center and Hampden Medical Center board of directors, Sister also is a board member for the Assumption College for Sisters in Denville, N.J. 

Aumand is a supporter of developing and growing personal spirituality and prepares day seminars and presentations for schools and parishes to help people grow and deepen in their relationships with God.  She is also an advocate for victims of human trafficking and provides workshops to help people understand this social justice issue to eliminate modern day slavery from our society.  

Aumand obtained her master’s degree in administration from Villanova University and certification in spiritual direction from Fordham University in Bronx, N.Y.

Safwat Gassis, MD, FACC, FHRS, MMM, CPE, is director of cardiac electrophysiology and the cardiology physician lead at Penn State Health Holy Spirit and Hampden medical centers and director for Holy Spirit Medical Center Atrial Fibrillation Center. He provides oversight for inpatient and outpatient cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology services to ensure clinical and operational excellence.

A certified physician executive, educator and researcher, Gassis has more than two decades of clinical experience as an electrophysiologist and cardiologist. He previously practiced at Cardiac Diagnostic Associates, P.C., now WellSpan Cardiology, York, Pa.; Associated Cardiologists, P.C., Harrisburg, Pa.; and in the VA Atlanta Healthcare System.

Gassis implanted the first cardiac contractility modulation device, from Impulse Dynamics, at Holy Spirit Medical Center, where he serves on the Cardiovascular Quality Review and Electrophysiology committees and is co-chair for the Cardiac Rhythm Disorder Disease Specialty Team.

Gassis has presented numerous lectures on atrial fibrillation treatment and founded the Holy Spirit Medical Center Atrial Fibrillation Support Group. He is a fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society.

Currently board certified in cardiovascular disease and clinical cardiac electrophysiology, Gassis earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., before completing his medical degree at Georgetown University. He earned a master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, and completed residencies in internal medicine and fellowships in cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology at Emory University, Atlanta.

As president and CEO of Gunn-Mowery LLC, Greg Gunn manages the company’s overall operations with specific responsibilities for the commercial department and acquisitions. He also provides risk/insurance management and employee benefit support for midmarket clients. 

Gunn has served in a variety of community service roles, including chair for United Way of the Capital Region, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region and the American Subcontractors Association of Central Pennsylvania and vice chair of the former Geisinger Holy Spirit board (now Penn State Health Holy Spirit).

Gunn is vice chair of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC board, Pennsylvania’s director for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and serves on the board of LINKBANK’s The LINK Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofits in the south central Pennsylvania region. 

Gunn received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State, with dual majors in quantitative business analysis and finance.

As regional president, James Hoehn is responsible for overseeing all of PNC Bank’s business and management activities in the central Pennsylvania region, with an emphasis on the asset management and corporate banking businesses.

Hoehn joined PNC through its acquisition of National City Corporation in 2008. Before assuming his current role in 2011, he served as the Dayton, Ohio, regional president. During his 12 years at National City, Hoehn held senior vice president and strategic planning manager positions, as well as chief financial officer of corporate banking. Prior to joining PNC, Hoehn was a commissioned Federal Reserve examiner, focused on bank safety and soundness and risk management policy.

Active in the community, Hoehn is a member of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Better York, Economic Development Company of Lancaster County, WITF and Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. He also serves on the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission. 

Hoehn received his Master of Business Administration from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, and a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Cleveland State University. He also achieved the designation of chartered financial analyst.

Richard Jordan II is retired as president, CEO and chair of the board for Smith Land & Improvement Corporation after a four-decade career in commercial real estate development. 

In his executive leadership position with Smith Land & Improvement Corporation, the parent company of L.B. Smith Ford and L.B. Smith Lincoln, Jordan's primary responsibilities included strategic planning and decision-making for the dealership, as well as growing the company’s development interests and fortifying its real estate portfolio.

Under Jordan’s leadership, Smith Land & Improvement Corporation was recognized in 2014 as a Governor’s ImPAct Award finalist in Pennsylvania. He also led a statewide initiative for #ShopSmallPA.

A longtime community leader and philanthropist, Jordan was a member of the Messiah University board of trustees and a former board member for the Holy Spirit Health System (now Penn State Health Holy Spirit). He was vice chair of the Elizabethtown College board of trustees and served on its capital campaign committee, as well as a board member for the Harrisburg Area YMCA, Goodwill Industries and the former Dauphin Deposit Bank and Trust Company. Jordan was co-chair with his son, Richard Jordan III, of The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region’s Capital Campaign, “Building Legacies. Transforming Lives.”

Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration/management from Elizabethtown College, Pa., where he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2013. 

For more than two decades, Jessica Meyers has developed a strong reputation as a leading entrepreneur, philanthropist and voice for women in business.

In 2003, she founded JEM Group, a commercial construction company. As one of few women in the industry, she has grown JEM Group into one of the best-known and widely respected construction firms in Pennsylvania. Today, JEM Group handles projects across many market sectors, including corporate, health care, education, government, multifamily and retail.

Active in the community, Meyers is a board member of AAA Central Penn, The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region and YWCA Greater Harrisburg and is a director at Centric Bank. She previously served as board chair of AAA Central Penn, trustee for Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and director for Metro Bank. She also has held various leadership roles for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Harrisburg Young Professionals and United Way of the Capital Region. 

A well-known public speaker, Meyers has presented at Leadership Harrisburg, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC and Junior Achievement and has been featured on CNN and WITF’s "Smart Talk."

For her professional and civic dedication, Meyers has been recognized as one of Central Penn Business Journal’s (CPBJ) “Forty Under 40” and Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business. JEM Group was honored as one of the CREDC FAB Five, was named Woman-Owned Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Association Eastern Pennsylvania, was listed as one of CPBJ’s Power 30 for Construction and Real Estate and received the individual Champion Award for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Her firm has been one of CPBJ's 50 Fastest-Growing Companies four times and received numerous awards for safety and craftsmanship.

Meyers is a Penn State graduate and has lived in central Pennsylvania for more than 30 years.

As vice president of supportive services for property management company Pennrose, Shannon Mowery oversees the development of supportive services plans and delivery of services at all properties. She also leads activities and communications with company affiliates related to supportive services that enhance residents’ quality of life. 

Mowery’s critical role is overall responsibility for new program design and implementation, as well as working with Pennrose Development team members. She establishes and manages community partnerships, including those needed for low-income housing tax credit and Federal Home Loan Bank applications, and ensures that every site within the Pennrose 148-property portfolio meets the individual program obligations that were part of each property’s original plan. 

Mowery has more than 22 years of supportive services experience in varied fields. Before joining Pennrose, she was the family living program coordinator for Threshold Rehabilitation Services, where she ensured all safety measures were being met by assigned family living providers and consumers, advocated on behalf of persons with disabilities and conducted monthly pre-service trainings to ensure compliance with all state and agency regulations.

Mowery is a board member of the Pennrose Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization that further enhances the company’s mission of transforming communities. 

She received a bachelor’s degree in biobehavioral health from Penn State, with a minor in human development and family studies, and is a certified mental health first aid instructor, certified occupancy specialist and a fair housing specialist.

As executive vice president, chief strategy officer and chief transformation officer, Tom Stoessel is responsible for the growth of the emerging Penn State Health system. His role is focused on the development and execution of the organization’s comprehensive strategic plan, driving clinical program expansion and partnerships with regional community systems, physician practices and industry partners and payers.

Stoessel has more than 25 years of leadership and executive management experience in the health care environment. He has extensive experience in organizational strategy, market development, physician network management, clinical program development, mergers and acquisitions and academic affiliations, as well as a background in marketing, branding and crisis communications.

Prior to joining Penn State Health, Stoessel served the former PinnacleHealth as senior vice president, strategic planning and business development. He was responsible for developing the high-level strategic direction for the organization, incremental strategies and annual plans of execution. He served in a leadership capacity for all merger, acquisition and affiliation activity, including hospital system expansion, as well as growth of the primary and specialty care physician network.

Prior to his role at PinnacleHealth, Stoessel served as senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Mount Nittany Health System, State College, Pa., where he produced significant growth of the organization, including its complete rebranding, development of a new inpatient tower, expanded Emergency Department, launch of an affiliated cancer institute, consummation of a master academic affiliation and the founding and build-out of the employed physician network.

Earlier in Stoessel’s career, he was a shareholder in one of Pennsylvania’s largest marketing and strategic planning consultancies.

Stoessel earned a master’s degree in business administration from Penn State Smeal College of Business and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Penn State.

As executive vice president and chief medical officer for Penn State Health, Dr. Kenneth Wood provides oversight of clinical care standards, scope of practice, medical staff credentialing and overall quality, safety and value of care across the health system.

A veteran health care administrator, educator and researcher, Wood has three decades of clinical experience across diverse settings, ranging from community hospitals to large, integrated academic medical centers. Most recently, he served as chief clinical officer for Lifespan, a comprehensive, integrated, academic health system with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. 

Wood also served the University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, as the associate chief medical officer, chief clinical officer for the University of Maryland Medical Center and director of the Maryland Critical Care Network. In addition, he was chief medical officer for Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa., and held a number of leadership roles at UW Health, the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Board-certified in internal medicine and critical care medicine, Wood earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., before completing his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia. He completed an internal medicine residency at Jefferson Abington Hospital, Abington, Pa., and a fellowship in critical care medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, N.J.