CEO Ernesto Lopez to Leave in mid-August to Lead The Denver Hospice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Karen M. Giffin
301.791.6360
kmgiffin@hospiceofwc.org
Hospice of Washington County
CEO Ernesto Lopez To Leave in mid-August to Lead The Denver Hospice
Hagerstown, Md. July 18, 2023—Hospice of Washington County CEO Ernesto Lopez has announced he will be leaving the organization on August 18 to assume the role of President of The Denver Hospice in Colorado.
Lopez joined Hospice of Washington County in July 2017 and led the organization through the Public Health Emergency resulting from COVID-19 as well as the launch and subsequent growth of its inpatient hospice care center, Doey’s House, significant expansion of its community-wide grief and bereavement programs, and the opening of its sister hospice, Franklin Hospice, serving Chambersburg, Penn., and surrounding Franklin County.
“Throughout his tenure, Ernesto has fostered a culture of excellence, encouraging innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the organization,” stated Jim Pierne, Chairman of the Board of Hospice of Washington County. “His strategic vision has propelled Hospice of Washington County to new heights, strengthening its reputation as a leading provider of compassionate end-of-life care.”
Lopez noted, "I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served Hospice of Washington County and this wonderful, tight-knit community. Together, we have moved the organization forward, and I am confident that Hospice of Washington County will continue to thrive, guided by its unwavering commitment to compassion and excellence."
Lopez came to Hospice of Washington County from AdventHealth System, Orlando, Fla., where he led the faith-based provider’s hospice program.
The organization’s Board of Directors has named Associate Vice President of Operations Sara McKay as Acting CEO. McKay brings 15 years of progressive experience and leadership in hospice to this new role. She joined Hospice of Washington County in 2019 as Director of Marketing and was promoted to Associate Vice President of Operations in July 2020.
About Hospice of Washington County
A leader in community-based, mission-driven end-of-life care in the Mid-Atlantic, Hospice of Washington County provides palliative care, hospice care, and comprehensive grief and bereavement care throughout Washington County, Md. Founded in 1980 by a core group of local citizens, Hospice of Washington has been able to meet community need for serious illness and grief and bereavement care thanks to the generous support of a caring community. Its stand-alone, 12-bed inpatient hospice care center, Doey’s House, opened in 2017 to offer a home-away-from-home for hospice patients requiring 24/7 pain and symptom management for brief periods. Hospice of Washington County’s comprehensive grief and bereavement programs for children, teens, and adults are open free of charge to anyone in the community who has suffered a loss. In 2020, Hospice of Washington County launched Franklin Hospice in Chambersburg, Penn., to serve patients throughout Franklin County, Penn. Under the direction of its Board of Directors comprised of distinguished local business, healthcare, and community leaders, Hospice of Washington County works each day to fulfill its mission of “embracing individual needs with love, kindness, and compassionate care while creating meaningful end-of-life experiences for our patients and families.”
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