C. William McConnell, MBA, PhD

Starting his career as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a long-term care facility in 1999, Will has worked in many roles within the healthcare industry. He quickly rose to leadership through his dedication to improving healthcare and his pursuit of learning. At various career stages, Will has served on multiple boards and advisory panels. He has been a board member for the Child Health Investment Partnership, an advisory board member for a Health Psychology program, and a board member for a state hospital and healthcare association. Will has also been a speaker at national conferences focusing on the changing healthcare landscape.

Will received his Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Technology and Construction Management from Colorado State University, where he was exposed to Lean Thinking and the Theory of Constraints. While at Colorado State, he earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Change Management. While advancing in various leadership positions, Will earned his MBA from Wake Forest University. Additionally, Will is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has served as a Malcolm Baldrige Examiner.

Along the way to his first CEO opportunity, Will served as an analytics consultant, a manager in strategic development, and a director in finance. He was VP of Operations and Outreach Strategy, overseeing primary and specialty care clinics. He is now in a recent role as the President and CEO of an independent system. Will also served as an Assistant Professor in healthcare management at a college in Virginia, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in healthcare management, strategic planning, statistics, healthcare economics and policy, process improvement, and more.

Will is known as a problem solver and systems thinker. He can assimilate large amounts of data and generate meaningful action for individuals, teams, and organizations. While he has experience with many facets of the healthcare industry, he enjoys focusing on executive development, strategy, team building, psychological safety, and culture.