University of Maryland Medical System Names New Chief Human Resources Officer

BALTIMORE – Following a nationwide search, the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) has named Tammy Saunaitis, FAHCE, CPC, as the System's new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective August 1st. Saunaitis brings to UMMS significant experience in working with diverse leaders to integrate a complex human resources department into a single, customer-focused, integrated center of excellence. UMMS is one of the largest private employers in Maryland, with more than 27,000 employees working in the System's 12 hospitals, network of 10 urgent care centers and corporate functions.

"Tammy's vision, incredible depth of experience, and her enthusiastic outlook make her the ideal leader for our Human Resources teams across the System," said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, the System's President and Chief Executive Officer. "She joins us at a critical time, just as we begin an important new initiative that will strengthen our System's reputation as a destination employer for top talent, aligned in excellence around our shared purpose and values."

Saunaitis comes to UMMS from SCL Health, where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer from 2016 to 2022, and held numerous high-level leadership roles over the past eight years. In April of this year, Intermountain Healthcare completed a merger with SCL Health, and since that time Saunaitis has served as Senior Vice President, Human Resource Strategy and HR Operations. Like UMMS, SCL Health was a nonprofit health care organization; its network included eight hospitals and more than 150 physician clinics in Colorado and Montana.

Prior to her time at SCL Health, Saunaitis worked in a variety of health systems, including Meriter Health Services (now UnityPoint-Meriter), Ascension Health and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She holds a Master's of Business Administration from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"I'm honored to have been selected to join UMMS and look forward to continuing and enhancing the work underway focused on making the System a premier employer in Maryland," Saunaitis said.

"We often say that our greatest asset is our people, and the UMMS Human Resources Department is charged with supporting our system goals and operations, while also fostering a welcoming environment where careers can take hold and flourish," Dr. Suntha added. "It's hard work that is fundamental to our long-term success and to the care we deliver to patients, families and whole communities."

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state's future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the UM Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system's 28,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations and at 12 hospitals. UMMS' flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore is partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

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