Peoples, Allen to serve on Louisiana Hospital Association Board of Trustees

The Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA) announced its 2021-2022 Board of Trustee officers and newly-elected board members during its virtual annual membership meeting on July 29.

Jason E. Cobb, FACHE, chief executive officer (CEO) of Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria, will serve as the LHA Board of Trustees Chair. He received the gavel from Phyllis L. Peoples, president and CEO of Terrebonne General Health System in Houma, who will now serve as Immediate Past Chair. Greg C. Feirn, CPA, CEO of LCMC Health in New Orleans, will serve as the Association’s Chair-Elect, and Mary Ellen Pratt, FACHE, CEO of St. James Parish Hospital in Lutcher, was elected Treasurer.

In addition to the officers, the LHA Board of Trustees is composed of At-Large and District Trustees. Stuart Archer, FACHE, CEO of Oceans Healthcare, was elected for a two-year term as an At-Large Trustee. Kirk Soileau, FACHE, CEO of Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, and Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE, president and CEO of North Oaks Health System in Hammond, were re-elected for a second term as At-Large Trustees.

The following individuals were elected to serve a two-year term as District Trustees:

The following individual was re-elected to serve a second term as a District Trustee:

During the meeting, the LHA Research and Education Foundation (LHAREF) elected Mary Ellen Pratt, FACHE, as Chair of the LHAREF and re-elected Charles “Chuck” D. Daigle, CEO of Ochsner LSU Health System-North Louisiana, as its Secretary/Treasurer.

“The LHA applauds the dedication and commitment of our new and returning board members as we work together, as an industry, to improve healthcare in communities throughout our state, especially during these trying times,” said LHA President and CEO Paul A. Salles.

Board Bios: 

Timothy “Tim” J. Allen, FACHE, was elected as the Bayou District Trustee for the LHA Board of Trustees. He serves as the CEO of Ochsner Bayou Region, which includes Ochsner St. Anne Hospital in Raceland, Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, and Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City. Allen provides unified leadership to the Ochsner Bayou Region, which spans a tri-parish area and includes Lafourche, Terrebonne, and St. Mary and has been a member of the Ochsner Health leadership team for the past seven years. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Northern Colorado in 1989 and a Master of Science in Health Administration from the University of Colorado in 1991. He has held a number of administrative positions with respected healthcare organizations in Louisiana, Florida, Colorado and Wisconsin during the past 30 years.

Phyllis L. Peoples, who served as the LHA Board of Trustees Chair from July 2019 to July 2021, will now serve as the Immediate Past Chair of the LHA. A native of Houma, she is the president and CEO of Terrebonne General Health System and has worked in healthcare administration for more than 27 years. She currently serves on the board of the LHA Trust Funds and previously served on the LHA Research and Education Foundation Board and the LHA Quality Committee, having served as chair. In addition, she has served as a member of the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board 7 and has been a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 2001, completing a two-year term as president of the Louisiana Chapter of Healthcare Executives. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and two master’s degrees from Valdosta State University in administration and education, as well as a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Tulane University. She is a member and has served on the boards of numerous other local, state and national organizations. She was recognized as a community Role Model in 2011 by the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans and was awarded the Golden Pelican President’s Award from LHA’s Louisiana Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing. She was also honored by New Orleans CityBusiness as one of its Health Care Heroes in 2012 and as a Women of the Year in 2013.