University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center Welcomes Three New Members to the Board of Directors

University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, the #1 community hospital in the state of Maryland and a Best Regional Hospital as rated by U.S. News & World Report, is proud to welcome three new members to its board of operations: Chris Brandt, Mike Smith and Lisa Rowen.

"Our board of directors plays a vital role in advancing the mission of UM St. Joseph Medical Center," said President and CEO Thomas B. Smyth, MD, "and we're blessed to be the beneficiary of their professional experience, their commitment to community health and their vision for our hospital."

Chris Brandt is the Chief Executive Officer of Audacious Inquiry (Ai), an industry-shaping health IT and policy company that provides bold solutions for connected health care, which he founded in 2004 with the mission to use information technology as a change-agent for positive impact. As leader of one of the first recognized B Corporations in Maryland, part of a select list of businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, Brandt is dedicated to integrating his company's values with his clients' needs, to help them reach their profit- and purpose goals. Under his leadership, Ai has been recognized 10 years in a row by Inc. 5000's list of America's fastest-growing private companies, and in 2014, he was named the Maryland Region's Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. Presently, Brandt serves as a staff advisor to CRISP, Maryland's health information exchange. He also served on the boards of the Duke University Alumni Association and the Maryland Small Business Financing Authority. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an AB in Computer Science from Duke. Chris is a Fellow of the third class of the Health Innovators Fellowship Program and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, CENP, FAAN, has served as Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer for University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) since 2007, in addition to Chief Nurse Executive for University of Maryland Medical System since 2016. In this role, Dr. Rowen provides system-level direction and insight for strategic planning, nursing workforce development and continuous clinical improvement initiatives. An adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, she also holds faculty appointments at University of Virginia and the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Rowen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at the University of Delaware, a Master of Science degree at the University of Maryland, and a Doctor of Nursing Science degree at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Rowen is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, has twice served as an expert reviewer of the NIH's Clinical Center and serves on The Joint Commission's Chief Nursing Executive Advisory Council. Dr. Rowen has published more than 70 articles on patient safety, teamwork and communication, health-related issues and best-practice standards.

Mike Smith is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of McCormick & Company, a global leader in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and related products to the entire food and beverage industry. Smith is responsible for Controllership, Investor Relations, Treasury, Tax, Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis, Financial Accounting and Reporting, Global Business Improvement, Risk and Internal Audit. He joined McCormick in 1991, taking on several roles with increasing responsibilities, including Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance; Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance for Europe, Middle East and Africa; Vice President Treasury and Investor Relations, Vice President Finance and Administration for U.S. Consumer Products; Vice President Finance for the U.S. Industrial Group; and Director of Corporate Accounting, Corporate Financial Planning Manager and Plant Controller for McCormick's Hunt Valley, Md.-based manufacturing facility. Smith graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA degree in Accountancy. He is a CPA and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also a member of McCormick's Management Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

"We rely on our board members to clarify our organizational vision, provide strategic direction, and bring forward the voice and needs of our community, to best inform the hospital's decision-making," said UM St. Joseph Medical Center Board Chairman R. Michael Gill. "We're confident that their service will further enhance the top-quality care and service we provide, and for which UM St. Joseph is both regionally and nationally known."

Each of these members will serve a three-year term on the hospital's operating board.

About UM St. Joseph Medical Center

UM St. Joseph Medical Center (UM SJMC), founded in 1864 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, is a 218-bed Catholic, not-for-profit regional medical center in Towson, Maryland. A member of the 13-hospital University of Maryland Medical System, UM SJMC is located in suburban Baltimore County, and offers a wide range of superb clinical programs and centers of excellence, including the Cancer, Heart and Orthopaedic Institutes, Women and Children's services and Emergency Medicine. Our mission: To provide loving service and compassionate, leading-edge care to all. For more information, visit umstjoseph.org.