After conducting a nationwide executive search led by healthcare leadership solutions firm B. E. Smith, Sierra View District Hospital in Porterville, Calif., has hired Jeffery Hudson as vice president, patient care services and Vonnie Nunes as vice president, quality and regulatory affairs. Both seasoned healthcare executives, Hudson and Nunes assumed their new duties at Sierra View District Hospital on January 20.

“We are excited to find not one, but two experienced healthcare professionals with successful track records in both clinical and operational leadership roles,” said Donna Hefner, CEO for Sierra View District Hospital. “Jeff and Vonnie bring a strong focus and dedication to providing high-quality patient care, and are committed to gaining staff and community trust at Sierra View District Hospital."

Formerly, Hudson held the role of chief operating officer for Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif., providing leadership for both patient care and support services for the 233 bed facility. He is an adjunct professor for Chamberlain College, School of Nursing in St. Louis, Mo., where he leads a collaborative healthcare management and leadership course. He also served as chief nursing officer for Shands at Lake Shore Hospital, Lake City, Fla., where he began the hospital's journey to Magnet® status.

Prior to joining Sierra View District Hospital, Nunes served as interim chief executive officer at Corcoran District Hospital in Corcoran, Calif., directing operations for the 32-bed acute-care hospital. She also served as director of quality and regulatory for Clovis Community Medical Center in Clovis, Calif., where she directed the medical center’s quality and regulatory operations programs.

“Sierra View District Hospital was seeking two experienced clinical leaders to strengthen the current processes and procedures in order to improve patient care operations and quality,” said Lydia Ostermeier, vice president of executive search for B. E. Smith, the healthcare executive search firm who conducted the nationwide vice president, patient care services search for Sierra View District Hospital. "Jeff and Vonnie were a perfect fit for the hospital’s culture and community.”

Hudson completed PhD course work with Walden University in Minneapolis, Minn. He earned a master's degree and bachelor's degree from North Park University in Chicago, Ill. Hudson is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN).

Nunes earned a juris doctor degree from San Joaquin College of Law in Clovis, Calif., as well as a master’s of public health degree and a bachelor’s of science degree in health science from California State University in Fresno, Calif. She is a licensed registered nurse (RN) in California and a member of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM).

About Sierra View District Hospital:
Sierra View District Hospital is a 167-bed, full-service acute care facility located in Porterville, California. The hospital serves the Southern Sequoia region of California’s Central Valley and is the pre-eminent healthcare provider in the area. Sierra View offers a wide range of healthcare services featuring state of the art technologies like digital mammography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT Scan). The hospital is also home to the Roger S. Good Cancer Treatment Center, one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the state. Thanks to an affiliation with Children’s Hospital Central California—one of the top pediatric medical centers in the country—Sierra View can also provide high-quality pediatric care to the children of our community. Sierra View’s 32-station outpatient Dialysis Center is the largest and most advanced facility of its kind in the region. By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care safety and quality, Sierra View has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval. For more information on Sierra View, visit www.sierra-view.com.

About B. E. Smith: 
Founded in 1978, B. E. Smith is a full-service healthcare executive search firm and a top-ranked provider of senior-level leadership services including Interim Leadership, Executive Search and Management Consulting. Veteran healthcare recruiters and regional healthcare experts partner with each client to create customized solutions. B. E. Smith’s proven methodology has resulted in the recent placement of more than 900 leaders into healthcare organizations worldwide. The firm utilizes a comprehensive sourcing strategy incorporating the latest marketing techniques, association partnerships, social networking and one of the largest databases of skilled nursing executives in the industry to deliver immediate results in today’s complex healthcare environment. For more information, visit BESmith.com or call 855-254-8261.