Holy Cross Health's Stonish Pierce Named To Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Emerging Leaders

Holy Cross Health, a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital in Fort Lauderdale, has announced that Chief Operating Officer (COO) Stonish Pierce has been named to Modern Healthcare’s class of 2021 Top 25 Emerging Leaders. Modern Healthcare, the leader in healthcare business news, research and data, annually honors emerging leaders age 40 or under who have made significant contributions in the areas of innovation and financial, operational and clinical excellence early in their careers.

“I am truly humbled and honored to be recognized as an emerging leader in the healthcare industry,” said Pierce. “It has been a challenging year, but I am so proud of how our entire team at Holy Cross responded. The team continues to rise to the occasion and serve our community with quality care and compassion.”

Pierce became COO in January 2021, having previously served as vice president of specialty services for Beaumont Health. Within three months at Holy Cross, Pierce launched the hospital’s inaugural OB hospitalist program, coordinated a $20 million multiyear campus improvement plan and consolidated and revamped the Incident Command Center. During COVID-19, he led efforts to accelerate delivery of vaccines to urgent care partners and worked with clinical leaders to re-establish open visitation to help with patient-centered care goals.

“Stonish’s diverse clinical and leadership experiences in acute and ambulatory operations have been a strong asset for Holy Cross Health, particularly during the pandemic,” said CEO and President Mark Doyle. “He came in and hit the ground running, making an immediate impact on operations that benefit both our patients and our associates.”

A four-time recertified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Pierce was also a recipient of ACHE’s regional Early Career Healthcare Executive Award and Distinguished Service Awards and was also recognized by his alma mater, the University of Southern California (USC), with the Price School’s 90 Pioneers of 90 Years Award. Pierce earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Master of Health Administration degree with a graduate certificate in management from USC.

“The roller-coaster ride of the COVID-19 pandemic—now more than 18 months long and counting—has tested leaders in all sectors of the healthcare industry and at all levels. The men and women who make up this year’s class of the Top 25 Emerging Leaders have certainly risen to the challenges. Even in their young careers, many have impressive track records of innovation and accomplishment predating the pandemic,” noted Modern Healthcare editor, Aurora Aguilar.

This year’s honorees are profiled in the October 4 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine and online at ModernHealthcare.com/top-emergingleaders.