Leadership & Employee Recognition

Leadership &

Employee Recognition

SGMC Executive Team

  • Ronald E. Dean, MBA, FACHE

    President and Chief Executive Officer

  • Randy Smith, MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC

    Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer/ Chief Nursing Officer

  • Steven Brian Dawson, MD

    Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer

  • John Moore, CPA

    Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

  • Johnny P. Ball, MBA, MHA, FACHE

    Senior Vice President of Regional Hospital Operations

  • Jim Zacharias, MBA, FACHE, CMPE

    Vice President of Network Development

  • Brenda Alexander, MS, SHRM-SCP

    Vice President of South Georgia Physician Network and Chief Human Resources Officer

  • Hilary Gibbs, MEd

    Vice President and Chief Development Officer

  • Chuck Marshburn, MBA

    Chief Information Officer and HIPAA Security Officer

Medical Executive Committee

  • R. Jared Sanders, MD

    Chief of Staff

  • Pankaj Agrawal, MD

    Chief of Staff Elect and Hospitalist Representative

  • Stephen Zeigler, MD

    Past Chief of Staff

  • Elizabeth Flail, DO

    Secretary/Treasurer

  • Gregory Beale, MD

    Graduate Medical Education Ex Officio Member

  • Roberto Garcia, MD

    Chairman, Department of Medicine

  • Eric Stiefel, MD

    Member at Large Surgery Department

  • Doug Luke, MD

    Member at Large, Medicine

  • Clark Connell, MD

    Emergency Department Representative

  • James Davis, MD

    Chairman, Department of Surgery

New Leaders

  • Don Luke

    Administrative Director of Operations & Ambulatory Services

  • Travis Grasley

    Director of Pulmonary & Neurodiagnostic Service

  • Hilary Willis

    Director of Annual Giving

  • Chason McCook

    Director or Physician Network Revenue Cycle

  • Chad Nelms

    Administrative Director of Critical Care

  • Ansley Panizzi

    Executive Director of Langdale Place

  • Melonie Byron

    Nursing Home Admin for LV

  • Tina Miller & Cherise Giddens

    VP of Clinical Operations; VP of Clinical Nursing

  • Anthony Harrell

    Director of IS and Technology

  • Zach White

    Director of Enterprise Operations

  • Michael Spence

    Director of Project Management

  • Mark Hodges

    Director of Imaging

  • Olaf Faeskorn

    VP of Revenue Cycle

Health System Heroes

Heroes walk the halls of SGMC every day. Throughout the year, SGMC's executive leadership team reviews nominations submitted by patients and colleagues for the Health System award. Whether it’s a physician, nurse, hospital staff member or volunteer, the Health System Hero honoree is someone who provides exceptional care, exemplifies SGMC’s values and goes above and beyond the call of duty. Each month, an honoree is chosen and recognized at the monthly Hospital Board of Trustees meeting.

Nominate someone for the Health System Hero award:

  • Tim Sirmans, October 2021

  • Hospice, November 2021

  • Womens & Infants, December 2021

  • Wendy Benka, January

  • Lanier ED, February

  • Administrative Coordinators, March

  • Berrien Lab & Selena Brady, April

  • Emily Brown, May

  • 4T Medical Team, June

  • The Breast Center Leadership, July

  • Care Team, August

  • Litundra Boatman, September

Excellence in Care Provider Award

Dr. Felix Valdez Excellence in Care Award

South Georgia Medical Center honored Dr. Felix Valdez, Internal Medicine Specialist, with its 2022 Excellence in Care provider award.  

This award was developed by SGMC's Physician Wellness Committee earlier this year. According to Dr. Elizabeth Flail, who serves on the leadership team, SGMC reviewed more than 50 nominations for the award, which serves to highlight the role physicians play in providing compassionate care and clinical excellence to patients at SGMC.   

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Dawson shared, "Dr. Valdez has served patients in our area for 21 years in both the primary care setting and inpatient hospital setting. Not only does he care for his patients, but he is known for the care, guidance, and education he provides to local migrant communities."   

Dr. Valdez humbly accepted the award, stating that his motto is to treat his patients as he would treat members of his own family. "I am accountable for my patients and the Lord gives me the capacity to care for them," he said. "I pray every morning for the Lord to give me the ability and wisdom to provide the very best care to my patients."  

Dr. Valdez is part of SGMC's hospitalist group, Apogee Physicians, and has been with the health system for 15 years.   

SGMC has a medical staff of more than 400 providers and a Physician Network of more than 60 physicians who provide care in a vast array of specialties.   

SGMC has been designated by the American Medical Association for its Joy in Medicine Recognition Program which seeks to improve physician satisfaction and engagement while reducing rates of burnout.   

To nominate a physician for the Excellence in Care provider award, visit sgmc.org.  

Hospital Authority Board of Trustees

Hospital Authority Board of Trustees

Seated left to right:
Sam Allen, Chairman and Ronald E. Dean, President and CEO.

Standing left to right:
John Roan, DDS, Vice Chairman; Tim Dame; Brian Griner, MD; Shirley J. Garland; John W. Langdale, Jr., Treasurer; Gregory Powell; Ben I. Copeland, Sr.

Dive Deeper into the SGMC Annual Report

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