Michael Ugwueke

Dr Michael Ugwueke
President & CEO
Methodist Le Bonheur​ Healthcare, USA

Michael O. Ugwueke is a visionary healthcare executive with over 39 years of experience leading strategic innovation to advance performance of diverse healthcare organizations. Dr. Ugwueke was named to Modern Healthcare’s 2020 honor roll of Top 25 Minority Executives in the Nation and honored with the Baldrige Foundation’s Harry S. Hertz Leadership Award. He was named Tennessee Hospital Association’s CEO of Distinction in 2021, as well as Savoy Magazine’s 2022 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America. 

In 2017, Dr. Ugwueke was named president and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, having previously served as the chief operating officer of the $2 billion, six-hospital integrated system in Memphis, Tenn. Dr. Ugwueke instills a culture of excellence, enabling MLH to achieve top-decile performance levels across all publicly reported measures and rank among the 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare (Becker’s), Best Regional Hospital (U.S. News & World Report) and Best Employers for Diversity (Forbes). 

As a healthcare thought leader, Dr. Ugwueke is a sought-after speaker for industry conferences, such as Press Ganey, Becker’s Hospital Review, The Governance Institute and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Advisory Board, the Tennessee Business Leadership Council, the National Civil Rights Museum, the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank Board of Directors, Immediate Past Chair of the Tennessee Hospital Association, Emory University, Shaw University, and was recently selected as Chair-Elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives. 

Prior to joining MLH, Dr. Ugwueke held executive roles at Provena Health in Mokena, Ill., MedStar Health Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla. 

He received a doctorate in health administration and leadership from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston: a master’s degree in public health from Emory University in Atlanta; and a bachelor’s degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C.

Presentation Synopsis
HM 12 - International Leadership Panel

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