San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH) has named Sharlet Briggs as its new President and CEO on November 21, effective immediately.
Briggs has served in this role on an interim basis - while maintaining her responsibilities as the hospital's Chief Operating Officer - since late September. Adventist Health Southern California Regional President Beth Zachary made the official announcement after Wednesday's SJCH Governing Board meeting.
"Over the past few months, I have been working collaboratively with the Governing Board and key partners to identify and prioritize the attributes we value in the new President and CEO that will lead this organization," Zachary said. "I have no doubt that Sharlet is the right person to lead us forward."
Sharlet has worked for Adventist Health for nearly 25 years, including stints at St. Helena Hospital, Ukiah Medical Center and at the corporate office in Roseville, CA. Throughout her career in health care, Sharlet has overseen a variety of clinical and non-clinical areas, including Health Information Management, nursing business development, and quality improvement.
After joining SJCH in 2012 as Vice President for Organizational Excellence, she was quickly promoted to Senior Vice President, followed by the chance to serve as Chief Operating Officer in 2015.
"In my five years in Bakersfield, I've grown to love the spirit of this community," Briggs said. "Knowing that our community is here to support us makes all the difference in the world. I look forward to building stronger relationships with our city leaders, business and non-profit organizations so that together we can enrich the lives of those we serve."
In addition to an extensive business background that includes professional writing and motivational speaking, Sharlet also has her PhD in clinical Christian psychology and a master's in clinical counseling from Cornerstone University. She is married to David Eastman, who also works for Adventist Health, and the couple has two adult children and two granddaughters.
