MetroHealth Appoints Executive Leaders to Advance its Strategic Priorities
MetroHealth President & CEO Airica Steed, Ed.D, RN, MBA, FACHE, has named two mission-driven professionals to her leadership team: Richard Blinkhorn, MD, as the System’s Executive Vice President/Chief Physician Executive and Clinical Officer, and Dalph Watson, JD, as Executive Vice President/Chief People Officer.
In his new role, which is effective immediately, Dr. Blinkhorn leads MetroHealth’s entire clinical and provider enterprise. His oversight includes department chairs, clinical institute directors as well as the academic enterprise. Dr. Blinkhorn will ensure MetroHealth delivers care that results in the best possible health outcomes for the communities it serves.
Dr. Blinkhorn is a veteran of MetroHealth, having first served from the late 1980s through the mid-2000s. He rejoined the System in 2019 as Chair of the Department of Medicine, one of MetroHealth’s largest clinical departments.
“In addition to being an excellent physician and administrator, Dr. Blinkhorn cares deeply about our mission, our history and the individuals we serve,” Dr. Steed said. “Dr. Blinkhorn plays a key role in achieving our top strategic priorities: advancing health equity and eradicating health disparities in our community. Since my arrival, I have come to rely on his counsel and expertise while also being impressed with his leadership skills and dedication to our providers and patients.”
As Chief People Officer, Watson will lead the System’s People and Human Resources Division and oversee ongoing efforts to foster a people-first culture at MetroHealth and position the organization as an employer of choice. This will include oversight of all human resources functions, including recruitment and retention; employee engagement and experience; diversity and inclusion; workforce development and education; workplace safety and organizational effectiveness.
Watson most recently helped lead Walmart Health as its senior people leader. She previously served in a variety of progressive senior human resource officer roles in both the public and private sector, including with Kaiser Permanente leading the Washington Permanente Medical Group, Providence Health and the city of Detroit. She joins MetroHealth Monday, July 24.
“We must put our people at the center of all we do, and Dalph will ensure that happens,” Dr. Steed said. “Because without our people, there is no mission – there is no MetroHealth. We must celebrate, support and empower the talented caregivers who choose to work here. Dalph is skilled in developing and implementing strategic initiatives that drive organizational change, enhance an engaged culture and foster workforce development for all. We are thrilled she is joining our team.”
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
