Alex Valdez, JDSenior Vice President

    Focus

    Alex brings a wide variety of hospital, healthcare and government experience to bear on helping organizations improve efficiency, profitability, patient satisfaction, and physician engagement.

    Relevant Experience

    • Regional CEO and hospital administrator for CHRISTUS Health in the U.S. and Latin America
    • Several high-level positions in the State of New Mexico
    • General counsel to New Mexico Governor Garrey Carruthers


    Education

    • BA, business administration, University of New Mexico
    • J.D., George Washington University

     

    Alex Valdez has been a regional and international healthcare leader, guiding healthcare organizations through growth, change, and affiliation for more than 30 years. Before joining NEWPOINT, Alex was a regional CEO and hospital administrator for CHRISTUS Health, working domestically and in Latin America.  Prior to joining CHRISTUS Health Alex served as CEO of a safety net sole community provider Regional Medical Center.  Alex also served the State of New Mexico holding several positions as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Human services State Agencies, General Counsel to Governor Garrey Carruthers, and as an attorney in both public and private practice.

    While at CHRISTUS Health, Alex served as Gerente General (CEO) for Clinica San Carlos De Apoquindo, an acute care hospital in Santiago, Chile.  Alex worked as a change agent CEO, and together with his executive team, the Hospital achieved measurable improvements including first time clinical accreditation, financial profit and the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategic plan which resulted in significant improvements to the organization’s culture and behavior, profitability, patient satisfaction, associate satisfaction and physician engagement.  Also, Alex oversaw the planning and construction of a “Centro Medico” which serves as a Medical Center for Specialty Care.

    From 2002 through 2013, Alex served St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, first as General Counsel and Vice President for Government Relations and then as President and CEO, where he led the Hospital through a successful joint sponsorship transaction with CHRISTUS Health.  St. Vincent Medical Center is a Sole Community Safety Net serving the seven north central counties of New Mexico.  As CEO, Alex oversaw the construction of a 42-bed emergency department, new surgical centers including hospital based and ambulatory, acquisition of a short-stay 19-bed surgical hospital, and construction of a number of other specialty medical centers both on campus and in the community.  Of significance, during Alex’s tenure CSVRMC witnessed the development of a multi-specialty group practice which includes more than 100 physicians and mid-level practitioners.

    Previously, Alex served the State of New Mexico as Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Health under Governor Gary Johnson and in dual roles as General Counsel for Governor Garrey E. Carruthers and Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department.  As part of Alex’s responsibility as Secretary for Health he oversaw the financing, regulatory and development of Federally Qualified Health Care Centers and the significance of having a Primary Health Care Network to implement meaningful Health Care Reform.  Alex’s public service roles also include service as Prosecutor for the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and as an attorney for the New Mexico State Corporation Commission.

    Alex has received numerous awards for his public service, including the 2002 National Public Service Award from the American Society for Public Administration.  In 2012 Alex was named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare.  He is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Catholic Health Association.  Alex received his B.A. degree from the Robert O. Anderson School of Business Administration at the University of New Mexico and his J.D. Degree from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.