About
Valerie Powell Stafford, FACHE
She is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience in a variety of healthcare management settings.
In June 2024, she joined Trinity Health
as the Hartford Market President, overseeing Saint Francis Hospital and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Connecticut.
In April 2019, Valerie Powell Stafford joined HCA Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
She served as the Chief Executive Officer, a leadership role she held for five years.
Before becoming CEO of HCA Northside, Valerie Powell Stafford held several executive leadership roles across Florida’s healthcare sector. She previously served as CEO of HCA Englewood Hospital, Chief Operating Officer at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton and Chief Operating Officer at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota.
Her earlier leadership experience includes serving as Assistant Administrator at Community Hospital in New Port Richey and Program Administrator at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa. She also directed departments at St. Joseph Health System in Tampa and Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, where she began her career as an Administrative Fellow.
Valerie Powell Stafford has held many professional, civic, and community affiliations.
Valerie Powell Stafford has held leadership and board roles with organizations including the Connecticut Hospital Association, Metro Hartford Alliance, Connecticut Health Council, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, The Advisory Board Company’s Leadership Academy, University of Michigan Health Management Alumni Program, Tampa Bay Go Red for Women Executive Cabinet, Englewood Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan YMCA Board and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Her work has also earned regional and industry recognition. She was named one of the Hartford Business Journal’s 2025 Power 25 Health Care leaders and 2025 Top 50 Women Leaders of Hartford. Additional honors include the 2024 Founders Award from the Connecticut National Association of Health Service Executives, the 2024 Lifetime Leadership Award from Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, recognition as a 2023 First Lady in African American History honoree by the Woodson Museum of Florida and a 2022 Business Woman of the Year Award honor from the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She has also received the 2017 Community Champion Award from Second Chance Last Opportunity and the 2014 Star Adult Achiever Award from the Sarasota YMCA.
University of Michigan
Valerie Powell Stafford is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master of Health Services Administration degree, and Indiana University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration.
More About Valerie
Board certified in healthcare management as an American College of Healthcare Executives Fellow, she served on the ACHE Board of Governors and is currently Chairperson of the ACHE Ethics Committee.
Valerie Powell Stafford previously served as Chairperson of the Board of Governors Examination Committee, served on the CEO Search Committee, and served as Western Florida Chapter President. She is also a recipient of the ACHE Exemplary Service Award.
