SAGES Lead Up

A Walk in the Park Episode 5: Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN

SAGES Lead Up is a podcast from the SAGES Lead Up Task Force featuring conversations with individuals from across the healthcare landscape. Each episode explores the perspectives, priorities, and day-to-day work of professionals who collaborate with surgeons in a variety of settings. Season 1, “A Walk in the Park,” highlights voices with unique backgrounds and experiences, offering insight into how they approach their roles and what they consider when working alongside surgical teams. [https://www.sages.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/kelly-hancock.png] Episode 5 features: Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN Executive Vice President, Chief Caregiver Officer and Chief Administrative Officer Rich Family Chief Caregiver Chair Cleveland Clinic She oversees strategy and operations for Cleveland Clinic’s more than 80,000 caregivers worldwide and leads the full scope of human resources functions, including caregiver engagement, learning and development, total rewards, workforce strategy, talent acquisition and nursing administration. ----------------------------------------

A Walk in the Park Episode 4: Peter J. Pronovost, MD, PhD, FCCM

SAGES Lead Up is a podcast from the SAGES Lead Up Task Force featuring conversations with individuals from across the healthcare landscape. Each episode explores the perspectives, priorities, and day-to-day work of professionals who collaborate with surgeons in a variety of settings. Season 1, “A Walk in the Park,” highlights voices with unique backgrounds and experiences, offering insight into how they approach their roles and what they consider when working alongside surgical teams. [https://www.sages.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/peter-pronovost.png] Episode 4 features: Peter J. Pronovost, MD, PhD, FCCM Chief Quality and Clinical Transformation Officer Veale Distinguished Chair in Leadership and Clinical Transformation Dr. Pronovost is a world-renowned patient safety champion, physician executive, critical care physician, and prolific researcher with more than 1000 peer-reviewed publications. He’s founded several technology companies and a thought leader informing US and global health policy. Dr. Pronovost’s transformative work leverages checklists to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections has saved thousands of lives and earned him national acclaim. ----------------------------------------

A Walk in the Park Episode 3: Hamilton Clark

SAGES Lead Up is a podcast from the SAGES Lead Up Task Force featuring conversations with individuals from across the healthcare landscape. Each episode explores the perspectives, priorities, and day-to-day work of professionals who collaborate with surgeons in a variety of settings. Season 1, “A Walk in the Park,” highlights voices with unique backgrounds and experiences, offering insight into how they approach their roles and what they consider when working alongside surgical teams. [https://www.sages.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Hamilton-Clark.png] Episode 3 features: Hamilton Clark Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations Jackson Health System Hamilton Clark is responsible for the strategic and operational alignment of multiple hospitals, the ambulatory division, the Jackson Medical Group, and clinical care functions across Jackson’s vast network. Prior to this role, Mr. Clark served as the senior vice president and chief executive officer of Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he managed the day-to-day operations of one of the nation’s largest hospitals. ----------------------------------------

A Walk in the Park Episode 2: Klaus Thaler, MD

SAGES Lead Up is a podcast from the SAGES Lead Up Task Force featuring conversations with individuals from across the healthcare landscape. Each episode explores the perspectives, priorities, and day-to-day work of professionals who collaborate with surgeons in a variety of settings. Season 1, “A Walk in the Park,” highlights voices with unique backgrounds and experiences, offering insight into how they approach their roles and what they consider when working alongside surgical teams. [https://www.sages.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/klaus-thaler.png] Episode 2 features: Klaus Thaler, MD CMO of for the CHI/Commonspirit Health Creighton University Academic System Dr. Klaus Thaler currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer for the CHI/Commonspirit Health – Creighton University Academic System in Omaha, Nebraska. He has held Chief Medical Officer roles across several systems over the past eleven years. Dr. Thaler is a proven executive with more than fifteen years of leadership experience, a track record of engaging teams of up to 1,000 providers, and experience leading markets within large healthcare organizations. He has successfully built and managed infrastructure that accelerated corporate performance and drove multi-million-dollar growth in complex matrix structures while maximizing profitability. His key achievements include advancements in system quality and safety, operational process efficiency, business growth, value-based purchasing, and health equity. ----------------------------------------

A Walk in the Park Episode 1: Paresh C. Shah, MD

SAGES Lead Up is a podcast from the SAGES Lead Up Task Force featuring conversations with individuals from across the healthcare landscape. Each episode explores the perspectives, priorities, and day-to-day work of professionals who collaborate with surgeons in a variety of settings. Season 1, “A Walk in the Park,” highlights voices with unique backgrounds and experiences, offering insight into how they approach their roles and what they consider when working alongside surgical teams. [https://www.sages.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shah-paresh-2015.jpg] Episode 1 features: Paresh C. Shah, MD COO of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Paresh C. Shah, MD, is executive vice president for the Eastern Market at NewYork-Presbyterian and chief operating officer of the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he oversees clinical operations, quality, and strategic initiatives across the enterprise. Prior to this role, Dr. Shah served at NYU Langone Health as surgeon-in-chief, chair of the Health System Perioperative Services Management Committee, and chief of the Division of General Surgery. He previously held leadership roles at Lenox Hill Hospital/Northwell Health, including vice chair of surgery, chief of minimally invasive surgery, and program director of the general surgery residency. Dr. Shah is a nationally recognized leader in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery and has held leadership positions in organizations including the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). ----------------------------------------