Retiring president and CEO Lori Herndon will work closely with the interim leader for a smooth leadership transition.
New Jersey health system AtlantiCare announced the board has chosen an interim president and CEO to lead the system following outgoing president and CEO Lori Herndon's retirement.
Michael J. Charlton, who currently serves on the health system's board, will serve in the interim role while the board conducts a search for a permanent leader.
Starting on May 1, Charlton will begin to work closely with Herndon for a smooth leadership transition, where he will take on the role full-time on June 1. Herndon will be available on an as-needed basis until her retirement at the end of June, ending her 40-year career with the health system.
"Michael is a proven leader who is very familiar with AtlantiCare, the communities we serve, and the changing healthcare landscape," David Goddard, AtlantiCare's current board chair, said in a statement. "He is also very well known to our team members and stakeholders in our communities and is the ideal person to help lead our health system through a smooth transition while the Board continues to conduct its search for AtlantiCare’s next CEO."
Charlton has been on the health system's board since 2009 and served as board chair from 2017 to earlier this year. He also has served as a board member of the American Hospital Association. Charlton's LinkedIn profile describes him as "a Healthcare thought leader with national experience in Healthcare governance, leadership, and policy."
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.