UnityPoint Health announced two key executive leadership positions, appointing the next presidents and chief executive officers of UnityPoint Health and UnityPoint Clinic.

Clay Holderman was named the next president and CEO of UnityPoint Health, and he will join the organization mid-February 2021. Holderman was selected for his servant leadership approach, commitment to patient experience and transformative vision for the future of UnityPoint Health as a high-performing health system.

Holderman is leaving his position as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, a private, not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system in New Mexico. In that role, he led operational alignment across the health system and focused on the continued transformation of care delivery. Throughout his two decades of healthcare leadership, Holderman was involved in program development, hospital consolidation, hospital conception and construction and health system performance improvement. He began his career as a physician recruiter and has more than two decades of experience in investor-owned and not-for-profit healthcare leadership.

“Clay Holderman is a leader who believes in making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of those we are privileged to care for,” Randy Easton, chair of the UnityPoint Health Board of Directors said. “It was quickly evident Clay has that unique combination of a values-oriented mindset coupled with a transformative vision for the future.”

Holderman is an active community member who has served in Chambers of Commerce, Rotary, United Way, Quality New Mexico, American Hospital Association, New Mexico Children’s Youth and Families Department, The Health Management Academy, Make-A-Wish New Mexico Board, Relay for Life, Maranatha Children’s Home in Haiti and other civic and religious organizations. He earned a master of business administration from Colorado State University and an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. Holderman completed a fellowship in Health System Leadership from The Health Management Academy’s GE Fellows Program.

He will work with UnityPoint Health executive leadership to guide strategic priorities, both short- and long-term. This includes workforce recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as team member and provider wellness.

Sue Thompson will continue as interim CEO of UnityPoint Health until Holderman is onboarded.

Sanjeeb Khatua was named the next president and chief executive officer of UnityPoint Clinic, effective Jan. 5. Khatua was selected by a committee based on his leadership experience, passion for medical group practice and ability to integrate with a health system vision and strategy.

Khatua holds multiple leadership roles at Edward Elmhurst Health, a $1.5 billion integrated health delivery system in the western suburbs of Chicago. These include executive vice president, chief physician executive and president of Edward Health Ventures.

A board-certified physician, Khatua earned his MD from Medical University of Silesia in Poland and completed his family medicine residency in Hinsdale, Ill. He received his master of public health degree from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, Calif. in 2012 and an MBA in health care management from Loyola University in Chicago in 2015.

“Dr. Khatua is an innovative, transformational thinker with a proven track record for achieving and executing on operational and financial key performance indicators while improving quality and outcomes,” Andrea White, chair of the UnityPoint Clinic Board of Directors said. “His commitment to strong partnerships between physicians and health system leadership will be an incredible asset to UnityPoint Clinic, and we also deeply appreciate his enthusiasm for a values-driven culture.”

Khatua will work with UnityPoint Clinic leadership to guide strategic priorities with a focus on advancing physician and provider leadership and development and ongoing clinical transformation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Khatua to our UnityPoint Health family,” Dave Williams, Chief Clinical Officer of UnityPoint Health said. “As our organization continues to confront the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, we remain focused on delivering the best possible patient care to the patients and communities we serve.”

Khatua will be based in West Des Moines. His wife is a physical therapist and they have two children.