On Rotation: October 2026

Wondering who’s in and who’s out at major healthcare companies?

We’ve got you covered. Welcome to October’s On Rotation, a noncomprehensive roundup of who’s who and who’s where. This month was full of C-suite switch-ups as health systems, medtech companies, payers, and pharmaceutical companies positioned themselves for 2027. Let’s get into it!

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Ken Grubbs. Joint Commission Enterprise, a nonprofit that sets standards for healthcare and accredits hospitals, tapped Grubbs as its new COO on Oct. 13. He’ll be the first nurse to serve in the position in the organization’s history. He succeeds James Merlino, who will become the Joint Commission’s eighth president and CEO on Jan. 1.

Karen Hanlon. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Highmark Health tapped Hanlon as its new CEO. Effective Jan. 1, she’ll be the first female CEO in the company’s history, per an Oct. 6 release. Hanlon is currently president and will retain that title as well. Current CEO David Holmberg will leave the position after more than 12 years to become executive chairman.

Patrik Jonsson. After 36 years at Eli Lilly, Jonsson will retire as EVP and president of Lilly International at the end of the year. On Jan. 1, Lilly’s US and international businesses will be combined into a new division, Lilly Global Markets, led by Ilya Yuffa. Yuffa is the current president of Lilly USA and Global Customer Capabilities, per his LinkedIn.

Kevin Lobo. Stryker’s CEO will step down after more than 15 years at the company, the medtech giant announced on Oct. 6., and become executive chair of the board of directors on Jan. 1. Stryker President and COO Spencer Stiles will take over as CEO.

Jing Marantz. Intellia Therapeutics, a biotech that focuses on developing CRISPR gene editing treatments, announced Marantz as its EVP and chief medical officer on Oct. 13. Her new title took effect on Oct. 26. She follows David Lebwohl, who retired in August 2026 after more than six years with the company, according to his Linkedin.

Nipun Merchant. On Oct. 14, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Allegheny Health Network announced the surgical oncologist as its inaugural surgeon-in-chief and chair of the network’s department of surgery, effective in February. Merchant currently holds several titles, including chief surgical officer at the University of Miami Hospitals and Clinics and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Jeff Park. On Oct. 21, Elevance Health announced Park as the new president of Carelon, its health services arm, effective Dec. 1. Mark Kaye, Elevance’s EVP and CFO, has been serving as president since Carelon’s past EVP and president, Peter Haytaian, left the role on May 4. Park is currently president and board member of Waltz Health, a payer-integrated pharmacy marketplace, according to his Linkedin.

Kevin Sowers. Baltimore, Maryland-based Johns Hopkins Health System’s president and Johns Hopkins Medicine’s EVP is retiring, the system announced Oct. 22. There’s a lot of time to find his successor, as he’s not planning to leave until the end of 2027.

Eliezer Van Allen. Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced Van Allen as its inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer in an October LinkedIn post. Van Allen has been at the institute for over five years.