LifeBridge Health Chief Operating Officer Leslie Simmons Announces Plans to Retire
Leslie Simmons, executive vice president and chief operating officer of LifeBridge Health, has announced plans to retire effective July 1, 2027, concluding a healthcare career that spans 48 years, including more than 25 years of service to Carroll Hospital and more than a decade in leadership with the LifeBridge Health system.
Simmons, a registered nurse by training, has spent nearly four decades in progressive leadership roles and has become one of Maryland's most respected healthcare executives. Throughout her career, she advanced from frontline nursing to senior leadership positions, serving as president of Carroll Hospital before becoming executive vice president and chief operating officer of LifeBridge Health. She also holds the distinction of being the first and only female president of Carroll Hospital.
"Healthcare has given me opportunities I never could have imagined when I began my career as a nurse," says Simmons. "Caring for patients will always be at the heart of who I am, and I've been fortunate to work alongside extraordinary team members whose commitment to our mission inspires me every day. While retirement is still some time away, announcing my plans now will allow us to prepare thoughtfully for the future and ensure a seamless transition."
As chief operating officer, Simmons oversees all LifeBridge Health hospitals, system quality, patient safety and numerous clinical and operational functions. During her tenure, she has also run each LifeBridge Health hospital as interim president, giving her unique insights into operations, and played a leading role in advancing collaboration, quality and operational excellence throughout LifeBridge Health. She also led the health system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and helped guide the integration and growth of services across the organization.
"Leslie's impact on LifeBridge Health cannot be overstated," says Jennifer Nickoles, president and CEO of LifeBridge Health. "She combines exceptional operational expertise with genuine compassion, earning the trust and respect of team members at every level of the organization. Leslie has helped shape the health system we are today through her commitment to quality, servant leadership and doing what is right for our patients, team members and communities.”
Nickoles adds, “We are deeply grateful for Leslie’s leadership and look forward to celebrating her in the coming months. Even as she approaches this milestone, her focus remains where it has always been: supporting our teams, strengthening our operations and ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional care for the patients and communities we serve.”
Simmons spent much of her career at Carroll Hospital, where she helped guide the organization through a period of significant growth and transformation, including the successful affiliation with LifeBridge Health in 2015 and the integration that followed.
"Leading Carroll Hospital's affiliation with LifeBridge Health is one of the accomplishments of which I am most proud," adds Simmons. "We demonstrated that a community hospital can join a larger health system while preserving the values, culture and local connections that make it special. Over the past 11+ years, our patients and community have benefited from expanded access to specialists, new services, facility investments and the strength that comes from being part of a larger organization. Just as importantly, we've built strong relationships across the system that have allowed us to learn from one another and better serve our communities."
In recent years, Simmons has embraced the opportunity to lead across the broader health system, helping strengthen connections among hospitals, service lines and care teams while advancing quality outcomes. Today, LifeBridge Health hospitals rank among Maryland's leaders in quality performance.
Over the course of her career, Simmons has built enduring relationships throughout LifeBridge Health and in the communities it serves, earning the trust and respect of colleagues, physicians, board members and community partners alike.
To honor Simmons' contributions, the Carroll Hospital Foundation has established the Leslie Simmons Endowed Leadership Development Fund. The fund will support the growth of current and emerging leaders across Carroll Hospital through initiatives such as leadership development programs, continuing education, professional training, team-building activities and executive coaching. Through the endowment, her commitment to mentorship and leadership development will continue to benefit Carroll Hospital for generations to come.
“Healthcare has always been about people caring for people," Simmons says. "While technology, treatments and the healthcare environment will continue to evolve, the need for strong, compassionate leaders will never change. Throughout my career, I have been blessed by mentors who invested in me, challenged me and helped me grow. There is no better way to honor those gifts than by helping develop the next generation of leaders who will support our teams and serve our patients and communities."
Simmons has received numerous professional honors throughout her career, including three-time recognition as of the Maryland Daily Record’s Top 100 Women (Circle of Excellence inductee), a Daily Record ICON Award recipient and POWER List honoree as well as a Baltimore Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business honoree. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served in numerous leadership roles within the Maryland Hospital Association and other community organizations. She is also a dedicated civic leader, having served as board chair for Roland Park Place and as a board member of the YMCA of Central Maryland.
LifeBridge Health will launch a national search for a new chief operating officer with plans for Simmons to work alongside her successor for several months to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of operations.
Simmons concludes, “I am proud of what we've accomplished together, and I have tremendous confidence in the future of LifeBridge Health. The organization is well positioned to continue delivering exceptional care and serving our communities for years to come."
In her retirement, Simmons and her husband Greg plan to travel and spend more time with their children and grandchildren.
About LifeBridge Health: LifeBridge Health is one of Maryland’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare organizations, dedicated to high-quality care, compassion and innovation. The system operates hospitals, outpatient centers and community-based programs to improve individual and family health. LifeBridge Health includes Sinai Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Carroll Hospital, Grace Medical Center and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, along with affiliated subsidiaries and units such as LifeBridge Health & Fitness. With more than 14,000 employees and a vast physician network, LifeBridge Health provides a full continuum of care. For more information: lifebridgehealth.org
Contact: Sharon Boston, lbhmedia@lifebridgehealth.org, 410-601-4350