CLEARWATER & SARASOTA, Fla. (December 7, 2021)—Empath Health is pleased to announce Rhonda Sanders as its Chief Mission Access Officer, a senior-level position charged with helping Empath grow as a customer-driven organization and sparking growth in consumers, payers and referral sources for each service line.

The chief mission access officer serves the not-for-profit created by the merger of Empath Health and Stratum Health System. The full life care provider serving Tampa Bay and southwest Florida provides care and support for those with chronic and advanced illnesses and/or those dealing with grief.

Sanders has more than 18 years of experience in regional and senior sales leadership in the hospice and homecare field. A seasoned executive in health care operations, business development and sales, she has succeeded in leading growth strategies for providers serving large, multi-state regions. Most recently, Sanders served as vice president of business development for Amedisys Home Health, Central Region, in Lubbock, Texas. She also served as area vice president of sales/operation for Kindred at Home in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. Sanders earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University.

Sanders’s skills in leading and working collaboratively within multi-site, multi-state organizations will increase Empath’s capacity to make full life care a reality for even more people in the communities Empath serves.

Empath Health CEO Rafael J. Sciullo said, “For us to be successful in redefining health care as full life care for all, we know we need bold and innovative approaches to creating access to services. After a wide and deliberate search, we are confident that we have found just the right person to create that strategy and lead us forward in achieving that vision.”

“Rhonda’s approach to leadership demonstrates her focus on patient experience, colleague development and retention, as well as her ability to create partnerships and collaborations that ensure patients have access to a continuum of care,” said Jonathan Fleece, president of Empath Health.  

Visit empathhealth.org for more information.