Our Leadership

Meet the People in Charge of Our New Orleans Hospital

University Medical Center New Orleans has become an important part of our community. Offering outstanding care, medical training, and advancements in research, our hospital continues to improve the lives of countless people throughout the area. Learn more about our leadership by reading below.

John R. Nickens IV, President and Chief Executive Officer

John R. Nickens IV serves as President and CEO of University Medical Center and LCMC Health President to Hospital Services. He originally came to New Orleans in September 2017 as President and CEO of Children’s Hospital. John began his career at Texas Children’s Hospital in 1990 with management positions in revenue cycle and clinical operations. He went on to hold various administrative positions at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and then returned to Texas Children’s where he has most recently held the position of Executive Vice President, overseeing system-wide clinical business analytics, Pediatric subspecialty medical service lines, and inpatient and outpatient operations.

Jeffrey Elder, MD, Interim Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Jeffrey Elder serves as the Interim Chief Medical Officer at University Medical Center New Orleans (UMC). Dr. Elder has been a member of the LCMC Health family since 2009 and is also Associate Chief Medical Officer for Emergency Management for LCMC Health and Emergency Physician for UMC. He also serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine in the LSU Health Section of Emergency Medicine and Co-Director of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine. Dr. Elder is board certified in Emergency Medicine with subspecialty board certification in Emergency Medical Services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

While serving as UMC’s Interim CMO, Dr. Elder will maintain his current positions with LCMC Health and UMC. He is greatly respected as a dedicated leader and experienced physician in the New Orleans community, at LCMC Health and at UMC. Dr. Elder is committed to leading UMC in delivering exceptional care and fostering collaboration with our academic partners to ensure our hospital remains a center of excellence.

Allison Guste, MHA, BSN, RN, CPHQ, Chief Nursing Officer

Allison Guste, MHA, BSN, RN, CPHQ serves as Chief Nursing Officer at University Medical Center, as well as the Corporate Vice President of Nursing and Clinical Services for LCMC Health. In this role, she provides leadership and sets the strategy for clinical quality and nursing practice across the eight LCMC Health hospitals. Collaborating with nursing and operational leadership, she strives to establish and maintain one high standard of care across the health system. She facilitates the continuous performance improvement efforts of the organization and assists in tracking and communicating performance surrounding the LCMC Health Journey to High Reliability and Habitual Excellence. She has been in health care for 18 years, starting her career as an Emergency Department nurse tech at Touro. She then transitioned to the outpatient clinic setting in a large cardiology practice, where she found her love for quality and healthcare management. Allison holds a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Louisiana State University School of Nursing. She is certified by the National Association for Healthcare Quality as a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. In 2021, Allison was named Health Care Hero by New Orleans City Business and Community Healthcare Hero by the Public Relations Society of America. She was selected as Gambit New Orleans 40 under 40 in 2020.

Tom Patrias, Chief Operating Officer

Tom Patrias is the Chief Operating Officer at University Medical Center. Tom brings a wealth of experience and leadership to UMC, most recently serving as CEO of Tulane Medical Center (TMC) and Lakeside Hospital since 2021. During his time at TMC, the organization achieved significant accomplishments including being named a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by IBM Watson Health, a World's Best Hospital by Newsweek, and recognition as a High-Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for the treatment of COPD and heart failure. Before his work at Tulane, Tom led Bayfront Health Spring Hill in the Tampa Bay area and held leadership positions at Community Health Systems in Georgia and Florida. Tom holds an engineering degree from Tulane University as well as an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Christine Williams Bond, Chief Financial Officer

Christine Williams Bond previously worked at Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta, GA, in the role of Assistant Chief Financial Officer. She previously worked as Controller at Emory Johns Creek Hospital in Johns Creek, GA, and Emory Dunwoody Hospital in Atlanta, GA. A native New Orleanian, Chris received both a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Management from the University of New Orleans.

Charlotte Parent, RN, MHCM, Vice President of Business Development

Charlotte Parent, RN, MHCM, has more than 30 years of experience in health care, most recently serving as Assistant Vice President of Community Affairs and Network Development at LCMC Health. From 2014-2016, she served as Director of the New Orleans Health Department. While in her role as New Orleans Health Director, she was instrumental in the development and implementation of the city’s smoking ban and initiatives related to homelessness, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Early in her career, she was the director of Maternal and Child Services at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, where she developed and oversaw services for expectant mothers and their families. A native New Orleanian, Charlotte received her Diploma of Nursing at the Charity Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Loyola University and a master's degree in Health Care Management from the University of New Orleans.

Sherri Peavy, Vice President of Ambulatory & Physician Services

Sherri Peavy hails from Chicago and brings more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience. Sherri has held operational leadership roles in multiple specialties, including Internal and Family Medicine, Preventative Cardiology, Behavioral Health, Integrative Medicine and Oncology at community hospitals and academic medical centers. Most recently, she served as Senior Director, Oncology Service Line, for the University of Illinois Health Sciences System in Chicago. She also previously served as Chief Operating Officer for the University of Illinois Health Science System and Director of Operations for Northwestern Medicine. Sherri holds a bachelor’s degree in Science - Nursing, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Lewis University.

Bernard Flores, Vice President of Operations

Bernard Flores, has a professional background in leading and building dynamic teams and cultivating successful company culture. Before joining the University Medical Center team, Bernard held the role of Director of Facilities Support Services at Houston Methodist Baytown, where he developed new processes that included facility infrastructure assessment, patient experience improvement initiatives, staff and contractor safety training including shutdown protocols. Bernard has received his Master of Business Administration with a Project Management Concentration and is a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager.

CJ Marbley, Vice President of Nursing Operations

CJ Marbley serves as Vice President of Nursing Operations at University Medical Center as well as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at New Orleans East Hospital. He brings a passion for service to his approach to nursing and operations. In his dual leadership role with UMC and NOEH, he works to ensure our community receives the right care in the right place. Before joining NOEH, CJ served in various administrative and clinical capacities within LCMC Health and the Heart Hospital. Prior to moving to New Orleans, CJ spent 23 years working at hospitals in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore area, serving in multiple roles including ED trauma nurse, ED director, ICU/CCU director, and perioperative senior director. CJ received his undergraduate degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and his MBA degree from Western Governors University.