Deborah Ford

She is a distinguished senior nursing executive with over four decades of progressive leadership experience in clinical operations, strategic planning, and team member engagement. Currently serving as Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, she has led the organization through remarkable achievements including ANCC Magnet re-accreditation, Level 2 Trauma designation, and multiple hospital certifications in bariatric, chest pain, and stroke care. Under her leadership, patient satisfaction has consistently ranked in the 99th percentile, with eight consecutive quarters exceeding national benchmarks. She spearheaded the opening of a 120-bed Heart and Vascular Center recognized for its innovative ICU design, revamped nurse and allied health credentialing, and instituted electronic bidding systems to manage labor productivity. Prior to this role, she spent 25 years at Lafayette General Health in progressively senior roles from staff RN to CNO. She began her nursing career at Rapides Regional Medical Center. She holds a Master's degree in Nursing from Northwestern State University, where she graduated Cum Laude, and completed a Nurse Executive Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She is recognized as a visionary, compassionate, and fiscally accountable leader who empowers bedside team members through decentralized governance and is deeply committed to excellence in patient care and organizational performance.