Hospices Tap New C-Suite Executives

A handful of hospices have recently announced changes to their c-suite executive teams.

The Denver Hospices Names New President

Ben Marcantonio recently became the new president of The Denver Hospice and Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (CVNA).

Marcantonio previously served as chief integration officer at the National Alliance for Home Care (the Alliance). Prior to that, he was COO and interim CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) before its affiliation with the National Association of Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) in June 2024, which formed the Alliance.

Marcantonio has more than two decades of hospice and palliative care experience. He has more than 40 years of experience in health care, education and social services. Marcantonio has served as CEO at Hospice of the Chesapeake and chief administration officer at San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine, among other leadership roles.

“Ben’s decades of experience and commitment to patients and families make him an ideal leader to guide The Denver Hospice and CVNA into the future,” Tim Bowen, president and CEO of Care Synergy, said in a social media post.

CVNA and The Denver Hospice are affiliates of Care Synergy, a regional nonprofit collective of community-based care providers across Colorado. Care Synergy’s network also includes Pathways Hospice, Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care, Superior Medical Equipment and the Colorado Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) program.

Delaware Hospice’s New CEO

Delaware Hospice has appointed Charles McDonough as its new CEO.

McDonough succeeds Susan Lloyd, registered nurse, who served in the role for more than 38 years. He brings more than 15 years of executive leadership in hospice, palliative care and home health to the organization.

The leadership change will occur at the end of September and was recently announced by Delaware Hospice’s board of trustees.

“Charles is a proven health care leader with deep expertise in hospice, palliative care and home health services,” Dan McCarthy, board chair at Delaware Hospice, said in a press release. “His career reflects a remarkable record of operational excellence, growth leadership and the development of compassionate care platforms. We are confident he will build upon Susan’s extraordinary legacy and guide Delaware Hospice into its next chapter of service and innovation.”

McDonough will guide Delaware Hospice’s growth efforts as the organization expands its geographic reach across Pennsylvania and its home state. He will also oversee the hospice’s programs, development of innovative care models and help deepen its community partnerships.

McDonough was previously COO of Mission Healthcare, stepping into the role in 2024 after serving as its executive vice president of home health since 2023. Prior to that, he was CEO of Interim HealthCare of the Upstate in South Carolina, serving in several leadership roles at Graham Healthcare Group, WellSpan Health and Guardian Home Care Holdings Inc.

Founded in 1982, Delaware Hospice provides adult and pediatric hospice, palliative care and bereavement. The nonprofit’s other services include advance care planning, as well as dementia and cardiac care programs. The organization also provides inpatient care at its Delaware Hospice Center.

Affinity Hospice Announces CEO Change

Alabama-headquartered Affinity Hospice has tapped Chris Smith as its new CEO.

Smith was previously COO of Endeavor Schools. He served as senior vice president of hospice operations at AccentCare from 2021 to 2024, holding similar roles at Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care before the two organizations merged in 2020. Smith was also senior vice president of sales and marketing at Care Hospice Inc., based in Virginia.

“I’m happy to share that I will be starting a new position as Chief Executive Officer at Affinity Hospice at the end of the month!” Smith said in a recent social media post.

Affinity Hospice has provided hospice and palliative care for more than three decades. The nonprofit has 19 locations across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.

Hospice of the Western Reserve Appoints New CMO

Hospice of the Western Reserve’s new chief medical officer, Dr. Cory Chevalier, is seeking to strengthen the organization’s referral partnerships and quality ratings.

The Ohio-based organization recently announced Chevalier’s appointment, who previously served as director of hospice and palliative care at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. He was also a physician at Cleveland Clinic from 2015 to 2023.

Chevalier took the helm at Hospice of the Western Reserve in June, and brings more than a decade of experience in hospice, palliative care and medical education. He is an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine.

“Dr. Chevalier is a respected leader with deep roots in both clinical care and medical education,” Hospice of the Western Reserve President and CEO Bill Finn said in a statement. “His passion for excellence, innovation and collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission.”

Chevalier oversees Hospice of the Western Reserve’s clinical staff and guides its care delivery strategy. His responsibilities include ensuring high quality care delivery across the hospice’s care settings, as well as building up its referral partnerships with hospitals and health systems.

Headquartered in Cleveland, Hospice of the Western Reserve serves 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The hospice is a subsidiary of Western Reserve Care Solutions.

Established nearly 45 years ago, the nonprofit offers hospice and palliative care to adult and pediatric patients, as well as grief and caregiver support, veteran services and specialized care for patients with HIV/AIDS, COPD and progressive memory impairment conditions.