Carolyn Caldwell, FACHE — a health care executive with over 30 years of experience — is currently the president and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center (Dignity Health) in Long Beach, California. St. Mary is a 360-bed academic facility with a Level II trauma center that offers extensive health care services to the greater Long Beach community.
A medical technologist by training, Caldwell earned her Bachelor of Science from Alabama A&M University in zoology and chemistry, and her Master of Science in health care administration from Texas Woman’s University.
She is an action-oriented executive who has a reputation for working collaboratively with key stakeholders to drive results and community alignment, and has always had a passion for working with communities and for working with vulnerable or under-represented populations.
Because of her corporate leadership success, as well as her leadership working to improve communities where she lives and works, Caldwell has been recognized for her business acumen and community leadership:
- 2016 Steve Chase 100 Women Award
- 2016 Palm Springs Life Women in Business Award – Corporate Leader
- 2015 Women Leaders Forum Inspiration Award
- 2015 Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Community Service Award
- 2013 Hallmark Award from Texas Woman’s University.
- 2011 Profiles in Diversity Journal Women Worth Watching
- 2010 Class of Kansas City’s Influential Women
- 2008 Most Influential Women in Kansas City
- 2005 Class of Women Who Mean Business in Kansas City
Caldwell is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives, California Hospital Association Board of Trustees, ACHE Governor, and former chair of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce (2021-2022). She is a past member of the AHA Region 6 Policy Board and past chair of the AHA Institute for Diversity for Health Management. She is also a former board member of the American Hospital Association (AHA). Caldwell served as the chair of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce during the 2016-2017 FY.
She and her husband, Daniel, are the proud parents of two adult children: Jonathon, who resides in Seattle, and Monique, who resides in Atlanta with her two daughters, Savannah and Sasha.