Opal Howard Appointed Chief Human Resources Officer at Adventist HealthCare

Gaithersburg, Maryland – Adventist HealthCare announced on October 1, 2026, the appointment of Opal Howard as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Howard will join the health system's senior leadership team and oversee human resources strategies across the organization. Howard brings over 30 years of progressive human resources leadership experience, primarily from AdventHealth. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for AdventHealth's East Florida Division, where she led workforce strategy for over 12,000 team members. Her responsibilities included collaborating with executive leaders to align workforce initiatives with clinical, operational, and financial priorities. Adventist HealthCare President and CEO John Sackett highlighted Howard as an accomplished and mission-driven leader with a proven ability to strengthen culture, develop high-performing teams, and advance workforce strategies. Howard's experience and strategic perspective are expected to support the health system's goal of fostering an exceptional workplace where employees thrive while advancing the organization's mission of extending God's care. Howard holds a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management and a Bachelor of Science in human resources from Western Governors University, along with SHRM-SCP certification. Adventist HealthCare is a faith-based healthcare system serving the Washington, D.C., region since 1907.