Bath Community Hospital has announced the appointment of Dr. Jane Russell, PharmD, MBA, FACHE, as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 25, 2025. Dr. Russell, a nationally respected healthcare executive, brings over 25 years of experience in rural and critical access hospital leadership, strategic service line development, and high-reliability healthcare operations.
She succeeds Jeff Lingerfelt, who led the hospital through a transformative five-year period that included managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing significant institutional growth.
L. Traywick Duffie, Chair of the Bath Community Hospital Board of Directors, expressed full confidence in Dr. Russell’s ability to carry forward the hospital’s mission. “Dr. Russell’s 25-year legacy of transforming rural healthcare systems—from tribal communities in Alaska to award-winning coastal hospitals—aligns perfectly with our mission,” he said. “Her expertise in operational innovation, financial stewardship, and patient-centered care will build upon the strong framework established by Jeff Lingerfelt.”
Dr. Russell most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, Oregon, where she managed hospital operations, a $152 million budget, and a workforce of over 500. Her leadership earned the hospital recognition as a 2023 American Hospital Association Rural Health Leadership Finalist. She played a key role in launching new oral health and rural residency training programs and led strategic investments in behavioral health, surgical services, and robotics.
Her prior leadership roles include Vice President of Hospital Services at the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC), where she provided comprehensive care to over 25,000 Alaska Native residents across 50 remote communities, and Vice President for Medical and Surgical Specialties at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), overseeing care for 158,000 Native residents across 23 specialties.
A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Dr. Russell currently serves as the ACHE Regent for Oregon, advocating for workforce development and rural health innovation. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from Creighton University and an MBA from Western Governors University, and is board-certified in oncology pharmacy.
Dr. Russell will relocate to Virginia this summer with her husband, Ed, and their daughter, Peyton, who will begin her studies at the University of Virginia in the fall.
