Samaritan recently celebrated the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Theresa Sullivan, who led the organization from October 2015 through May 2026. During her decade of dedication, Samaritan experienced tremendous growth and organizational transformation, culminating the opening of Samaritan’s new state-of-the-art medical campus in March 2026.
At Samaritan’s Board of Commissioners meeting in late April, the Board officially appointed CAO Alex Town as the next CEO effective May 22. Town joined Samaritan in 2017 and has served in multiple executive leadership positions within the organization including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer.
“Alex has been an instrumental part of Samaritan’s success and future planning,” said Board Chair Katherine Christian. “His leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to our mission make him exceptionally well positioned to lead Samaritan into this next chapter.”
Throughout her tenure, Sullivan served as a champion of rural healthcare, helping expand healthcare services and recruiting more than 40 physicians and providers to strengthen access to primary and specialty care for the region. Under her leadership Samaritan achieved numerous state and national awards, including a CMS Five-Star Facility designation in 2023.
In 2024, Sullivan was awarded the prestigious Baldridge Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence, a national honor awarded annually to a select group of healthcare leaders across the country.
“It’s been my absolute honor to serve this community,” said Sullivan. “I’m grateful to everyone who has supported our journey along the way, and am excited for the bright future here at Samaritan.”
This Samaritan leadership transition comes at a historic moment for the organization as it continues expanding healthcare access, strengthening rural workforce development, and investing in the future of healthcare throughout the region.
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve this organization and community,” said Town. “Theresa’s leadership has helped build an extraordinary foundation for the future, and I’m excited to continue that momentum. Between the opening of our new medical campus and our future Residency Center Partnership with Washington State University’s College of Medicine, we are just getting started.”