As Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital CEO, Ms. Beauchesne presided over many of its major milestones, including the design, construction and opening of the first freestanding children’s hospital in Broward and Palm Beach County in 2011. Just six years later, Planetree Inc. named Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital a Person-Centered Organization — the first pediatric facility in the world to receive that recognition.

Ms. Beauchesne’s imprint on Memorial also includes the formation of Memorial Health Network and her robust recruiting efforts for and executive leadership of Memorial Physician Group. Over the last 10 years, she has expanded the Group to 400 employed physicians and 250 advanced-practice providers.

“Nina is the key executive leader behind the successful establishment of Memorial Physician Group and the ongoing growth of the physician enterprise,” says Aharon Sareli, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. “She leads with commitment and passion — ultimately, she is the leader Memorial physicians truly trust and respect.”

Ms. Beauchesne has also provided executive leadership for Memorial’s Chief Nursing Executive and led Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute and Memorial’s Community Services, including its health education and safety programs. Most recently, as Chief Transformation Officer, she had leadership of Memorial’s Population Health and its health equity initiatives to remove barriers to care.

Ms. Beauchesne will continue to make contributions to Memorial’s progress during her retirement, in an advisory role as Special Projects Consultant to the President and CEO. She also will remain an influential voice on the philanthropic side, thanks to her appointment in June as Director Emeritus of Memorial Foundation and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation — an honorary title given to people who have provided significant leadership and support to Memorial and its foundations. In Ms. Beauchesne’s case, the appointment pays tribute to her 28 years of service as a member of the Board of Directors.

The foundations also announced the creation of the Nina Beauchesne Administrative Fellow Endowment, which will provide scholarships to recruit and retain outstanding administrative fellows and help fund the overall Administrative Fellows program at Memorial.

“These honors are testaments to Nina’s invaluable contributions and the profound respect we hold for her expertise,” says Brett Rose, Chair, Memorial and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital foundations.

Looking back, Ms. Beauchesne believes that it is her leadership in developing the children’s hospital that will remain her most significant contribution to the community that Memorial serves.

“Taking Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital from a few beds to the freestanding hospital of today is something I’m most proud of,” she says. “To have been able to grow the children’s hospital and Memorial’s physician enterprise by bringing everyone to the table and working closely with them — always putting patients and families first — brings me the greatest satisfaction.”

Memorial President and CEO Scott Wester agrees.

“One of Nina’s greatest contributions to Memorial has been her consistent ability to promote collaboration,” he says. “She has always worked with colleagues across the system to keep Memorial’s culture centered around patient- and family-centered care, and to champion our commitment to teamwork, quality and safety, and respect. Her inspiration will continue to help us meet the opportunities and challenges of our ever-changing healthcare landscape.”

Many inpatient rehab programs were established at the hospital during his time there, including a brain injury specialty program, cancer rehabilitation specialty programs, a stroke specialty program, all for adults, and interdisciplinary outpatient medical rehabilitation programs for adults and children. For children and adolescents, Memorial also added a pediatric specialty program.

The depth and breadth of rehabilitation care earned national recognition as well. U.S. News & World Report named Memorial Rehabilitation Institute on the Memorial Regional Hospital South campus a 2023-2024 Best Hospital for Rehabilitation.

In addition, Memorial Orthopedic Sports and Surgery Center added to its portfolio of services as well, and Memorial Regional Hospital South has the busiest Imaging Center in Broward County. In 2022, the Memorial Regional Hospital South Women’s Center performed 25,000 mammograms.

As Mr. Zaren knew, however, it would take more than all those improvements and additions to make a hospital worthy of the name Memorial.

“You don’t just hang a Memorial sign on a hospital and have it instantly become Memorial,” he says. “When I think of what constitutes Memorial’s culture, I think of cohesiveness. We take care of each other and will also help one another, no matter how difficult it may be.”

Serving as CEO of Memorial Regional Hospital South was the right fit for Mr. Zaren, who arrived at Memorial after serving as Chief Operating Officer of Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to that appointment, he was Administrator of Tenet’s Gulf Oaks Hospital and Associate Administrator of Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Those appointments followed a distinguished 23-year, active-duty Naval career, from which he retired as a Lieutenant Commander in the Medical Service Corps. His military experience helped prepare him to seamlessly hand off his responsibilities to his successor.

“Leaving something great in someone else’s hands is what I trained to do,” Mr. Zaren says. “Memorial’s great team will continue the success, and whoever becomes CEO after me will pick it up and keep improving it.”