About Us | WellStar Health System

Everyone should have high expectations. We do.
Your community. Your future.

At Wellstar we all share common goals. That’s what makes us so successful – and such an integral part of our communities. We want the same things, for our organization, for our patients, and for our colleagues.

As Georgia's most integrated healthcare provider, Wellstar provides our team members the opportunity to work where they live and grow their career in a single organization. As a not-for-profit, we pride ourselves on investing in the communities that we serve. We do this along with providing educational opportunities and benefits designed to help our colleagues grow their skills and careers.

Meet Our Leaders

Under Candice Saunders’ leadership, Wellstar has grown to become the largest health system in Georgia, regularly recognized as a leader in safety and quality measures. She has recently served as chair of the Georgia Hospital Association and was named The National Association for Female Executives Women of Excellence award in 2015, the only woman in healthcare. In 2016, she was named one of Atlanta Magazine’s Women Making a Mark.

Candice Saunders, RN, MBA, MHA

President and CEO

Dr. Rob Schreiner oversees the Wellstar Medical Group, one of the largest medical groups in Georgia with more than 1,150 providers in over 40 specialties at more than 250 locations. He is a pulmonary and critical care physician with more than 20 years of executive-level experience in population healthcare and physician leadership development. Dr. Schreiner has an extensive background in clinical care and has demonstrated success in improving patient outcomes while lowering the cost of care through his collaborative and team-centered approach.

Rob Schreiner, M.D., FACP, FCCP
Executive Vice President and President, Wellstar Medical Group

Carrie Owen Plietz oversees operations for Wellstar’s 11 hospitals as well as all real estate, construction and facilities development, security and emergency preparedness for the health system. She currently serves on the American College of HealthCare Executives Board of Governors, has been honored as one of Modern Healthcare’s Up and Comers 2011, Becker’s Top 25 executives under 40 for five consecutive years and the 2010 Robert S. Hudgens Young Health Care Executive of the Year by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Carrie Owen Plietz, MHA, FACHE
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer – Hospital Division

Leo Reichert provides advice and counsel to the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team at Wellstar Health System and is responsible for managing the legal function for the System and its affiliates. In addition, he oversees Wellstar’s Government Relations efforts. His experience includes representing hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers in a broad range of litigation and regulatory matters, including commercial litigation, medical staff privilege disputes and certificate of need litigation. Leo is on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

Leo Reichert
Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Jim Budzinski oversees Wellstar’s finance, managed care, supply chain and IT departments. He has been recognized as an “International Emerging Healthcare Leader” by the American Hospital Association and is a “Bronze” and “Silver” Award recipient of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Jim was recently recognized as an Atlanta area Top CFO Finalist, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and a former member of its Healthcare Committee. He is also a past co-author of the AICPA Healthcare Audit Guide.

Jim Budzinski, MBA, MHA, CPA
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; President, Wellstar Health Network-ACO

Dr. John Brennan oversees Wellstar’s quality and safety initiatives, as well as the System’s clinically integrated network and service lines. Board certified in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Brennan was named one of Becker’s Top 125 National Physician Leaders of Hospitals and Health Systems. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American College of Emergency Physicians and was a member of the American Board of Pediatrics’ Pediatric Emergency Medicine Sub-Board. A renowned lecturer nationally, Dr. Brennan was named the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Outstanding Speaker of the Year.

John A. Brennan, M.D., MPH
Executive Vice President of Safety & Quality, Chief Clinical Integration Officer

Kem Mullins is responsible for creating growth strategies and partnerships for the System, as well as leading Wellstar’s expansive network of outpatient facilities. He is a long-standing fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. In previous roles, Kem served as president of Wellstar Cobb Hospital and chief operating officer for what is now Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

Kem Mullins, FACHE
Executive Vice President, Ambulatory Division & Business Development

Leading Nursing strategy over the past two years, Jill Case-Wirth has implemented programs that have directly improved patient care, while creating an atmosphere that cultivates excellence in nursing practice. She’s a member of the American Nurses Association, American Organization of Nurse Executives, Georgia Hospital Association, VHA, ACHE and serves as co-chair of the CNO Advisory Board Group for Press Ganey.

Jill Case-Wirth, RN, MHA
Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive

David Jones provides direction for all Wellstar Human Resources and Organizational Learning strategies, practices and processes. His experience includes human capital strategy, culture design and change management, team effectiveness, workforce planning, performance management planning, succession management, diversity and inclusion, employee relations, and labor relations. David has served in Senior Leadership positions at Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente, Harvard University in addition to serving as a Co-Chair and Board Member of the Great Place to Work® Institute.

David Jones, JD, LLM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Learning

Shalima (Shally) is responsible for the strategic direction and operations of our Information Technology (IT) Division. Shally’s experience includes leading business growth initiatives through technology strategies, systems and innovations for established companies such as Anthem and Keane, Inc. Shally’s accolades include the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Women Who Mean Business Award; the 2019 WITI Human Forward Award; and the 2019 Digital Transformation Hero Award.

Shalima Pannikode
Senior Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer (CIDO)

Beth Kost has extensive experience in various aspects of healthcare. She currently serves as SVP and Chief Compliance Officer for Wellstar Health System where she is responsible for enterprise health information management, electronic medical record operations, enterprise information security, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, coding, documentation improvement and regulatory compliance such as Stark, Anti-kickback, EMTALA, etc. compliance.

Beth A. Kost, MBA, RHIA
Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer

slide 11 of 11 Beth Kost has extensive experience in various aspects of healthcare. She currently serves as SVP and Chief Compliance Officer for Wellstar Health System where she is responsible for enterprise health information management, electronic medical record operations, enterprise information security, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, coding, documentation improvement and regulatory compliance such as Stark, Anti-kickback, EMTALA, etc. compliance. Beth A. Kost, MBA, RHIA Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer

Company Culture

We are Georgia grown and nationally recognized as an Employer of Choice. Featured on the FORTUNE ‘100 Best Companies to Work For®’ list and Working Mother Magazine’s Best Companies list, we place enormous value on quality, safety and our team members with many other accolades to support our work. We are known nationally for our innovative care models, consistently looking at total patient wellness and work to ensure that our systems support that focus.

Variety - Our growing network of facilities offers a range of sizes and specialties that provides an environment to match the needs, goals and preferences of nearly any professional.
Flexibility - Wellstar offers the ability to transfer seamlessly within our network, while retaining seniority and benefits, allowing our team members to grow their skills and careers in the same supportive environment they are already a part of.

Support - From the most advanced technological innovations, continuous training and education, to truly stellar benefits and recognition for your accomplishments, Wellstar offers all of the resources our team members need to be succeed.

See why Wellstar is certified as a Great Place to Work

Everyone should have high expectations. We do.Your community. Your future.

Meet Our Leaders

Candice Saunders, RN, MBA, MHA

President and CEO

Rob Schreiner, M.D., FACP, FCCPExecutive Vice President and President, Wellstar Medical Group

Carrie Owen Plietz, MHA, FACHEExecutive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer – Hospital Division

Leo ReichertExecutive Vice President and General Counsel

Jim Budzinski, MBA, MHA, CPAExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; President, Wellstar Health Network-ACO

John A. Brennan, M.D., MPHExecutive Vice President of Safety & Quality, Chief Clinical Integration Officer

Kem Mullins, FACHEExecutive Vice President, Ambulatory Division & Business Development

Jill Case-Wirth, RN, MHASenior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive

David Jones, JD, LLM, SPHR, SHRM-SCPExecutive Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Learning

Shalima PannikodeSenior Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer (CIDO)

Beth A. Kost, MBA, RHIASenior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer