Top Executives Series: Ellis alumni bringing business leadership to healthcare

Healthcare is one of New Mexico's largest and most essential industries, with leaders working across hospitals, health systems, and other organizations to improve care and strengthen the communities they serve.

Among those leaders are graduates of The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership, formerly the Anderson School of Management. The Top Executive series continues by highlighting six Ellis alumni who help shape healthcare institutions across the state.

"We are proud of these inspiring alumni whose leadership is advancing the health and well-being of New Mexicans," said Dean Alina Chircu.

"Their business education has prepared them to lead complex healthcare organizations while keeping patient care at the heart of their work. They show our students how an Ellis degree can open doors to meaningful careers that make a lasting difference in people's lives."

Read more about these alumni below. Individual stories will be posted on a weekly basis starting Oct. 14.

Robin Divine

For Robin Divine, a career in healthcare was never far from home. As the daughter of a pediatrician in Albuquerque, Divine spent summers working in her father's office, gaining an early appreciation for the people, purpose and teamwork behind delivering healthcare. Today, Divine serves as chief executive officer of TriCore, one of New Mexico's leading clinical laboratories. As CEO, she believes effective leadership begins with remembering the purpose behind the work.

Divine earned her MBA in 2000 from Anderson School of Management, now The James & Ellis School of Business Leadership. The Executive MBA program allowed Divine to continue advancing her career while balancing family responsibilities. Just as valuable was the opportunity to learn alongside and from experienced professionals. She credits the program with helping her develop the broader perspective needed to lead increasingly complex operations and organizations.

Looking ahead, Divine sees technologies such as artificial intelligence creating opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen decision-making and help address workforce shortages across healthcare. Ultimately, Divine measures success by the impact an organization has on both its patients and its employees.

Steve McLaughlin

Steve McLaughlin has built a 30-year healthcare career, progressing from emergency medicine to executive leadership. Today, he serves as interim vice president for Clinical Affairs for UNM Health Sciences, following his tenure as chief medical officer for The University of New Mexico Hospital.

After earning his medical degree from Mayo Medical School, McLaughlin came to UNM in 1995 for an emergency medicine residency. He later earned an MBA from the Anderson School of Management, now the Ellis School of Business Leadership, while serving as chief medical officer.

McLaughlin says the MBA broadened his perspective on organizational ethics and leadership. His approach emphasizes honest communication, meaningful relationships and mentorship, particularly during times of uncertainty. He defines success through the people and organizations around him.

He describes effective leadership as balancing "plumbing and poetry": the operational systems that keep organizations running and the mission, relationships and purpose behind the work. For students pursuing healthcare leadership, his advice is simple: get involved, gain experience and learn by doing.

Maribeth Thornton

For Maribeth Thornton, a 40-year nursing career has provided a front-row view of the growing intersection between healthcare and business. Today, she serves as chief nursing officer for The University of New Mexico Hospital, overseeing nursing operations and helping align patient care with the hospital's strategic priorities.

Thornton began her career as a staff nurse before moving into care management and eventually leadership. Along the way, mentors encouraged her to pursue management and helped shape her approach to developing others.

She earned an MBA from then Anderson, now Ellis School of Business Leadership, along with an MSN from the University of Phoenix and a Ph.D. from the UNM College of Nursing. She credits the MBA with broadening her perspective and teaching her to approach challenges from different organizational viewpoints.

Today, Thornton emphasizes adaptability, thoughtful risk-taking and mentorship. Thornton, along with her husband, Chris Thornton, continue to give back to UNM. They have helped to support students within the Ellis School of Business Leadership and the College of Nursing. Additionally, they have provided support for the UNM Children's Hospital.

Her advice to aspiring healthcare leaders: "Find a mentor early and look for opportunities to learn and grow along your career."

Brad Cook

Brad Cook, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Presbyterian Medical Group, has built a 22-year career with Presbyterian Health Services after beginning his professional journey at The University of New Mexico. A double Lobo, Cook earned his undergraduate degree in general business management in 2002 before returning to UNM more than a decade later to earn his MBA in 2015. A native of Albuquerque, Cook credits his experience at UNM, including serving as a student manager for Lobo football, with helping establish the leadership skills that would shape his career. He later transitioned from finance into health are operations, taking on increasingly complex leadership roles within Presbyterian.

Cook's leadership philosophy has evolved throughout his career from having all the answers to listening closely, building trust and bringing the right people together to solve problems. He defines success less by individual advancement and more by creating sustainable systems that improve experiences for patients, clinicians and employees. Looking ahead, Cook sees healthcare at an important point of transformation, particularly as New Mexico faces challenges related to access, workforce shortages and affordability. For future business leaders, Cook encourages students to embrace the flexibility of a business education and seek opportunities to learn, take on meaningful responsibility and solve important problems.

Lillian Montoya

Lillian Montoya's career has taken her through industries ranging from higher education and early childhood to venture capital, small business, state government and economic development. Today, she serves as senior vice president of CHRISTUS Health's New Mexico region and president and CEO of CHRISTUS St. Vincent.

A native New Mexican and the first in her family to attend college, Montoya earned a BA in communications from UNM as a presidential scholar before returning to earn her MBA.

Montoya credits her varied experiences with shaping her leadership approach. She encourages others to remain curious, take professional risks and recognize when it is time to change direction. Her own transition into healthcare leadership, despite not having a traditional healthcare background, reinforced the value of bringing fresh perspectives to complex challenges.

Montoya also emphasizes building a culture where employees feel connected to change and empowered to contribute. Mentors have played an important role throughout her career, and she encourages students to seek those relationships while remaining open to new possibilities.

Her advice: "Give yourself permission to course correct."

Jeffrey Racca

Jeffery Racca, M.D., CEO of New Mexico Orthopedics, has built a career at the intersection of business and medicine. A 1988 graduate of The University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and finance, Racca initially believed his future was in business before pursuing medicine. He later earned his medical degree from the UNM School of Medicine in 1995 and completed his orthopedic surgery residency in 2000.

Racca credits his experience at UNM by giving him a foundation that continues to influence his approach to healthcare leadership. As an undergraduate, he participated in a nationwide fundraising campaign for multiple sclerosis, an experience that showed him how business skills could be used to serve others. His background in finance and marketing later helped him recognize the importance of understanding the business side of healthcare.

As CEO, Racca draws on his experience as both a physician and business leader to focus on delivering high-quality patient care while supporting the doctors, nurses and employees who provide it. He believes leaders in health care must understand both the patient experience and the financial realities of running an organization. For Racca, effective leadership means making decisions with the bigger picture in mind and staying grounded in the principle of doing what is right for patients.