Jan. 29, 2026: NJHA Installs Deborah Visconi of Bergen New Bridge as 2026 Board Chair

Amid 'Relentless Disruption,' Health Leaders Stand Steadfast for Patients & Communities

Deborah Visconi, president and CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, was installed today as the 2026 Board Chair of the New Jersey Hospital Association.

Visconi was celebrated during the NJHA Annual Meeting in Princeton. NJHA, founded in 1918, has 400 members spanning New Jersey's healthcare community including hospitals, health systems and post-acute care providers. Together, they pursue the NJHA mission of improving the health of New Jerseyans.

As the leader of a safety net facility serving vulnerable communities, Visconi underscored the turbulent times confronting our healthcare system, including billions in federal Medicaid cuts and the loss of health insurance for an estimated 350,000 residents.

And yet, said Visconi, New Jersey hospitals remain steadfast in their commitment, caring for 15 million patients annually with their 162,000 skilled and compassionate employees and investing $7 billion in healthy communities, including free and discounted care for those with limited means.

"These incredible impacts are the product of our collective values, which are unshakeable - quality, affordable, accessible, equitable care for all New Jerseyans," said Visconi. "We are the backbone, a constant in our communities. Now more than ever, we need to be that safe harbor."

Visconi succeeds 2025 Chair Mark Stauder, recently retired chief operating officer of Hackensack Meridian Health.

In her remarks to members, NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett said the healthcare system persists in its caring mission despite "relentless disruption."

"In every hospital, every facility, on every shift, the winds around us are swirling - reimbursement pressures, workforce strain, new technology reshaping how we work, political flashpoints and visible unrest in our communities," said Bennett. "Yet for our field, a few fundamental truths do not change: We care for all who come through our doors, and we create opportunities for all who choose to serve. That is who we are as New Jersey's system of healthcare, and that is not negotiable."

Bennett outlined key priorities for NJHA and its members to serve their patients, team members and communities in these urgent times including:

• Keeping essential services open in every community
• Strengthening the healthcare workforce
• Stabilizing healthcare financing so hospitals can keep their doors open and invest in the future
• Closing the equity gap to ensure culturally responsive care
• And preserving public trust.

Under Visconi as board chair, the full slate of NJHA Board officers for 2026 includes:

• Vice Chair Rob Brenner, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of Valley Health System
• Treasurer Patricia O'Keefe, PhD, RN, president of Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center and senior vice president and chief nursing executive, Atlantic Health
• Secretary Eric Carney, president and CEO, Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, RWJBarnabas Health.