KING CITY — Mee Memorial Healthcare System in King City has announced Noah Hawthorne, M.D., as chief medical officer.
The chief medical officer oversees medical staff, physician recruitment and system-wide provision of quality care, bringing a clinical perspective to the administrative strategy and mission of the organization, a role requiring exceptional communication and leadership skills.
“We are thankful to Dr. Valladares, our former CMO, for his dedication and commitment to Mee Memorial since 2019,” said CEO Rena Salamacha. “We are also excited to have Dr. Hawthorne join us as our new chief medical officer. He brings a wealth of leadership experience and vision to this role and a true passion to serve the people of South Monterey County.”
Formerly serving as chief of staff and member of the Mee Memorial Board of Trustees from 2021-22, Dr. Hawthorne currently serves as medical director of Mee’s Emergency Department, a role for which he was honored earlier this year with the Brilliance in Leadership award by the Vituity physician group. The distinction points to the compassion he brings to his patients and practice.
“I am honored to accept the role of CMO with Mee Memorial,” he said. “This is a community I care deeply about, and I intend to ensure that the quality of care we provide to patients will continue to increase.”
Originally from the Central Coast, Hawthorne grew up on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area. He loves to travel and has a keen interest in photography, scuba diving, mountain biking and cooking.
Hawthorne did his undergraduate studies at Stanford University, studying human biology with a Spanish minor. He received his master’s degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology and biostatistics from UC Berkeley and completed medical school and emergency medicine residency training at UC San Francisco.
In addition to his clinical practice as an ED physician, Hawthorne has long held an interest in underserved medicine and community health. He has worked with nonprofit organizations in Mexico, Nicaragua and South Africa.
Mee Memorial Healthcare System is the primary healthcare organization serving the rural communities of South Monterey County.
The Mee network includes a hospital in King City with emergency services, acute care services, surgical services, skilled nursing, transitional care, rehabilitative services and diagnostic imaging services, among others. The system also has several comprehensive outpatient clinics, an occupational health services clinic, and the Albert and Donna Oliveira Clinic, a full-service primary care facility in the city of Greenfield.
Learn more at meememorial.com or call 831-385-6000.
