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Around the Region…

West Palm Beach VA Welcomes
New Associate Director

The Department of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce
the appointment of Cynthia O’Connell as the new associate
director of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. O’Connell
is a retired Brigadier General who is joining the Medical Center
after serving more than 35 years in the United States Army.
Throughout her military career she oversaw healthcare opera-
tions for various military treatment facilities, combat support Cynthia O’Connell
hospital units and field hospitals. She has been stationed at var-
ious military bases to include Fort Ord, CA; Letterman Army
Medical Center at the Presidio of San Francisco, CA; Wurzburg, Germany; Heidelberg
Germany; San Pablo, CA; and Fort Hood, TX. Her most recent role was as the Deputy
Commanding General for the 3rd Medical Command at Fort Gillen, GA. In July 2006,
O'Connell attended the United States Army War College, graduating in June 2007 with
a master’s degree in strategic studies. Upon graduation from the War College, O'Connell’s
follow on assignment was at the Pentagon Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Reserve Affairs. O'Connell completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at Loyola
University of Chicago and was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps, May 1981.
She also holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration and is a member and Fellow
of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

University of Miami Health System

Welcomes Dorinda Carolina as New

Chief Human Resources Officer

Dorinda Carolina, a human resources executive with more
than 25 years of leadership experience at leading medical insti-
tutions, has joined the University of Miami Health System as
associate vice president of human resources and chief human
resources officer for UHealth. Dorinda Carolina
Carolina was most recently employed at Thomas Jefferson
University Health System in Philadelphia, where she served as vice president of talent
acquisition and chief human resources officer for Jefferson Northeast. Previously, she was
chief human resources officer for Aria Health System, Pennsylvania Hospital and Clinical
Care Associates. She held earlier positions as vice president of human resources at
Pegasus Communications and Tenet Health System.
Born in Panama, Carolina emigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 15, later
attending Cabrini College. Although she came from a health care family — her mother
worked as a nursing assistant for many years, and her sister is a registered nurse — she
found a different way to respond to her call to service through human resources.

Lee Health Promotes Community Relations Leader

Lee Health has named Stephanie Wardein as System Director, Community Affairs.
Wardein has been with Lee Health since 2012, serving in various community relations
roles, including manager of community programs. In 2018, she was named one of
Southwest Florida’s “40 under 40” by Gulfshore Business magazine. She earned a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts – Theology from Franciscan University and a mas-
ter’s degree in Theological Studies from the Institute for Pastoral Theology at Madonna
University.

RCN

34 February 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News