Assembly 2026 Speakers

Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM

President & Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Health Association
Washington, DC

Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, is the 10th president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). She assumed this role in July 2019.

Sr. Mary leads CHA's mission to support and advance the health ministry of the Catholic Church across the United States. The association represents the nation's largest group of nonprofit healthcare providers, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community health centers. She oversees operations in CHA's Washington, D.C., and St. Louis offices.

Working in collaboration with the CHA Board of Trustees, Sr. Mary guides the association's strategic direction and initiatives to assist member organizations in delivering high-quality, accessible care for people of all ages, races, faith traditions, and ethnic backgrounds. She also directs national advocacy efforts focused on protecting life, improving community health, addressing disparities and social determinants of health, strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, and advancing a just health system for all, particularly those who are poor and vulnerable.

Sr. Mary has overall responsibility for CHA's programmatic and administrative areas, including advocacy, mission, sponsorship, ethics, community benefit, leadership development, ministry formation, international outreach, and engagement with bishops and Church leaders.

She has served at CHA since 2009. Prior to becoming president and CEO, she was vice president of sponsorship and mission services (2016-2019), where she led initiatives in mission integration, ethics, leadership development, and formation. From 2009 to 2016, she served as senior director of sponsor services. She was instrumental in developing CHA's Sponsor Formation Program for Catholic Healthcare, preparing members of ministerial juridic persons for their canonical responsibilities.

Earlier in her career, Sr. Mary served in congregational leadership for the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis and held roles in healthcare, social services, and education, including international service in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago.

Sr. Mary holds a Master of Business Administration in healthcare from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minn.) and a Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities.

She has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from Misericordia University and St. Louis University in recognition of her leadership and service in Catholic healthcare.

Sr. Mary serves on several boards and advisory bodies, including the Coalition to Strengthen America's Healthcare. She is a consultant to the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. She also serves on the advisory board for the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health.

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