When the world shut down in March 2020, many people retreated to their homes, learned how to bake bread, and got very good at Zoom calls. Unlike the rest of us, those in the health care field continued to show up every day in ever-changing conditions and work to keep us as safe and healthy as possible. Most people would think taking on a new job as a hospital Chief Executive (CE) would be a bold move during a global pandemic, but that is precisely what Terry Wooten did. In July 2021, Terry Wooten took on the role of CE of Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa. From what I can tell, he could not be happier about it.

Terry started his health care career over 25 years ago in Southern California as a night shift emergency room admitting clerk. When he started that job, he had no idea that 25 years later, he would be with the same hospital system as CEO of a hospital in Napa, California. Terry credits his career success to the fact that he always had many people supporting and encouraging him to try new things within the health care world.

Before becoming the CEO at Queen of the Valley, Terry worked in finance, supply chain, operations, and most recently, was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a hospital in Southern California. That position allowed him to work more closely with the community the hospital was serving. When the opportunity to move to Napa County and become the CE of a mission-driven community hospital came up, Terry jumped at it.

“It is very important for me to work for a mission-driven, community-minded hospital, and that is what  Queen of the Valley is. I am very excited to be here and to see how we can make the Queen of the Valley even more of a community asset.”

So what does a CE of a hospital do? “My job is to make sure everyone has the tools to be successful.” Terry works with all departments within the hospital to make sure they have what they need to succeed. He works with physicians to find and address gaps in services, with operations to make sure that the day-to-day workings of the hospital are running smoothly, with nursing staff to make sure they have what they need. He also interfaces with local government officials on policy issues and community leaders to see how the hospital can be a better community partner. “One of the things I am most interested in is learning from the community what they need from the Queen. Being only a little over 100 days in, I am still working on my deep dive to get to know the hospital itself.”

After just a few minutes of talking with Terry, you can see why he was chosen to lead our local hospital. He has a passion for health care and the Napa Valley community. “We are currently working on our strategic plan and focusing on ways to be more integrated into the community.” The Queen of the Valley is already a certified level III trauma center and an accredited advanced primary stroke center. There is impressive work being done in the cardiac and cancer departments, but Terry is ready to do more. “I want to focus on telling the community what we are doing and making it clear that we are here to serve everyone in the valley.”

The transition from Southern California to Northern California can be a difficult one, but not for Terry. “I am never going back! I have been so impressed with how warm and welcoming everyone has been since we moved here. I can’t wait to experience Napa Valley with no COVID.” Terry has already discovered the joys of Ad Hoc’s fried chicken (better cold the next day in both of our opinions) and has the cassoulet from Bistro Jeanty in his sights. “We are truly excited to be a part of the Yountville Chamber of Commerce and to connect with other businesses and community members to understand our place in this county.”

The Yountville Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to enrich the vibrancy of our community. Over the last year and a half, the importance of health care partners to that mission has become even more apparent. We are happy to partner with Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center to fulfill both our missions.