WellSpan Health announced today that Kasey Paulus, executive vice president and chief operating officer, is included among Modern Healthcare’s Leading Women Rising Star for 2026 list, an honor that highlights exceptional female leaders who are driving meaningful impact across the health care industry. The Modern Healthcare Leading Women Rising Star distinction recognizes women leaders who have made a measurable impact within their organizations in a relatively short time, demonstrating innovation, operational excellence and a commitment to advancing health care delivery.

In her first year in her role, Paulus delivered significant results across WellSpan’s operations, leading enterprise-wide innovation efforts while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety, clinical quality and workforce sustainability. Under her leadership, WellSpan has formed strategic partnerships with leading technology organizations to rapidly pilot and scale emerging solutions, that improve patient care and operational efficiency while reclaiming more than 400,000 hours of human capacity for clinicians. She has also overseen major capital investments supporting WellSpan’s long-term clinical growth, including the development of a new surgery and critical care tower at WellSpan York Hospital and the openings of three new hospitals early this year.

“Kasey brings a rare combination of operational rigor, clinical insight and genuine care for people,” said Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D., R.N., president and CEO of WellSpan Health. “Her leadership has strengthened our organization at every level, from advancing innovation and financial performance to creating an environment where our team members feel supported, empowered and inspired to do their best work. The impact she has on WellSpan and the teams she leads is both immediate and enduring.”

A former nurse and experienced health care executive, Paulus is also recognized for her commitment to developing future leaders. As part of her executive oversight of human resources, she has helped refine WellSpan’s talent review and succession planning processes, ensuring intentional focus on identifying and developing high-potential leaders with balanced representation. Earlier in her career, she built strong workforce pipelines to support nursing recruitment, retention and professional development.

Profiles of the 2026 Leading Women honorees are featured online at https://www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/leading-women/2026/.

To learn more about Paulus and the WellSpan executive team, visit https://www.wellspan.org/About-WellSpan/Leadership-and-Advocacy/Executive-Team.