The governing board of the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center announced Monday that it had appointed Wanda M. Ruben to the post of chief executive officer during an emergency board meeting.
“The District Governing Board of Directors of the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center congratulates Ms. Wanda Ruben on her appointment as CEO of this institution,” said JFL Governing Board acting Chairman Troy deChabert-Schuster. “Ms. Ruben, a native daughter of St. Croix, is very experienced in nursing and healthcare administration and we are confident in her ability to lead JFL into the future.”
During the emergency meeting, the board voted to remove attorney Richard T. Evangelista as acting CEO of JFL, and return him to his former position as chief legal counsel for the hospital.
The board thanked Evangelista, deChabert-Schuster said, noting, he “served during a very challenging time in the history of JFL and the Virgin Islands.He led the hospital through CMS surveys and two Category 5 hurricanes. We thank him for his courageous leadership.”
Ruben has been serving as JFL’s chief nursing officer since July. She has more than 19 years of healthcare experience and, prior to working at JFL, she worked most recently as the chief nursing officers at Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center in California. Ruben has an extensive background in nursing administration, including wide-ranging experience in emergency department management.
She earned bachelor of science degree in nursing from Loma Linda University and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix.
Ruben thanked the board and said she is here to serve the patients, staff and the community.
Board members present during Monday’s meeting included Troy deChabert-Schuster, Theresa Frorup-Alie, Philip Arcidi, Aida I. Bermudez, Vera Falu, Dr. Nelda Coombs-Ephraim and Dr. Olivine Anne Treasure.
I guess the Acting Board Chair’s spouse can get that promotion now.