STEPHANIE CONNERS

PRESIDENT & CEO, BAYCARE HEALTH SYSTEM, CLEARWATER

BayCare is the largest not-for-profit health care system serving West Central Florida, providing services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other locations. One of the nation’s best-performing health care systems, it has 32,000-plus team members and physicians. Annually, BayCare dedicates 10% of its revenue to helping those who can’t afford care and improving public health. Conners has served as President/CEO for almost two years.

EDUCATION: Villanova University (BS), Eastern University (MBA)

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: I’d prioritize the health and well-being of our state and encourage leaders from all industries to work together to improve both for all. I’d focus on behavioral health and address food and housing insecurities to treat the total person. Health is the foundation of life, and I’d advocate that to create healthy communities, we must first give people the resources, tools, and information they need to maintain their health.

MENTOR: Dean Louise Fitzpatrick was the former head of nursing at Villanova University. She gave me the opportunity to attend school and achieve my goal of becoming a nurse. She also saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself. I didn’t have funding for many things, so I worked full time as a nursing assistant. She made sure I had everything I needed to graduate and fulfill my dream of taking care of others.