Susan Hernandez

A nationally respected nursing leader, Susan Hernandez, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN, joined UT Southwestern in 2014 as the Chief Nursing Officer. In 2015, she moved into her current role as Chief Nurse Executive. Ms. Hernandez oversees more than 3,000 nurses and nurse practitioners, who together provide care for 200,000-plus patients each year in two acute care hospitals and affiliated primary and specialty care clinics. Under her direction, UT Southwestern’s University Hospital earned Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2016. The designation is the nation’s highest form of recognition for nursing excellence and serves as a benchmark for quality of care. Prior to joining UT Southwestern, Ms. Hernandez spent nearly 20 years in nursing and leadership positions at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She holds a doctorate of nursing practice, bachelor’s degrees in nursing and education, and an M.B.A. with a focus on health care administration.