Summa Health Selects Jennifer Eslinger as Next President and Chief Executive Officer

AKRON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Summa Health today announced that it has named Jennifer Eslinger as the organization's next President and Chief Executive Officer. Eslinger will join Summa Health on September 21, bringing more than two decades of executive leadership experience.

Most recently, she served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Rochester Regional Health, where she helped lead a $4.2 billion integrated health system through significant transformation, strategic growth and quality and performance improvement. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles with Henry Ford Health, Mobile Infirmary Health System, HCA Healthcare and Tenet Healthcare.

"Jennifer is an accomplished healthcare leader with deep experience driving operational and clinical excellence, embracing innovation and creating a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement,” said Kate Walsh, Chair of Summa Health’s Board of Directors. “She has both the judgment and values to build on Summa Health's strong foundation while accelerating our impact in the communities we serve and helping shape the future of healthcare.”

As President and CEO, Eslinger will lead the organization's continued transformation by strengthening clinical quality, financial sustainability, digital innovation, and impact while preserving Summa Health's deep commitment to compassionate, community-based care.

"I'm honored to join Summa Health at such an exciting moment in its history," said Eslinger. "I am energized by the opportunity to expand access, improve outcomes and advance the future of healthcare together while staying grounded in what matters most – serving Summa Health’s consumers and members, providers and team members, and communities across Northeast Ohio."

Eslinger will succeed Daryl Tol, Acting President and CEO of Summa Health and President and CEO of HATCo, who has led the organization following Summa Health's acquisition by Health Assurance Transformation Company (HATCo). Tol will continue serving as President and CEO of HATCo and will work closely with Eslinger as she assumes leadership of Summa Health.

"Jennifer combines operational rigor with strategic vision and a collaborative leadership style,” said Tol. “I look forward to working with her as she leads the next chapter of our transformation, ensuring long-term sustainability and creating a more proactive, technology-enabled health system that delivers even better outcomes for all those we serve.”

Summa Health selected Eslinger through its national CEO search, following Dr. Cliff Deveny’s transition from CEO to CEO Emeritus and Strategic Advisor, effective January 1, 2026.

About Summa Health

Summa Health is one of the largest integrated healthcare delivery systems in Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community medical centers, a health plan, an accountable care organization, a multi-specialty physician organization, medical education, and research, we are nationally renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional approaches to healthcare delivery. Summa Health’s clinical services are consistently recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (Magnet status), The Joint Commission, American Hospital Association, U.S. News and World Report, Healthgrades, Thomson Reuters and The Leapfrog Group. For more information, visit summahealth.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/summahealth, Pinterest, pinterest.com/SummaHealth, YouTube at youtube.com/summahealthsystem, Instagram at instagram.com/summahealth TikTok at tiktok.com/@summahealth and LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/summahealth.