Recent MHA Graduates

Jacqueline R. DeSouza
Chief Operating Officer,
Research Medical Center

Kansas City, MO

M.H.A. 2001

Residency: Medical Center of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado

A participant in HCA's Chief Operating Officer Development Program, Ms. DeSouza was the COO of Overland Park Regional Medical Center only two and a half years after graduating from VCU. After her residency with HCA's Medical Center of Aurora, Ms. DeSouza continued with HCA's Medical Center of Aurora for three years overseeing the ancillary departments and strategic planning, and then as the Associate Administrator for HCA's Midwest division providing operational support for 11 hospitals.

While in the MHA Program, Ms. DeSouza worked part-time as an Operations Support Analyst for the Emergency Department at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals (now VCU Medical Center). Already part of HCA's senior executive management team, Ms. DeSouza attributes her success to a lot of hard work, and what she learned during her work experiences, her residency program with HCA, and close relationships with fellow classmates.

Raleigh Heard
Catholic Health Initiatives
Assistant Vice President

Baltimore, Maryland

M.H.A. 2001

Residency: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

Mr. Heard is an Associate Director with H*Works at the Advisory Board Company, responsible for facilitating the development and implementation of best-practice operational and finance programs at member hospitals and health systems. Prior to his current role, Mr. Heard served as a Director for CIGNA Healthcare, as part of their Leadership Program. In this capacity, Mr. Heard worked across operational units, serving as a Business Architect for the healthcare delivery operations division, and as a Program Manager for the compliance department. Before CIGNA, Mr. Heard was an Administrative Fellow with Mayo Clinic, where he served in an operational and program management capacity in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Mr. Heard's most valued experience at VCU was participating in the National Association of Health Services Executives' Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition, a competition open to first and second year African-American graduate students currently enrolled in a health administration program. Competing in this competition affords students the opportunity to apply their creativity, knowledge, and experience to analyze real and diverse issues facing health care organizations.

J. Holdren
Director, Geriatric Services
Virginia Commonwealth University Health System

Richmond, Virginia

M.H.A. 2001

Residency: Doylestown Hospital & The Pine Run Community of the V.I.A. Health System, Doylestown, Pennsylvania

After 7 years of working in the finance realm as a bank examiner and as a portfolio manager in an investment trust, J. Holdren wanted a career change. Returning to school and entering the MHA program as an “older than average” student, Mr. Holdren dared to be different, deliberately making decisions that were not necessarily in step with the program, most notably, pursuing his interest in long term care. The same day that Mr. Holdren took a tour of the United Methodist Homes' Cedarfield facility during an Executive Skills session, he called the facility and asked for a summer internship. The facility had never taken an intern before, but they agreed to take him.

Supported by faculty, Mr. Holdren used his electives to take classes in VCU's Gerontology Department. For his residency, Mr. Holdren signed on with V.I.A. Health System, a system that would allow him exposure to both acute care, Doylestown Hospital, and long term care, The Pine Run Community. Enjoying his work in the senior care service line, Mr. Holdren drifted towards Pine Run. Hired by Pine Run as an Assistant Administrator after graduation, and later as Director of Business Development, he started a CCRC that Pine Run managed in a management contract. Sixteen months later, Mr. Holdren was offered the Executive Director position with the Roanoke United Methodist Home CCRC, a facility owned by the same company he interned with three years before. Responsible for 125 residents and about 100 employees, Mr. Holdren found his niche. Continuing to excel and thrive in his career in long term care, Mr. Holdren recently accepted the position of Director, Geriatric Services, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System.  This role will allow Mr. Holdren to continue working toward his goal of bridging the gap between acute and long term care services, assuring that the growing need of American seniors and their access to care are fully addressed.  Mr. Holdren encourages students to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves during Executive Skills, internships, and residency placements. Mr. Holdren is proof that initiative and hard work can prepare you for, and get you into, the career of your choice.