People: Reno's Dawn Ahner selected for inaugural Women in Healthcare Leadership council

RENO, Nev. — Renown Health recently announced that Dawn Ahner, Chief Operating Officer of Acute Services, was selected to join The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s inaugural Women in Healthcare Leadership (WIHL) Executive Council.

Ahner, DSc, FACHE, will serve a three-year term, starting Jan. 1, on the mentor committee where she will support and empower mid-career as well as up-and-coming female leaders in healthcare leadership.

“Renown Health is a better place because of Dawn’s incredible leadership,” Sy Johnson, chief of staff at Renown, said in a Nov. 23 statement. “For nearly 30 years, she has led by example to serve our patients, employees and community, helping pave the way for other female leaders to thrive in leadership positions at Renown. Now, she’s paving the way for future leaders to thrive in healthcare leadership positions across the nation, and we could not be more proud of her.”

Ahner started at Renown in 1993 as a financial analyst. She worked her way through the ranks, serving a total of eight positions, including director of finance, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.

Among many accomplishments, Ahner spearheaded the launch of Renown’s Transformation Health Care, a model of continuous improvement based on lean methodology; and in 2018 she was named to the Becker’s Hospital Review’s annual list of 143 women hospital and health system leaders to know.

“As I begin my term as a member on the WIHL Executive Council, I am hopeful for a future filled with more female leaders in healthcare,” Ahner said in a statement. “I am fortunate to be where I am today, and my goal is to help women learn from my journey and experiences and see that anything is possible with hard work and determination.”

Ahner earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from California State University, Sacramento; her master of business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno; and her doctor of science in administration- health services from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“At Renown, we are committed to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion and cultural competence where all are appreciated, fully engaged and motivated to make a genuine, positive difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve,” Michelle Sanchez-Bickley, Renown’s chief human resources officer, said in a statement. “We are proud that nearly 70 percent of Renown’s leadership roles are filled with women who are making a difference in our community. Dawn is leading the way for all of us.”