10 anesthesia leadership appointments from Q1

Health systems, medical schools and anesthesia providers were active in making anesthesiology leadership appointments and promotions during the first quarter of the year.

Here are 10 anesthesiology leadership appointments to know, as reported by Becker’s in the first quarter of 2026:

1. The University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine in Aurora named Paul Picton, MD, chair of the department of anesthesiology
2. Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center appointed Jaime Ortiz, MD, as chair of the department of anesthesiology.
3. Symmetry Anesthesia, a Dallas-based, physician-led anesthesia services provider, named Aaron Stewart as CFO and Jennifer Grover as COO.
4. The Charlottesville-based University of Virginia School of Medicine appointed Michael Mazzeffi, MD, as permanent chair of its department of anesthesiology.
5. Edina, Minn.-based Nura Pain Clinics promoted Erin Bettendorf, MD, an anesthesiologist, to medical director of the Nura Surgical Center.
6. The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha named Daniel Johnson, MD, as executive vice chair of its department of anesthesiology and Shaun Thompson, MD, as chief of the critical care anesthesiology division.
7. Hackensack, N.J.-based Olena Medical named Mrinal Agrawal, MD, an anesthesiologist and pain management physician, as chief medical officer.
8. Salisbury, Md.-based TidalHealth appointed Lindsey Nelson, MD, as executive medical director of the TidalHealth Anesthesiology service line.