Terrence Wooten Named New President of Saint Joseph Hospital

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 9, 2026) – Saint Joseph Health has announced the hiring of  Terrence (Terry) Wooten, MHA, as the new president of Saint Joseph Hospital on Harrodsburg Road. He joined Saint Joseph on Jan. 1.

“Through the addition of Terry to our leadership team, Saint Joseph Hospital will have a dedicated operations leader for the first time in several years,” said Matt Grimshaw, president, Saint Joseph Health, the CommonSpirit ministry in Kentucky. “With a focus on culture, service and delivering humankindness at every touchpoint, I believe he will make an impact right away.”

Wooten brings more than two decades of leadership experience in faith-based, nonprofit health care to Saint Joseph Hospital . He comes to Saint Joseph from another St. Joseph – the Providence St. Joseph Health system in Renton, Washington. 

Wooten began his career in 1996 at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, working as a registration clerk in the Emergency Services Department.Over the years, he advanced through several leadership roles, including registration supervisor, outcomes manager in Decision Support Services, and director  of Business and Materials Resources, Surgical Services & Endoscopy.

He later moved into system-level leadership, serving first as the director and then vice president of Clinical Supply Chain for St. Joseph Health. Following the 2016 merger of St. Joseph Health and Providence Health & Services, he was appointed chief operating officer of Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California. In 2021, he became chief executive of Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California.

“Saint Joseph Hospital has been mission-driven since its founding more than 148 years ago, and that mission resonates with me,” Wooten said. “Catholic health care, and its priority on service to others, have shaped my career. As a servant leader, I am deeply committed to continuing the advancement of the mission and values of Saint Joseph, as we serve and care for this community,, especially those who are vulnerable.”

A California native, Wooten is heading east to be closer to family; his wife Danielle is from Atlanta. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Administration from Ashford University, and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

About Saint Joseph Health

Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services to build a healthier future for all. Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Saint Joseph Hospital 

Saint Joseph Hospital is a 433-bed hospital located in Lexington, Kentucky. Established in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky and is a nationally recognized tertiary medical center. Saint Joseph Hospital is Lexington’s first hospital. The hospital’s original mission was to provide compassionate care to the poor and underserved – a tradition still carried out today.