Pat Keel has served as chief financial officer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2016 and now has the expanded role of executive vice president and chief administrative and financial officer.
Pat Keel, who since 2016 has served as chief financial officer at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has been promoted to the expanded role of executive vice president and chief administrative and financial officer.
In the new role, she oversees numerous departments vital to campus operations, including Environmental Services, Facilities Design and Construction, Facilities Operations and Maintenance, Food Services, Biomedical Engineering, the Gift Shop and Security. Keel will continue to lead Human Resources and Financial Services.
"Through this expanded role, I’m looking forward to ensuring that our administrative and support departments continue to serve as the foundation upon which cures can be built," Keel said. "These areas play vital day-to-day roles in supporting research and treatment at St. Jude. I’m proud to serve the St. Jude mission by leading these essential functions.”
Keel joined St. Jude four years ago to manage financial operations. This work has included finance, the supply chain, reimbursements, the revenue cycle, managed care contracting and grants. She has played an integral part in shepherding program growth and campus expansion as outlined in the hospital’s six-year strategic plan. In her time at St. Jude, Keel has implemented programs that led to millions of dollars in annual savings for the hospital.
James Downing, M.D., St. Jude president and CEO, praised Keel's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Pat has helped the hospital navigate disruption caused by the pandemic," he said. "Her expertise has been invaluable to ensuring institutional operations continue and supply chain needs are met."
Prior to joining St. Jude, Keel served as chief financial officer and senior vice president for University Health in Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana. In addition, she held leadership roles with Good Shepherd Health System in Longview, Texas and CHRISTUS Schumpert Health System in Shreveport. Keel has been named to the Becker's Hospital Review list of annual women hospital and health system leaders to know for five years in a row.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. To learn more, visit stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.