6 minute read
Jaynie and Woody Studenmund
Strategic leadership, informed giving.
For several decades, Jaynie and Woody Studenmund have been deeply involved in Huntington Hospital’s work. The couple are generous community philanthropists who have made numerous thoughtful gifts to the hospital over the years. In addition, Jaynie has served on our board of directors for 25 years and recently completed a four-year term as chair of the board. Prior to her term as chair, she served as vice chair for three years, and Jaynie also serves as a lifetime trustee.
“Following Jaynie as chair of the board means I have enormous shoes to fill,” says current board chair Paul Johnson. “Her deep commitment to excellence has been invaluable, as has her open and inclusive leadership style. I’m particularly inspired by her appreciation for and relationship with our physician community.”
Focused and visionary leadership.
According to fellow board member Ron Havner, Jaynie was instrumental throughout her time as chair in helping guide our organization through many transformative events. This includes chairing the executive search that brought us President and CEO Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA, who took over leadership of the hospital after Stephen A. Ralph retired. “Soon after our search committee met with Dr. Morgan,” says Jaynie, “we felt she was the right person to build on Huntington’s strong legacy, especially in terms of quality and culture. We were confident she could lead us into the future in our dynamic, ever changing health care market.”
Two years later, as COVID-19 brought an unprecedented public health crisis, Jaynie and her fellow board members worked closely with Dr. Morgan and the executive team to overcome extraordinary challenges and keep our community as healthy and safe as possible. “It was a time that none of us will ever forget, especially the tireless dedication and resiliency of all on Team Huntington,” says Jaynie.
Even amid the ongoing pandemic, Huntington’s board and leadership team remained steadfastly focused on ensuring our hospital was well-positioned for the future. The board underwent a rigorous strategic review that ultimately led to identifying and meeting with potential partners. Working closely with Dr. Morgan, as well as fellow board members Paul Johnson, David Kirchheimer, Chris Mitchell and Ron Havner, Jaynie led the committee that meticulously evaluated and negotiated with potential partners. From start to finish, the process took about three years and resulted in the landmark, transformative affiliation with Cedars-Sinai.
Centering quality and community.
As Jaynie recalls her thought process underlying these decisive moments as chair, common themes emerge. She worked in collaboration with Huntington’s leadership team to ensure that four important values guided the hospital’s decision-making: cultural fit, quality, serving our community and building for the future. This four-pronged approach ensured Huntington was able to continue to deliver exceptional care throughout the pandemic. It helped to guide our clinical and operational focus. And, it guided our decision to affiliate with Cedars-Sinai. “This four-pointed north star made the choice to affiliate an easy one. Cedars is so focused on developing strong collaborations and quality services, while keeping their sights within the local area. It was a natural fit with our values,” notes Jaynie.
Jaynie’s emphasis on quality and community also informs her philanthropy. That is in part why she and Woody recently made a significant gift toward our new Helen and Will Webster Heart & Vascular Center, which houses a comprehensive range of cardiovascular services all under one roof. “Woody and I are honored to support the new Heart & Vascular Center,” Jaynie says. “Not only because of the next level of care it has enabled, but also because it makes us feel a part of such an amazing community. We personally know many of the physicians involved with the center. It’s an incredible team of world-class doctors.”
Proactive philanthropy.
Elaborating on the inspiration behind their gift, the Studenmunds also point to the needs of the community — both now and in the future. “As demographics shift, there will likely be an increased need for top-quality cardiac care in our region,” says Jaynie. “Huntington Hospital was ahead of the game and planned for continued growth in patient volume and need.”
Given their background, it is no surprise that the couple’s philanthropic giving is informed by forward-looking, strategic thinking. Woody recently retired after 52 years as an economist at Occidental College, where he served in leadership, teaching and coaching roles. As for Jaynie, she has held many executive leadership positions throughout her career across financial services, digital and consumer companies. Prior roles include serving as the executive vice-president and managing committee member for First Interstate of California, where she led all of consumer and business banking during the era of banking transformation and consolidation. Next, she pivoted to the Internet where among other roles she was the chief operating officer for Overture Services, a company that experienced hyper growth while pioneering and transforming online advertising. In addition to Huntington, she serves on the boards of Western Asset Management, EXL Service, Forest Lawn, J. Paul Getty Trust, and Flintridge Prep.
In speaking about their philanthropic support and engagement with Huntington Hospital, Jaynie notes that “serving on Huntington’s board and as chair has been one of the highest honors of my life. Being involved with the hospital and its community has given our family much more than we could possibly give back. So, supporting this gem of the San Gabriel Valley has been one of our highest priorities.”
Surgical care
Huntington Health offers a full range of cardiology services, including surgical treatment. Robbin Cohen, MD, MMM, director of cardiac surgery at Huntington Health, leads our cardiac surgery program. As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Cohen has been providing expert care to patients at Huntington for over 30 years.
Dr. Cohen now leads an expert team, which includes: Tyler M. Gunn, MD, director of the ECMO Program; Michael Bowdish, MD, vice chair of quality and research; Dominic Emerson, MD, associate surgical director of heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support, surgical co-director of CSICU, associate director of the Thoracic Surgery ACGME Fellowship Program, and director of robotic cardiac surgery; and Armin Kiankhooy, MD, cardiac surgeon.
Dr. Cohen and his team provide cardiac surgical services at our Helen and Will Webster Heart & Vascular Center. From research and diagnosis to treatment and recovery, the center is the leading provider of future-ready cardiac care in the San Gabriel Valley. Visit huntingtonhealth.org/heartsurgery to learn more about our expert cardiac surgical care.
