Victoria Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health, announced the appointment of Sherry B. Perkins, PhD, RN, FAAN, as the new president of Anne Arundel Medical Center, effective early next year. This appointment comes with a unanimous endorsement by AAMC’s Board of Trustees.

Perkins holds a 30-year career in the health care industry with leadership roles in major Maryland and Delaware health systems, including serving as president and chief executive officer of University of Maryland Capital Region Health. There she led governance, quality, regulatory, and operational improvements. As president of AAMC, Perkins is returning to the medical center where she formerly served as chief operating officer and chief nursing officer from 2006 until 2016.

“As we continue to establish and develop Luminis Health as our new parent organization, we also are ensuring that we have the right leadership in place for AAMC,” said Victoria Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health and former president of AAMC. “The role of AAMC president is vital and all the more significant given AAMC’s history in this community and its unique culture. Not only does Dr. Perkins bring a great depth and breadth of experience as a leader, we are fortunate to have a former senior executive who understands our culture and our place in the community.”  

“We know the health care landscape is changing and strong and experienced leadership is paramount,” said John Belcher, chair of AAMC’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Perkin’s 30-year career in health care has been marked by excellence and positive results. She is a proven leader who is also driven with care and compassion. All of these attributes make her poised for this very important role. As we advance our care delivery to meet the growing needs of this community, she is the right leader for AAMC.”     

“I’m thrilled and honored to return to AAMC,” said Perkins. “As we grow and evolve with new services and programs, we also want to sustain that local approach in how we focus on patients and their families. It is what AAMC is known for, and it is what AAMC employees and caregivers do so well. I look forward to leading the organization as president and working with the highly regarded team that makes AAMC such a special and unique place for our patients and our community.”   

As president of AAMC, Perkins will serve as a member of the Luminis Health executive team. She will participate in the development and execution of the strategic goals and initiatives for the system, while overseeing operational activities at AAMC and working with the hospital’s leadership team to ensure high-quality, high-efficiency delivery of care.

Perkins is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and a member of the Board of Directors for the Maryland Patient Safety Center. She is a national advisor to the Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care and the GetWellNetwork O’Neil Center Clinical Advisory Board and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

As a frequent writer and presenter, Perkins has contributed to nearly 120 publications. She has been honored with the YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry Award as well as the Maryland Nurses Association’s Outstanding Leadership Award. Most recently, Perkins was named an Influential Marylander by the Daily Record. 

Perkins holds a BSN from Baylor University, MS from Texas Woman’s University and a PhD from the University of Kansas. She is also a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania fellows program in management.