Women in Male-Dominated Industries

Kimberly Russo, CEO at GW Hospital, and Gillian Morris, Partner at KPMG, will discuss the combination of their extensive experience as women in traditionally male-dominated industries to highlight themes of work-life balance, empowerment and inclusion.

Kimberly Russo

Kimberly Russo, MBA, MS, is the Group Vice President of the Washington, DC Region of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The George Washington University Hospital.

Russo was named Group Vice President of UHS, one of the nation's largest healthcare management companies, in April 2021. Under her leadership, she established a partnership with the Government of the District of Columbia to open the first new hospital in DC in more than two decades.

In addition to this role, Kim has been CEO of GW Hospital, an academic medical center in Washington, DC since 2016. Prior to becoming CEO in 2016, Russo served as Chief Operating Officer, as well as in numerous other management roles. Under her leadership, GW Hospital has significantly advanced its programs and services to elevate its lifesaving, critical care and expand access to care for the region. In addition, Russo has been pivotal in the development and management of the organization’s accountable care network – GW Health Network.

With more than 20 years of clinical and operational healthcare experience, Russo has received numerous accolades for her impact on healthcare in the Washington, DC community. Most recently, in 2019, she was named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Powerful Women. In addition, she was recognized as one of The Washington Business Journal's 2016 "Playmakers," a list of business leaders who made an impact on the DC area in 2016. Furthermore, in 2010, she was also an honoree of The Washington Business Journal’s "Women Who Mean Business" and “Up and Comer Under 40” honoree by Modern Healthcare and Becker's Hospital Review.

She holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois; and a Bachelor of Science in Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology from Illinois State University.