UAB Health System CEO Dawn Bulgarella and UAB Hospital CEO Brenda Carlisle were named to the Becker’s Hospital Review 2025 list of “Women Hospital and Health System Presidents and CEOs to Know.” This national recognition celebrates women across the country who are advancing health care through innovation, equity, and leadership that improves patient care and experiences.
Dawn Bulgarella, MSHA, CPA
Bulgarella leads UAB Health System, an $8 billion enterprise that includes one of the nation’s largest and most respected academic medical centers, a network of ambulatory clinics, expansive physician partnerships, and 14 community and rural hospitals across Alabama. She is responsible for shaping the organization’s strategic direction while driving clinical, operational, and financial excellence.
Since becoming CEO, Bulgarella has led a multi-year transformation focused on integration, scalability, and long-term sustainability. This includes the strategic acquisition and cultural integration of Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System, one of the most significant health system expansions in the state’s history. Also during her tenure, UAB Health System launched one of its most ambitious modernization efforts. This includes enhancing digital infrastructure, clinical systems, and enterprise operations to strengthen care delivery, improve access, and better serve patients and providers statewide.
A former chief financial officer with extensive expertise in fiscal strategy, governance, and operational alignment, Bulgarella is widely respected for her collaborative and forward-thinking leadership. She is deeply committed to UAB Medicine’s mission to improve the health and lives of all Alabamians, particularly in historically underserved communities, while ensuring that UAB Health System remains a national leader in academic medicine and health care innovation.
Brenda Carlisle, MSHA, RN
Carlisle leads UAB Hospital, the flagship of UAB Health System and the primary teaching site for the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. With more than 1,300 beds, UAB Hospital is the eighth-largest in the nation and the top-ranked hospital in Alabama, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Under her leadership, UAB Hospital is carrying out major capital projects to increase capacity and strengthen care delivery, including an expansion of the Emergency Department that will add 66,000 square feet of space, 59 exam rooms, and new imaging technology to improve emergency care. Also, the hospital soon will open the UAB Rehabilitation Pavilion, a 136-bed inpatient facility that will provide industry-leading neurorehabilitation care for patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other conditions.
In addition, Carlisle’s tenure has included leading the hospital to earn the nation’s first Level 1 Emergency Department Accreditation. She is widely respected for her operational expertise, strategic vision, and focus on advancing patient care, innovation, and the future of academic medicine.
This national recognition by Becker’s reflects the strength, innovation, and impact of these leaders and the entire UAB Medicine team. Together, they are shaping the future of health care in Alabama and beyond, driven by a commitment to providing life-changing care.