Our Leadership Team

As a nurse, Caroline goes out of her way to ensure her patients and their family members are comfortable, and this work is frequently recognized by her patients. She provides reassurance to all around her, as seen by one patient who witnessed her assisting another nurse with an IV, comforting the patient in the process. Another patient commented that, despite her long shift, Caroline cared for each patient at the end of the day as if it was her first and only.

A true patient advocate, Caroline’s experience and passion inspire her to be a champion for patient safety and experience. She has designed many solutions to improve patient paperwork and flow, and specifically has taken point on providing a consistently positive experience for repeat pain management patients.

Hired as a new nurse after completing her clinical rotation at the facility, Chrystal has developed into a remarkable team member, growing into a role that oversees the otolaryngology service line for the facility, including ordering supplies and instrumentation for new physicians and procedures. As a member of the Be KIND Committee, Chrystal makes it a priority to celebrate at every opportunity, such as creating a bulletin board to highlight the generous acts of her peers as recognized by patients, regularly providing holiday-themed treats for her teammates, and even keeping a locker full of surprise gifts when someone’s spirits need lifting.

Additionally, Chrystal designed a program where pediatric patients receive themed treat boxes if they require surgery on a holiday. The children are so excited, they forget their fear, and parents are reassured and comforted by the gesture.

Delia, Front Desk Clerk, and Andreana, Insurance Verifier, were nominated together because “that is how they function, as a team.” When team members at their facility were furloughed as a result of the pandemic, these two took on additional roles and trained quickly on new functions without skipping a beat to ensure each patient was treated with compassion and felt completely informed on the facility’s new safety processes. Delia and Andreana conducted the proper insurance verifications, then reached out to patients to work through financial plans for covering their service. Additionally, they coordinated with their local leadership team to implement a robust COVID testing plan.

In one of the hardest healthcare environments, Delia and Andreana were repeatedly recognized by patients, including one receiving nine comments in a single month. As noted by one patient, these two colleagues are “VERY busy and dedicated front office staff, and incredibly professional. Handling COVID precautions very well. They deserve special recognition for all that has been asked of them, and new shoes, as they are constantly on the go!”

As a Circulation and Recovery Nurse at San Antonio Endoscopy Center, Kaitie is someone who steps up to challenges. Kaitie has felt an even greater need to care for patients during the pandemic. Her compassionate, warm and innovative spirit earned her the title of Patient Experience Champion for the facility. From reassuring a patient that he/she is safe upon waking up from surgery, to implementing “Care Cards” to foster a positive experience and hosting daily huddles to celebrate patient comments and discuss opportunities, Kaitie upholds the pillars of USPI’s Mission and Be KIND culture. The Administrator at her facility noted, “[Our patients] leave the facility feeling renewed simply by being in her presence and having the honor of being exposed to her awesome attitude!”

A true servant leader, Kisha is not one to stand around and watch. Kisha leaned into new responsibilities and challenges during the pandemic. She was quick to understand the complexities of caring for COVID-19 patients, designing a drive-up ED tent for the hospital to allow patients to stay in their cars and avoid the potential spread of the virus. Kisha trained staff members on the proper ways to don and doff personal protective equipment and didn’t hesitate to step in as a triage nurse herself when needed.

Kisha’s commitment to excellence in care extends beyond the facility’s walls and into the community as she designed an Emergency Services Nurse Graduate Program to facilitate developing new team members onsite, contributing to a “grow our own” culture. A compassionate leader, Kisha also organized a food drive to benefit families without jobs because of COVID-19.

Relatively new in her leadership role, Andi knows what it means to be a patient advocate as demonstrated by a recent experience. During a routine patient ultrasound, Andi recognized what appeared to be an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Following the visit, the patient’s physician called and advised an immediate trip to the emergency room where the patient underwent emergency surgery to have a stent placed and fix a massive 6.7 cm aneurysm. The patient recovered well, and both he and his family are grateful for the thorough work performed by Andi and the quick action by the team. Andi’s dedication to her role, compassion towards the patient and family and quick response to provide life-saving care contribute to her designation as a Tenet Hero.

Karin currently serves as the facility’s clinical director. She brings valuable military experience, starting at age 18 as a combat medic, to the Center for Advanced Surgery. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Karin was deployed to support continued surgical procedures for the Marine Corps in Camp Pendleton.

At the facility, Karin is known for improving communication between departments by helping to incorporate daily huddles into the center’s routine. She values teamwork and can be found providing patient care, taking the garbage out, unpacking boxes, mentoring and coaching others, providing empathy and comfort for patients and helping with service recovery. Karin recognizes the hard work of her team and was integral in implementing the “Kudos Board” for staff notes of appreciation.

Karin’s team was particularly impressed with her efforts to highlight the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. She hosted a pumpkin decorating contest, helping to raise over $1,700 for a local charity called Impact One Breast Cancer Foundation that provides “Hope Boxes” for women who have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Brett Brodnax serves as president and chief executive officer of USPI.

With over three decades of industry leadership and experience, Brett oversees strategy and operations for USPI’s entire portfolio of ambulatory surgical facilities. A purpose-driven leader known for delivering excellent business results and ensuring the Company’s mission remains part of USPI’s everyday culture, Brett has helped direct USPI to become the largest ambulatory surgery platform in the country.

Throughout his tenure at USPI, Brett has served in multiple leadership roles including senior vice president, executive vice president, chief development officer and president. He became chief executive officer of the Company in November 2018.

Prior to joining USPI in 1999, Brett served as an assistant vice president at Baylor Health Care System, which was one of the founding partners of USPI.

Brett is a graduate of Texas A&M University where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Dallas.

Owen Morris serves as chief financial officer of USPI.

As CFO, Owen is responsible for leading the financial operations of USPI’s portfolio of ambulatory surgical facilities. He also serves as treasurer of publicly traded Tenet Healthcare, the parent company of USPI.

During his tenure at USPI, Owen has helped to spearhead many different strategic initiatives aimed at creating a more efficient and effective organization. He also has shepherded integration efforts surrounding major acquisitions, including the Company’s acquisition of 45 ambulatory surgery centers from SurgCenter Development in Dec. 2020.

Owen’s career includes years of financial leadership and healthcare industry experience. Prior to joining USPI in 2019, he served as managing director at Goldman, Sachs & Co. During his 11-year tenure at Goldman, he also served as head of the healthcare real estate practice and held many other responsibilities across real estate investment banking.

Owen received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and his Master of Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Margie Arion (MJ) serves as senior vice president for Tenet Healthcare’s talent management program and chief human resources officer of USPI, Tenet’s Hospital Operations and Tenet Physician Resources. In her role, MJ is responsible for designing and implementing HR strategies, solutions and programs across diversified business units.

MJ has more than 30 years of experience in HR, including leadership roles across a variety of industries. Prior to joining Tenet in 2018, she served as chief human resources officer at Acosta, a sales and marketing company. She also worked for 15 years at PepsiCo, holding various domestic and international HR leadership roles, including senior vice president of Global HR Transformation.

MJ holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cleary University and a Master of Science in industrial and organizational psychology from Walden University.

Peter Blach serves as a chief operating officer for USPI. He is also one of ten company leaders on Tenet Healthcare’s Diversity Council, which oversees diversity and inclusion initiatives across Tenet, USPI and Conifer Health Solutions primarily in the areas of recruitment and retention, training, communications and employee engagement.

Prior to becoming COO in April 2022, Peter was a market president for USPI, where he was responsible for operations in North Texas and Houston. His career at USPI has also included serving as vice president of sales and regional vice president of operations.

Before joining USPI in 2007, Peter was vice president of operations for Innova Healthcare and also held leadership positions within Triumph Healthcare and The Methodist Hospital in Houston.

Peter received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in both biomedical and electrical engineering and his Master of Business Administration from Rice University.

Collee is a seasoned compliance and privacy officer with more than 20 years off healthcare experience. Previously, she had served as a regional compliance officer for more than 20 Tenet hospitals in California and Arizona between 2019 to 2021. She rejoined Tenet/USPI in 2022 as a regional compliance officer for USPI, overseeing more than 65 ASCs in the western region.

Prior to joining Tenet, Collee served in compliance roles for Logan Health Montana, Sheridan Memorial Hospital and Kaiser Permanente.

Collee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy from College of Saint Benedicts/St. John’s University and a Master of Healthcare Administration and Business from the University of South Dakota.

Andy Johnston serves as chief administrative officer of USPI.

With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, Andy is a member of USPI’s executive team and oversees human resources, information technology, and legal and compliance among other responsibilities.

Prior to becoming CAO in 2023, Andy was a valued member of the USPI team from 2001 to 2020 and was instrumental in the company’s growth and success while serving as group president of operations, chief operating officer – east, and chief development officer. Andy has served in several senior executive roles with other healthcare companies, including as chief operating officer for U.S. Renal Care, a national operator of dialysis centers with over 350 locations.

Before joining USPI in 2001, Andy was part of the senior leadership team at OrthoLink Physicians Corporation, a practice management company focused on orthopedic and musculoskeletal practices. He joined OrthoLink through its affiliation with the Steadman Hawkins Clinic, a renowned orthopaedic clinic in Vail, Colorado, where he served as executive director.

Andy earned his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Duke University.

Andy McCawley serves as chief development officer of USPI, where she leads a team of development professionals and guides the Company’s strategy to expand and enhance its portfolio of ambulatory surgical facilities. She is also a member of Tenet Healthcare’s Diversity Council, which oversees diversity and inclusion initiatives across Tenet, USPI and Conifer Health Solutions primarily in the areas of recruitment and retention, training, communications and employee engagement.

Prior to her current role, Andy served as vice president of Tenet Healthcare’s corporate development team, where she was responsible for executing on a large volume of transactions while maintaining focus on strategic development and operational management. This work specifically included opportunities to acquire and divest various businesses, as well as the formation of other types of transactions like joint ventures and partnerships with health systems.

Prior to joining Tenet in 2015, Andy worked at Fortress Investment Group and served in various leadership roles for Fortress’ healthcare REIT. She also spent many years in private equity and start-ups, beginning her career at Morgan Stanley in its alternative investment partners group.

Andy received her bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and is a CFA Charterholder.

Tamala Norris serves as the Vice President of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer supporting USPI’s nursing operations, clinical practices, quality and safety.

Prior to joining USPI in 2016, Tamala worked for Texas Health Resources as a frontline nurse and sexual assault nurse examiner. She then served as a hospital and system leader of quality, patient safety, risk management, and regulatory operations.

Tamala holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from South University and a doctorate in healthcare administration from Walden University. She also serves as an editorial board member for the International Journal of Nursing Sciences and Clinical Practices and as a board member for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaborative.

Dr. Simon is a member of the Pinnacle Clinical Governance Board and is Co-Divisional Manager of Physicians Anesthesia Practice. He serves as a member of the Pinnacle Human Resources Committee. Dr. Simon has been an Attending Anesthesiologist at Baylor University Medical Center for over 20 years and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He is currently Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at North Central Surgical Center and has been the Medical Director of that institution since its inception. Dr. Simon received his medical degree from The University of Mississippi School of Medicine.