Ocean Beach Health proudly announces that Merry-Ann Keane, MSN, RNC, FACHE, Superintendent and CEO, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 list of “236 Women Hospital and Health System Presidents and CEOs to Know.” The national list honors women leaders across the country who are expanding access to care, advancing equity, and driving meaningful improvement in their communities.
For a small, rural Public Hospital District like Ocean Beach Health, this recognition is especially meaningful. Among a list dominated by leaders of large academic medical centers and multi-billion-dollar health systems, Keane’s inclusion reflects the outsized impact that rural hospital leadership can have — and shines a national spotlight on the work being done every day to bring quality, close-to-home healthcare to the communities of the Long Beach Peninsula and South Pacific County.
Keane became CEO of Ocean Beach Health in September 2024, bringing more than three decades of clinical and executive healthcare experience. A lifelong advocate for rural health, she currently chairs the Washington State Hospital Association’s Rural Hospital Committee and serves on the boards of The Rural Health Enterprise, The Rural Collaborative, the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts, and the Pacific County EDC.
“Merry-Ann’s leadership is exactly the kind of mission-focused, values-based vision that makes rural healthcare work,” said Nancy Gorshe, Chair of the Ocean Beach Health Board of Commissioners. “This recognition belongs not just to her, but to the entire Ocean Beach Health team and the community that supports them.”
Under Keane’s leadership, Ocean Beach Health has continued to invest in the future of care for the region, including capital improvements and expanded services supported by the community.
About Ocean Beach Health
Ocean Beach Health is a community-owned Public Hospital District serving South Pacific County, Washington, operating a critical access hospital, four medical clinics, and a wellness and rehabilitation center. A bond-funded Express Care clinic is under construction.
About Becker’s Hospital Review
Becker’s Hospital Review is a leading healthcare news and information publication that covers hospitals, health systems, healthcare leadership, finance, technology, quality, and workforce issues across the United States. It is part of Becker’s Healthcare, a multimedia organization that provides news, conferences, podcasts, and educational content for healthcare executives and industry leaders. Becker’s is widely read by hospital administrators, physicians, and healthcare decision-makers and is considered a trusted source of healthcare business and leadership news.
