Joanne Marqusee to Leave Cooley Dickinson After Seven Years

NORTHAMPTON — Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson since 2014, announced she will leave that role to become chief integration officer for Wellforce, a growing healthcare system in Eastern Mass. that includes Tufts Medical Center, four community hospital sites, a broad provider network, and a homecare/hospice agency. At Wellforce, she will be responsible for developing and enhancing system-wide services to support operational excellence and growth.

“We are able to provide the best experiences for consumers and our care team when we work together. That is precisely why we are thrilled to add Joanne Marqusee to our Wellforce leadership team as chief integration officer,” said Michael Dandorph, president and CEO of Wellforce. “Joanne understands every type of healthcare setting, from academic centers to community hospitals and physician practices. She excels at leading with transparency and collaboration. Her expertise and direction will provide our teams the services and support they need to consistently deliver an unmatched consumer and patient experience, a key mission of Wellforce.”

Marqusee joined Cooley Dickinson following its affiliation with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the larger Mass General Brigham (MGB) system.

“Joanne has been integral in leveraging the strengths of MGH and MGB to expand services for patients and families in the Pioneer Valley, including opening the Mass General Hospital Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson and attracting a range of outstanding specialists to the area,” said Dr. Peter Slavin, MGH president. “She is a superb leader who has raised the standards of quality, equity, service, and accessibility at Cooley. Joanne clearly is leaving an important and lasting imprint on this very special hospital. We know she will be as successful in her new role, and we wish her the best — and we will miss her.”

During her tenure at Cooley Dickinson, Marqusee oversaw the creation of a behavioral-health pod in the Emergency Department, the opening of a new Breast Center, and substantial expansion in provider practices across a range of locations and specialties. She will also be remembered for her diversity, equity, and inclusion work, starting with LGBTQ programs and more recently launching a comprehensive anti-racism plan. In addition, she has frequently spoken out on important public-health and policy issues, particularly those that affect marginalized communities.

“Joanne has been an extremely effective leader and has left Cooley Dickinson in a strong position,” said Fraser Beede, chair of the board of trustees. “We will continue to build on her legacy and provide high-quality, compassionate care for the community.”

A transition plan will be announced in the coming weeks.

“My seven years at Cooley have been the highlight of my career,” Marqusee said. “I am so gratified to have worked with the people here. The staff at Cooley Dickinson is incredibly talented, committed, and caring. I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished together, including — but certainly not limited to — the amazing care and compassion that the people of our hospital offered, and continue to offer, to patients and the community throughout the pandemic.”

Prior to her tenure at Cooley Dickinson, Marqusee, a graduate of Cornell University and the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, was COO of MelroseWakefield Healthcare (formerly Hallmark Health) and spent 16 years at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where she consistently was promoted to positions of greater responsibility, including vice president of Access; vice president of Ancillary, Support and Community Services; and senior vice president of Operations.

Marqusee is a board member of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Assoc. and serves on the steering committee of Extraordinary Women Advancing Health Care. In addition to her roles in Massachusetts, she previously worked for the New York State Department of Health in the Division of Health Care Financing, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., and the New York City Office of the Mayor.

“I look forward to joining the Wellforce system, as I firmly believe in its mission to strengthen community care and redefine healthcare through innovation,” Marqusee said. “Throughout my career, I have focused on the patient experience, continuous quality improvement, operational excellence, and caregiver engagement. It will be my pleasure to work with the Wellforce team as it becomes a fully integrated health system, positioned for great success.”