Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast announces new leadership

Trey Abshier joins as new President and CEO and BJ Fontaine returns as Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Miramar Beach, Fla. (July 22, 2024) - Trey Abshier, MHA, FACHE, will serve as President and CEO of Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, effective July 15, 2024. Trey succeeds Bryan Walrath who is now President and CEO of Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County, located in the Jacksonville area.

"I am looking forward to being a part of the community and contributing to the continued growth and success of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast," said President and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Trey Abshier. "It's my great pleasure to be able to serve alongside BJ Fontaine who will be returning as Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer."

Trey has held numerous leadership positions before joining Ascension. Most recently, he served as CEO for HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, Florida. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Trey is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and earned his Master of Health Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

BJ Fontaine, RN MSN, IHI IA, CPPS, will return to the hospital serving as Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, starting July 21. BJ, who was CNO/COO of Ascension Sacred Heart Bay for the past two years, brings a wealth of knowledge and more than 19 years of experience as a strategic nurse leader.

BJ spent more than 18 years at Sacred Heart Emerald Coast where she served as CNO for almost four years. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from American Sentinel University and her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Alabama. BJ has been a Florida Panhandle resident since 1996.

Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast is a full-service hospital with 24/7 emergency care for adults and children. Sacred Heart health system was recently named a top 15 health system in the country for 2024 by Fortune and PINC AI. The hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in the county for patient safety, experience, and satisfaction. It is a destination for specialty care including spine and joint replacement surgery, heart care, and cancer care. The hospital's Family Birth Place is recognized as one of the top maternity facilities in the country. To learn more visit ascension.org/EmeraldCoastFL.

About Ascension Sacred Heart
Ascension Sacred Heart, based in Pensacola, Florida, operates five hospitals and more than 100 other sites of care and employs more than 6,440 associates. In fiscal year 2023, Ascension Sacred Heart provided more than $142 million in community benefit and care for persons living in poverty. Ascension is one of the nation's leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2023, Ascension provided $2.2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 134,000 associates, 35,000 affiliated providers and 140 hospitals, serving communities in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.