A prominent figure in healthcare recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Hospital Association.
Bellin and Gunderson Health System Executive Vice President Chris Woleske received the award as a testament to her significant contributions to healthcare at both the state and local levels.
Eric Borgerding, the WHA president and CEO, presented the award to Woleske in an unexpected moment during a board meeting in Green Bay.
The Distinguished Service Award is an annual honor that celebrates healthcare and executives who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the WHA and their communities.
Borgerding highlighted Woleske’s extensive impact on healthcare beyond her own organization, noting her influential leadership that has benefited the state of Wisconsin.
Woleske’s career at Bellin Health began in 1998, where she held several key leadership positions.
Her journey included roles such as general counsel, executive vice president, and chief operating officer before being named president and CEO in 2018.
Following the merger of Bellin and Gundersen Health System in late 2022, she took on the role of executive vice president of the combined entity and president of the Bellin Region.
Woleske’s strategic and operational leadership has been crucial in steering Bellin’s various branches, including their hospital, medical group, specialty group, psychiatric center, and Oconto Hospital.
Her leadership excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Chamber of Commerce Athena Award and the American College of Healthcare Executives Regents Award.
Woleske’s latest honor from the WHA further cements her reputation as a dedicated and influential healthcare leader.
