New President Named at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center
Date: 02/26/2025
New President Named at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center has announced Ava Collins as its new president. Collins joined Northern Light Health in June of 2024 as vice president of Oncology Services and accepted the role of interim president at EMMC in October. During that time, she has worked tirelessly to lead the team in developing a strategy for EMMC's financial recovery.
In making the announcement today, Paul Bolin, executive vice president, and chief people and administrative officer, said Collins’ extensive experience and remarkable leadership abilities make her well-suited to move EMMC toward a more sustainable future of caring for our patients, community, and one another. In addition to president of EMMC, Collins will continue to serve as a senior vice president for Northern Light Health.
“As I step into the role of president at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, I am truly excited for what the future holds. I am eager to continue leading our talented teams, building upon the strong foundation that has been established and forging new paths that will enable us to better serve our community” says Collins. “With a shared commitment to excellence, I am confident that we will continue to make a positive impact and ensure that our patients receive the highest quality care.”
Tim Dentry, president and CEO, Northern Light Health says, “I am exceptionally pleased that Ava Collins has accepted the position of EMMC president. As the interim in that role, she proved herself to be highly capable and we are most fortunate to have someone of her caliber within our own ranks at Northern Light Health to fill this important job. Ava is a strong leader who understands how to deliver on strategy, clinical operations, and importantly, culture. I look forward to continuing working with her in this capacity.”
Prior to arriving at Northern Light Health Collins served in executive roles for Tenet Healthcare, in Framingham and Worcester, including chief executive officer of MetroWest Medical Center, a multi-site campus with acute care and behavioral health hospitals in Massachusetts. In addition to leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, she directed transformational initiatives, fostered innovation, and drove high impact capital projects to ensure sustainability and growth.
Collins also served in various executive roles with Ochsner Health in New Orleans, leading teams at the Academic Medical Center, within the community hospital network and across the System. She orchestrated the re-opening of Ochsner Baptist Hospital after Hurricane Katrina; the opening of the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center at the flagship Medical Center; led the system operating cycle and strategic planning process; and navigated the planning, impact, and recovery of Hurricane Katrina.
Collins holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Science from Northeast Louisiana University and is board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
While we’ve worked with her for some time now, we are thrilled to welcome Collins as EMMC’s new president and look forward to her leadership.
Members of the media wishing to speak with Ava Collins may contact Marketing and Communications at 207.973.9530 or
emmcmediarequest@northernlight.org