Leadership team
David Joos
President
Length of service at Abbott Northwestern: since 2018
Previous experience: Division Vice President, Operations, KentuckyOne Health in Louisville; Operations Administrator, Spectrum Health, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and OhioHealth in Columbus
Education: master’s business administration (Ohio University, Athens); bachelor of science (Ohio State University, Columbus)
Whitney Johnson
Vice president, Operations
Length of service at Abbott Northwestern and Allina Health: since 2018
Previous experience: President for Allina Health's Owatonna Hospital, Faribault Medical Center and New Ulm Medical Center
Education: master's and bachelor's degrees, University of Minnesota, nursing degree, South Dakota State University
Daniel O’Laughlin, MD
Vice president, Medical Affairs and Clinical Service Line – Acute Care Services
Length of service at Abbott Northwestern: since 2004
Previous experience: Residency in Emergency Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center and served as Emergency Medicine Chief Resident. Previous regional medical director of Emergency Care Consultants (ECC), an independent physician-owned emergency medicine practice that manages 10 emergency departments in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Education: bachelor of science in genetics and cell biology at the University of Minnesota; doctor of medicine from the University of Minnesota Medical School; Physician Leadership College, University of St. Thomas – Minnesota.
Steven Dickson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Vice president, Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer
Length of service at Abbott Northwestern: since 2021
Previous experience: Director of Patient Care, Emergency, Trauma, and Mental Health Services, Abbott Northwestern Hospital; Director of Nursing, Minnesota Department of Human Services; Director of Nursing, Acute Care Services M Health Fairview, Fairview Range. transplant clinical nurse specialist, Mayo Clinic; and various leadership and clinical positions for Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas.
Education: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Walden University; Master of Science degree in Nursing & Health Systems Management, Grand Canyon University; Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, Chamberlain College of Nursing; Executive Nurse Leader Certificate, Emory University.
Leah Schmoyer
Vice president, Human Resources
Length of service at Abbott Northwestern: since 2018
Previous experience: director of human resources, Abbott Northwestern, director of human resources, Buffalo Hospital - Allina Health, Sr. Human Resources Generalist at System Office and Mercy Hospital, part of Allina Health
Education: bachelor of science, business management/HR (St. Cloud State University), Certified Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR)