BUILDING ON STRENGTH
Leading with Purpose at Beaufort Memorial
story by EMMA JUNE GROSSKOPF photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
As the Lowcountry’s population increases, so do its healthcare needs.
At Beaufort Memorial, a group of dynamic, community-minded women are part of the team leading the advancement of services and facilities to meet those needs.
These leaders have brought collaboration, clinical excellence and operational efficiency to the forefront, working together to position the health system for what comes next.
CLINICAL LEADERS ADVANCE PATIENT CARE
As Beaufort Memorial has evolved into a regional health system with a new hospital set to open in Bluffton early next year, its mission is supported by new leaders offering clinical and nursing leadership for a changing nursing workforce.
In March, Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer Marissa Jamarik, DNP, RN, NEA-BC joined Beaufort Memorial from Charleston, trading in a large hospital network for an ambitious community health system.
“Beaufort Memorial is so tied to its community,” she said. “Working in a facility like this and truly caring for your neighbors is impactful, both personally and professionally.”
The expanding reach of the health system requires pioneering leadership. Longtime nursing leader Ashley Hildreth, MSN, RN, CEN, SANE, stepped into the new role of Assistant Chief Nursing Officer to help prepare the organization for the opening of its Bluffton hospital.
She grew up at Beaufort Memorial, starting as a graduate nurse in the ER and eventually leading the organization as Corporate Director of Quality and Patient Safety Officer.
“As the organization has grown, I’ve grown,” Hildreth said. “And as the area grows, so does our reach. It’s exciting; every time the community has a need, Beaufort Memorial fills that gap and figures it out, and I’m excited to continue to be a part of that impact as ACNO.”
Vice President of Quality, Risk and Patient Safety Shawna Doran, MSN, RN, has been a leader at the organization since 2017, ensuring that patient care is consistently safe, effective and centered on best practices.
She’s also an executive sponsor for the Patient and Family Advisory Council, which amplifies community voices and integrates them into decision-making at the organization.
“When patients and families are engaged as partners, they provide unique insights into care processes, communication gaps and potential risks that may otherwise go unnoticed,” Doran explained. “This strengthens safety initiatives by grounding them in real-world experiences, ultimately leading to more effective, sustainable improvements.”
She has also guided Beaufort Memorial to clinical excellence for services such as cardiology, orthopedics, and stroke rehabilitation. Chief among these honors are The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Joint Replacement Surgery and disease-specific certifications for hip and knee replacement — an achievement earned only by four others in the state.
AN EXPANDING FOOTPRINT AND IMPACT
There’s a lot happening behind the scenes to keep a health system’s facilities, operations and services running seamlessly. That’s where Courtney Smith steps in as Beaufort Memorial’s first-ever Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.
Smith played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic as Beaufort Memorial Director of Special Projects and led the development of the Preoperative Assessment Clinic, which has become a key component of the Beaufort Memorial Total Joint Program through comprehensive patient preparation prior to surgery.
“I think that Beaufort Memorial’s resilience and innovation during the pandemic have helped prepare me to be an executive leader of hospital operations,” Smith said. “No two days are the same; things don’t always go as planned in healthcare, so you have to stay flexible, trust your team and keep moving forward.”
The COO role is all about efficiency, Smith said, as well as operational support. A health system is a coordinated effort of dedicated teams working together to deliver exceptional care; support services under Smith’s purview include imaging, rehab services, and dietary, environmental and maintenance services.
A leader within the organization since 2009 — and Chief Development Officer of the Beaufort Memorial Foundation since 2022 — Kim Yawn is also offering her strategic expertise to her new role of Vice President of Marketing and Development.
She continues to guide the Foundation’s important mission, now also overseeing strategic communication across the organization.
For a nonprofit community health system, outreach, philanthropy and advocacy at both the state and federal levels are critical.
Yawn has guided the Foundation in securing grant and donor support for transformative initiatives, including several pivotal programs that have made an impact after beginning this year alone. The main hospital in Beaufort is now home to an Evaluation and Assessment Unit to support ER operations in the case of behavioral health emergencies, and the hospital has piloted a virtual nursing program that began in the fall and has seen success across all its inpatient floors.
“Clear, consistent communication is essential to help our community know when and where to seek care and understand the financial impact of their healthcare decisions,” Yawn said. “Choosing Beaufort Memorial allows resources to be reinvested to expand access and ensure every member of the community receives the care they deserve.”
FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY
An evolving healthcare landscape requires a community hospital to be strong, adaptable and able to pivot financially. Christine Markowitz, CPA, filled the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer position in September 2025 and hit the ground running.
She’s charged with ensuring the organization’s financial stability amid increasing pressure from changes to federal programs that affect charity and uncompensated care, while also overseeing expenses and balancing the need for expansion — bringing the same steady commitment that has guided the health system’s success for more than 81 years.
Markowitz also collaborates with fellow leaders to identify projects that could benefit from grant funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, a federal initiative focused on strengthening care access and advancing innovation, infrastructure, partnerships and development in rural health.
“Every financial decision we make impacts our patients, staff and community,” Markowitz said. “My responsibility is ensuring that Beaufort Memorial is financially strong and acting as thoughtful stewards of resources while investing in programs, people and healthcare infrastructure that will position us solidly for the future.”
BUILDING A STRONG WORKFORCE AND FUTURE
Beaufort Memorial is the largest private employer in the county, and Allison Coppage, JD, CHC, Associate Vice President of Corporate Compliance, Privacy and Contracting, has helped advance two key initiatives to help find solutions for the pressing workforce challenges of affordable housing and accessible, reliable on-site childcare for employees.
In November 2024, the organization cut the ribbon on the on-campus location of the Beaufort Memorial Learning Center, an employer-subsidized childcare facility. Previously located on Lady’s Island, Coppage played a pivotal role in transitioning the facility to the hospital’s main campus.
Across all industries, affordable housing is a top barrier for the Lowcountry workforce, and healthcare is no different. Coppage supports the organization’s partnership with Woda Cooper Companies — a collaboration that will bring 120 units of workforce housing to Bluffton, less than a mile from where Beaufort Memorial is constructing its new hospital.
“It’s no secret that childcare and housing are huge challenges for a workforce like ours,” Coppage said. “For Beaufort Memorial leaders, the focus is to help our employees overcome those barriers as our health system evolves.”
While smart growth requires innovative methods of supporting the current workforce, it also means building a sustainable pipeline and ensuring that all Beaufort Memorial employees have opportunities to advance within the organization.
Since Tina Jackson, the first Beaufort Memorial Chief People Officer, joined the organization in August 2025, the HR department has entered a new chapter, weighing big-picture goals such as workforce and leadership development, recruitment, retention and partnering with schools for career education.
“This organization has built a legacy of excellence, and the experience we create for our employees — and building a strong pipeline for healthcare workers — has become more important than ever,” Jackson said. “We’re working to align our employees’ experiences with the heart of patient care, supporting staff and offering them the resources they need to grow from within.”
COLLABORATION THAT STRENGTHENS THE COMMUNITY
Beaufort Memorial’s momentum is grounded and strengthened by a group of passionate, forward-focused women whose influence can be seen across every facet of the organization, from operations and development to clinical services, and from human resources to financial stability.
“Women tend to bring a collaborative and solution-oriented approach to challenges, and in a healthcare setting, that means balancing urgency with empathy,” said Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley. “As leaders, we have to make critical decisions while never losing sight of the human impact they may have — on our patients, our staff and our community.”
As the organization continues to expand alongside its community, the leaders guiding it share a dedication to innovation, compassion and connection. That unwavering mission and its impact is far reaching, ensuring that the community health system is positioned to meet the changing healthcare landscape and the needs of the region, all while staying true to its commitment to caring for its neighbors.
