The Woman’s Hospital of Texas names new CMO

Cindy Celnik, M.D., will be joining The Woman's Hospital of Texas, an HCA Houston Healthcare hospital, as chief medical officer, effective Nov. 11. Celnik, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, has been the south area specialty chief for Colorado Permanente Medical Group in Denver and the ob/gyn department chair at the organization's Arapahoe Medical Office.

Celnik is a proven healthcare administrator, capable of developing and implementing innovative initiatives that improve patient care, clinical quality, operational efficiency and physician engagement.

She earned a bachelor of arts degree with honors in psychology from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, where she was on the dean's list. She went on to earn her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, where she was ranked "outstanding" in her clinical rotations. She is currently in the final months of earning an MBA in healthcare administration.

Celnik is replacing Terry L. Simon, M.D., who has been the hospital's CMO since April 2014. Simon is moving to HCA Houston Healthcare's division office, where he will join division CMO Stephen Nesbit, D.O. and division associate CMO Mujtaba Ali-Khan, D.O. Simon will be overseeing the care all HCA Gulf Coast Division hospitals provide women and babies.

"Cindy attended college on a full athletic scholarship, and attributes her dedication to standing up to challenges and never letting failure stop her to her experiences playing competitive volleyball," said Elizabeth Ortega, CEO of The Woman's Hospital of Texas. "We look forward to Cindy bringing her energy and experience to the hospital."