PeaceHealth names Matt Swafford executive vice president and chief financial officer

VANCOUVER, Wash. - PeaceHealth has named Matt Swafford as its next executive vice president and chief financial officer. Swafford will join PeaceHealth on Monday, Sept. 21, succeeding Ric Magnuson, who has served in the role on an interim basis since last year.

Swafford brings more than 36 years of experience as a banker, advisor and CFO to nonprofit health systems. Throughout his career, he has helped health systems navigate change, make difficult decisions and invest in caregivers, patients and communities. He currently serves as chief financial officer and senior VP of strategy and finance at St. Charles Health System in Bend, Oregon. At St. Charles, Swafford helped guide the organization through the years following the pandemic, strengthening financial performance while reinvesting in caregivers, services and the communities they serve.

Earlier in his career, Swafford advised nonprofit health systems across the country on strategy, financing, long-term planning and important investments. He has worked closely with executive teams and boards to help organizations make thoughtful decisions during times of change, always with an understanding that strong finances are what allow healthcare organizations to keep caring for the people and communities they serve. Swafford grew up in Portland and still has deep family roots throughout the Pacific Northwest. Continuing to serve communities he knows and cares about was an important part of his decision to join PeaceHealth.

"Matt joins PeaceHealth at an important moment," said Sarah Ness, PeaceHealth president and chief executive officer. "We are creating a stronger PeaceHealth, one that is easier for patients to navigate, better connected for caregivers and positioned to meet the needs of our communities well into the future. Matt has shared with me that he sees every financial decision through that human lens, which makes him a strong fit for our Mission and our commitment to put people first."

PeaceHealth also thanks Ric Magnuson, who has been serving as interim CFO since last year. During a pivotal period for PeaceHealth, Magnuson provided calm, steady leadership and helped guide many of the financial and stewardship commitments that have strengthened the organization. PeaceHealth is better positioned for the future because of his service.

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a nonprofit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, nearly 3,200 physicians and clinicians, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission.