Audrey Gregory, Ph.D., RN, is a Lynn University 2011 graduate and recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. She currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the AdventHealth Central Florida Division – North Region, which encompasses a growing network of care across three counties in northeastern Central Florida.
Based in Altamonte Springs, AdventHealth is the only national, non-profit system headquartered in Florida and is one of the nation's largest faith-based health care systems. Dr. Gregory's purview includes seven hospitals, more than 10,000 team members and over 2,000 medical staff members.
Gregory's background includes over 20 years of experience as a health care executive, building on her early experience as a registered nurse. It took Gregory years of following her "true north" to reach this point in her career and her path was anything but traditional.
Heading North
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, to a family of "helpers" and "servers"—including nurses, pastors and her mom who was a teacher—Gregory developed an early interest in leadership and helping people in need.
"People should not be afraid to ask for, or graciously accept, help," said Gregory. "They say it takes a village to raise a child … I think it takes a village to be human."
After spending her formative years in Jamaica, she moved to the U.S. to attend college and earned her Associate of Nursing degree before marrying her husband, Owen, who served in the military. The couple then moved to Europe and lived in Germany before moving back to Savannah, Georgia—this time, with their first child in tow.
"Just like that, I was a full-time mom with a full-time job as a nurse … and decided to go back to school," said Gregory. "I agreed to an accelerated path, which entailed earning my bachelor's and two master's degrees within three years. When I graduated from Georgia Southern University, I had a Bachelor of Science in nursing, a Master of Science in nursing, and a Master of Science in health services administration. It was a crazy time, and I'm not quite sure how I did it, but I was proud of myself."
The whirlwind of changes and challenges reminded Gregory that "life still happens," adding, "I had to get a maternity graduation gown because I was pregnant with my second child at graduation! It takes a lot of work to fulfill your dreams. You have to say to yourself, 'This is what I want, and this is how I'm going to arrange my life to make all of these things possible.'"
Gregory's resilience, determination, and an unyielding dedication to driving transformative change led her to pursue a Ph.D. in global leadership at Lynn, graduating in 2011. Since then, she's been a steadfast champion for health equity and today serves as a member of the Black Women CEO Roundtable, an initiative of the American Hospital Association's Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE).
"I've always loved that Lynn is so international. The university helps broaden how we think about people and their experiences. That worldview is so important," said Gregory. "As I entered health care, I experienced firsthand how women are treated differently; I was keenly aware that pregnant Black women in the U.S. face a significantly higher likelihood of issues during childbirth. My question always remained: How do we ensure equitable health care based on who people truly are? If we are not intentional about health outcomes, we won't have good health outcomes."
A partner and facilitator
Gregory's nearly 30-year career spans various leadership roles at multiple health care institutions across the U.S. She served as the chief nursing officer at Delray Medical Center, chief operating officer and market chief executive officer of Saint Francis Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, and chief executive officer of Placentia-Linda Hospital in Southern California.
Prior to joining AdventHealth, Gregory was president and group chief executive officer of Detroit Medical Center (DMC) in Michigan, serving on the Michigan Health & Hospital Association's board of trustees. Governor Gretchen Whitmer also appointed her to the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities.
During the pandemic, Gregory always remembered her role as a partner and facilitator.
"That was a pivotal moment in my career and life," said Gregory. "I was blessed to have a brilliant medical staff. There was one weekend when our physicians didn't sleep. It was a lesson in shifting our thinking about how certain populations may be affected differently by a disease."
Now at AdventHealth, Gregory oversees the strategic direction, development and execution of key strategies supporting the total network of care. She also builds influential relationships with key constituents, community partners and consumers.
"The best part of my job is seeing the impact of my team's work," said Gregory. "It may be an employee simply thanking me for something I helped them with or seeing the results of a potentially lifesaving study … I think that's tied to my upbringing in Jamaica, where it's common to think, 'What mark will I leave on the world? How will I make it a better place?'"
The champion for health equity
Gregory's leadership and contributions have been widely recognized nationally, including:
- Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Minority Leaders in Healthcare (2020)
- Modern Healthcare's Top Women Leaders in Healthcare (2022)
- Becker's Hospital Review's One of 70 African American Leaders to Know in Healthcare (2020)
- Becker's Hospital Review's Black Healthcare Leaders to Know (2023)
- Becker's Hospital Review's Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know (2023)
She's also impacting health care leaders within her local community. The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) in Volusia County launched the Dr. Audrey Gregory Leadership Development Program, an annual 10-person scholarship to nurture those in the midst of their leadership journey.
In her free time, Gregory enjoys reading, traveling, mentoring, and spending time with her family, which includes her husband, Owen, and their three children.
As far as giving back to Lynn, Gregory is organizing a lecture series to help inspire the next generation of leaders.
"It's essential for students to see women, and women of color, in leadership. I want to be impactful where I am," said Gregory. "I also want students to remember their true north—sticking to that will help keep the focus on their goals."
