Renown Health Expands Leadership Role of Chris Nicholas to Include System COO
December 17, 2025
Renown Health announced that effective Jan. 1, 2026, Chris Nicholas, MHA, FACHE, current CEO of Renown Regional Medical Center, will be expanding his responsibilities to also become the Chief Operating Officer for Renown Health. In this dual capacity, Mr. Nicholas will manage critical aspects of Renown Health strategic plan implementation, including overseeing the health system’s Transformation Management Office and Master Facility Plan, and leading the Accelerating Care Transformation (ACT) team to coordinate system-wide performance improvement efforts and ensure long-term sustainability.
A Decade of Impact Across Renown Health
“Chris has consistently demonstrated a passion for aligning performance with strategic goals, fostering effective communication, promoting collaboration, building strong physician partnerships, and achieving impactful results,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President & CEO, Renown Health. “His leadership of Renown Regional Medical Center has driven innovative new programs to engage employees and physicians that have enhanced patient care and operational efficiency through clear goal setting, open communications, accountability and team building. Expanding his responsibilities to system COO allows us to bring that same disciplined operational focus and People-First approach across our entire health network.”
Over the past decade, Mr. Nicholas has made substantial contributions to Renown Health in his current role as well as previous roles, including Vice President & Administrator of Renown South Meadows Medical Center and the Institute for Neurosciences, as well as Senior Administrator of Rehabilitation Services and Renown Rehabilitation Hospital, where he led post-acute services and partnerships.
Education and Professional Leadership
Mr. Nicholas holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration management from the University of Texas at Arlington and a BA in Business Administration from Texas Tech University. Additionally, he is a:
- Nevada Hospital Association, Vice Chair & Board Member
- American Hospital Association: State Delegate NV, Regional Policy Board
- American College of Healthcare Executives Nevada Chapter, Past President
- REMSA Health, Board Member
- High Fives Foundation Board Member
Renown Regional Medical Center is an 826-bed urban safety net hospital serving one million residents across 100,000 square miles in Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Founded as Washoe Health System in 1862 during a smallpox outbreak, this clinic became the state’s first hospital when Nevada became a state in 1864. Today, the not-for-profit hospital serves as northern Nevada’s only Level II Trauma Center, for both adults and children, between Sacramento and Salt Lake City.
Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated academic health care network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health.
About Renown Health
Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit academic health care network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health.
RENO, Nev. (Oct. 21, 2026) — Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) are marking five years since formalizing their historic 50-year affiliation agreement, a partnership that established Nevada’s first and only integrated academic health system and brought patient care, medical education and research together under a shared vision for a healthier Nevada. While the organizations’ long-standing relationship spans decades, their formal affiliation in 2021 created a framework to strengthen Nevada’s physician workforce, expand clinical training opportunities and advance healthcare throughout the region.
Today, Renown Health released its 2027-2029 Community Health Implementation Strategy, outlining how the health system will work alongside community partners to address the most pressing health needs identified through the 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Additionally, applications are now open for Renown's 2027 grant cycle. As northern Nevada's largest independent, locally owned not-for-profit academic health system, Renown Health reinvests 100% of its profits back into programs, services and partnerships that improve community health.
"The Community Health Needs Assessment helped us understand where our community faces the greatest challenges and opportunities," said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Renown Health. "Our implementation strategy represents our commitment to action. Through collaboration, investment and measurable goals, we will continue working alongside community partners to improve health outcomes across northern Nevada. As a not-for-profit academic health system, this work is imperative to our commitment to improving our community's health and ensuring our resources are directed toward areas of greatest need.”
The three-year strategy focuses on four priority areas identified through the CHNA: mental health, access to health services, economic stability, and health risk behaviors and early detection. To support implementation of these priorities, Renown is opening applications for community funding opportunities designed to advance local solutions to identified health needs.
The 2027-2029 Community Health implementation strategy is available here.
“As Nevada's only not-for-profit academic health system, we are living up to our commitment of expanding access in order to meet the healthcare needs of our rapidly growing community,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Renown Health. “Our plan to expand access to pediatric care through the Golisano Children's Hospital focuses on bringing new and advanced pediatric care options. Additionally, it prioritizes training and recruiting the best talent to our community through our academic integration with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.”
