Donna Lynne, DrPH, is the Chief Executive Officer for Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA), a $1.5 billion community-based clinic and hospital system, providing 1.4 million patient visits a year. DHHA also operates a health plan, 19 school-based clinics, 10 ambulatory clinics, the paramedic system for Denver and surrounding counties and numerous public health services. Prior to becoming CEO of DHHA, Donna was the Chief Operating Officer of Columbia University Medical Center and the CEO of Columbia Doctors, a 2,600-physician faculty practice organization supported by over 7,000 non-physician staff. Donna also served as the University’s COVID-19 Director. Until January 2019, she was Colorado’s 49th Lieutenant Governor and Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Lynne also served as the executive vice president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, and as group president responsible for its Colorado, Pacific Northwest and Hawaii regions—overseeing an $8 billion budget, 1.4 million members and 16,000 employees.
Dr. Lynne has been recognized as one of the top women business leaders in Denver and one of the top 25 Women in Healthcare in the nation. Earlier in her career, she also spent 20 years working in various positions in New York City government including First Deputy Commissioner at the Office of Labor Relations, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations and Senior Vice President of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Dr. Lynne holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from University of New Hampshire, a Masters of Public Administration from George Washington University, and a Doctor of Public Health from Columbia University. In 2014, she received an honorary doctorate of public service from the University of Denver, and in 2017 an honorary bachelor of science degree in nursing from Colorado Mountain College. Her current board service includes Advance EDU, Colorado Hospital Association, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and University of Denver. She has also been an adjunct professor at Columbia University since 2005.
