With over 30 years of healthcare leadership, the new president will guide Tufts Medical Center’s strategic and operational direction, aiming to elevate patient care, attract top talent and strengthen its role as a leader in academic medicine.

Tufts Medicine today announced the appointment of John Herman as the new President of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, the health system's academic medical center. He will begin his new role in early September 2025.

A seasoned executive with more than 30 years of leadership in academic and community health systems, Herman brings a distinguished track record of operational excellence, clinical innovation, strategic leadership and a deep commitment to patient care quality, research, education, and population health.
Herman will assume strategic and operational leadership for Tufts Medical Center. He will work to advance high-quality, outcome-based patient care while fostering an environment that attracts top talent, drives discovery and strengthens the medical center's position as a regional and national leader in academic medicine.

"John's appointment marks an exciting chapter for Tufts Medical Center," said Phil Okala, Chief Operating Officer of Tufts Medicine. "He brings extensive experience in leading complex health systems and driving measurable improvements in quality, financial performance, program growth and staff and physician engagement."

Herman most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. During his tenure, he expanded and advanced programs including proton and CAR-T therapies, increased clinical trial enrollment, strengthened a top-ranked family medicine residency program and improved financial performance with revenues exceeding $2 billion.

Herman spent seven years with Ochsner Health System in Louisiana, where he served as Chief Operating Officer of Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans and later as CEO of the Northshore Region. He led transformational growth initiatives, including the development of a new cancer center and the integration of clinical care and research across centers of excellence, while growing revenues by more than 28 percent and consistently achieving operating margin targets.

Before joining Ochsner Health System, Herman held leadership roles for 18 years at Catholic Health System in Buffalo, NY, where he served as Chief Operating Officer of Mercy Hospital of Buffalo and Kenmore Mercy Hospital.

"I am honored to join Tufts Medicine and contribute to the storied mission of excellence in care, research and education at Tufts Medical Center," said Herman. "Working with the remarkable faculty, staff, and learners at Tufts Medicine offers an extraordinary opportunity."

Herman holds an Executive MBA from the State University of New York, a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Canisius College, and an executive certificate in Managing Healthcare Delivery from Harvard Business School.

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