Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, is president and CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 49,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. With comprehensive programs in credentialing, education, career counseling, publications and research, ACHE works toward its goal of being the preeminent professional society for leaders dedicated to improving health.

Before her appointment as president and CEO of ACHE, Ms. Bowen served as executive vice president and COO from 2003 to 2013, as vice president of administration from 1994 to 2000 and as director of government relations from 1992 to 1994.

Outside her service to ACHE, from 2000 to 2003 Ms. Bowen served as deputy executive director at the Society of Actuaries in Schaumburg, Ill. She served as director of the division of communications from 1987 to 1992 and deputy director in the division of public affairs from 1986 to 1987 at the State Medical Society of Wisconsin in Madison. Her nonprofit healthcare experience also includes posts at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Bureau of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services.

Ms. Bowen serves on the board of the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association, and she is past president of the International Hospital Federation Governing Council. Previously, she has served as chair of the boards of the Association Forum of Chicagoland and the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

Since becoming president and CEO of ACHE, Ms. Bowen has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare and one of the Top 25 Women in Healthcare.

She is board certified in healthcare management and a Fellow of both ACHE and the American Society of Association Executives. She is also a Baldrige Executive Fellow and a Certified Association Executive.

Ms. Bowen received a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University Chicago and a master’s degree in science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois State University, Normal, and completed the Executive Program in Healthcare Management at the Ohio State University.