Noel J. Cardenas, FACHE, is senior vice president/CEO, Memorial Hermann Southeast and Pearland Hospitals, Houston.

He also serves on the Board of Governors 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 advancing health.

Board certified in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow, Mr. Cardenas served as the ACHE Regent for Army from 2013 to 2015, and as president of the ACHE-SouthEast Texas Chapter from 2020 to 2021. He also served on several ACHE committees.

Before assuming his current role in 2020, he was vice president, Operations/COO, Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital, Humble, Texas, from 2015 to 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Cardenas served in the U.S. Army and Texas National Guard in the following roles: CEO/hospital commander, Reynolds Army Community Hospital, Fort Sill, Okla., from 2013 to 2015; COO, Brooke Army Medical Center/Healthcare System, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from 2010 to 2013; CEO/commander, 421st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, Wiesbaden, Germany, from 2008 to 2010; CEO/commander, Medical Task Force 421st Multifunctional Medical Balad, Iraq, from 2008 to 2009; COO, Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, Colo., from 2006 to 2008; and COO, Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., from 2004 to 2006.

In addition to his service to ACHE, Mr. Cardenas is a board member of the Pearland Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership and Texas A&M University School of Public Health External Advisory Council.

He received the Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent Award from ACHE in 2008 as well as the Distinguished Service Award (2014) and the Exemplary Service Award (2016) through the ACHE Recognition Program, and an ACHE Governors Award in 2016.

Mr. Cardenas earned a Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Baylor University, Waco, Texas, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Texas, Austin. In 2017, he participated in the Memorial Hermann Physician Network and Rice University Executive Education Program.