Leadership Changes Coming for Strong Memorial, Highland Hospital and UR Medicine System

University of Rochester Medical Center CEO David Linehan, M.D., announced plans to enhance the roles of two successful, long-standing leaders to strengthen the UR Medicine network of hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and home care agencies. Effective July 1, current Strong Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer Kathy Parrinello will become President and CEO of Strong Memorial Hospital and will assume the President and CEO role at Highland Hospital before the end of 2024. Steve Goldstein, currently President and CEO of Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital, will strengthen his current role to continue to direct strategic integration of the UR Medicine health system.

“UR Medicine hospitals and affiliates have tremendously strong leadership teams,” said Linehan. “Since COVID the challenges of running a health system have grown more intense. I’m fortunate as CEO to have two exceptional, visionary leaders who understand these challenges and have the expertise to ensure we continue to grow and thrive in the future.”

For the past 28 years, Goldstein has been a guiding force behind the growth and success of both Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital and was integral to the foundation and growth of the UR Medicine health system from the ground up. “Our affiliates are vital to our clinical enterprise and our community at large,” Goldstein said. “I look forward to working more closely with our affiliate leadership to ensure patients receive the highest quality healthcare as close to home as possible throughout upstate New York.”

With Goldstein, Parrinello has dedicated her career to overseeing the operational growth and success of Strong, and her portfolio of accomplishments over the past three decades has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in our community.

“I am honored for the trust given to me to lead two of our region’s leading hospitals,” Parrinello said. “Strong is where I started my career—literally as a staff nurse—and it will always have a special place in my heart. Highland is a vibrant hospital that is critically important to our community, and I’m excited to become part of the team.”