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Executive Team

You and your family can feel confident knowing that your health care is being managed by people whose number one priority is making sure you’re getting the help and treatment you need.

Home About Valleywise Health Executive Team

Our Valleywise Health executive leadership team is made up of caring people who are dedicated to making sure you and your family are always getting great health care in the best possible clinics and hospitals. You deserve the greatest care the medical field has to offer, and our leadership team is committed to keeping us engaged with the latest technologies, techniques and tools so that we can give you everything you need and more.

Steve Purves

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Steve Purves became President & Chief Executive Officer of Valleywise Health in Phoenix, Arizona in September 2013. Valleywise Health is Arizona’s largest and longest serving public teaching hospital and health care system and includes the Roosevelt Campus- Hospital, the Arizona Burn Center, the Arizona Children’s Center, a Level I Trauma Center, two behavioral health centers and a network of 13 Federally Qualified Health Centers that serve Phoenix and Maricopa County.

Valleywise Health has 10 ACGME accredited residency programs with over 350 residents, hundreds of medical student rotations and significant nursing and allied health training programs.

Mr. Purves works with the publicly elected five-member Board of Directors who represent the Maricopa County Special Health Care District, to provide executive leadership for the growth and development of Valleywise Health. Since 2013, Mr. Purves led a $120 million financial turnaround at Valleywise Health and helped secure $935 million in general obligation bonds passed by voter referendum in 2014. These funds will allow Valleywise Health to replace aging facilities and to reinvent its’ care model to better serve the public in the years to come.

Mr. Purves is actively involved in the community as an ambassador for Valleywise Health and in a variety of roles outside his health care duties. He serves on the boards of America’s Essential Hospitals, the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association, the Arizona State University Health Advisory Board and Health Care Futures Council, Valleywise Health Foundation and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. He was elected Chairman of the Arizona Health and Hospital Association in 2017. He is a member of the regional policy board of the American Hospital Association, and is a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership.

Mr. Purves has over 37 years of service as a health care executive serving in the investor-owned, public, academic and private not-for-profit settings. Prior to joining Valleywise Health, Mr. Purves served 7 years as President & CEO of Munroe Regional Health System, Inc., a public, not-for-profit health care system that serves Marion County and North Central Florida. Prior to that Mr. Purves served 8 years as President & CEO of the Sisters of Charity Providence Hospitals in Columbia, South Carolina, a two-hospital regional health system serving the midlands of South Carolina. During his time in South Carolina, he served as Adjunct Professor for the University of South Carolina School of Public Health and Chairman of the South Carolina Hospital Association.

Mr. Purves has numerous awards and honors; including an appointment by the Secretary of the Army to the position of Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for South Carolina in 2001. He was awarded the U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in 2006. He was named one of the top 25 most influential leaders in Phoenix Arizona by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2017. He was the recipient of political advocacy awards from the American Hospital and the Florida Hospital Associations, and in 2013, was honored with the presentation of the “Key to the City” by the mayor of the City of Ocala during his time in Florida

He received his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and his Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education from Springfield College in Springfield, MA. Purves is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Purves is a native of Roanoke, Virginia. He and his wife, Mary Anne, have two grown children.

Dr. Michael White

CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER

Michael White, MD, joined Valleywise Health as Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer (EVP, CCO) in August 2019. In his role, Dr. White works to advance the Mission, Vision and Values of Valleywise Health to improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient experience, and grow key programs. He also serves as a liaison with our partners at District Medical Group and the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance.

Claire Agnew

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Claire Agnew has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Valleywise Health since December 2020. She is responsible for the development and implementation of financial strategies, operating and capital budgets, revenue cycle, and system of financial reporting and controls that support the mission and goals of Valleywise Health.

Michelle Barker

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FQHC CLINICS

Michelle Barker, a highly experienced and passionate health care leader, became Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Valleywise Health’s 11 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in 2023.

Beth Beckman

CHIEF NURSING OFFICER

Beth Beckman holds a Doctor of Nursing Science, a Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Throughout her distinguished career, she has led transformational initiatives in nursing practice, championed equity in healthcare, and remained committed to improving care for underserved and at-risk communities. Most recently, she served as Interim Chief Nursing Officer at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, following a similar role at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. Prior to that, she was the System Chief Nurse Executive at Yale New Haven Health and spent more than a decade with the Baylor Scott & White Health System. Beth has been an ANCC Magnet Appraiser for 23 years and is on the system Board for Intermountain Health as Chair of Clinical Excellence.

Lia Christiansen

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Lia Christiansen joined Valleywise Health as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in February 2021. As CAO, she will lead Human Resources, IT, Marketing, Business Development, Ancillary and Support departments and key Care Reimagined projects such as construction of the new medical center. Lia most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for Acute Care for M Health Fairview, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ijana Harris

CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

Ijana M. Harris is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, at Valleywise Health,
Arizona’s public teaching hospital and safety net system of health care. As Executive Vice
President and Chief Legal Officer, Ijana provides legal advice and counsel to Valleywise Health
Senior Leadership, the Board of Directors for the Maricopa County Special Health Care District
and the Valleywise Community Health Centers Governing Council. Ijana advises on a wide
variety of matters relating to the operation of a public health care system, including health care
law and regulations, employment law, medical malpractice defense, contracts and public
procurement.

Additionally, Ijana oversees the Risk Management Department and is tasked with litigation management and risk mitigation for the system. Most recently, her guidance was instrumental in putting together a bond election in 2025 to more than double the number of behavioral health beds on the main campus of Valleywise Health. The $898 million bond measure, approved by Maricopa County voters in November, also provides funds to expand observation beds which improve emergency room capacity and trauma capacity, build an outpatient specialty and surgery clinic, upgrade community health centers, and increase capacity to teach the next generation of doctors and mental health professionals.

Ijana joined Valleywise Health in 2018 as Assistant General Counsel, and in 2019, Arizona Business magazine named her Up and Comer of the Year. In 2021, after playing a pivotal role in guiding the organization through the changing legal terrain of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was promoted to Associate General Counsel. In 2023 she was named Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Her stellar performance in that role, business acumen and strategic foresight lead to her promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer- the first individual to hold this role and title in the history of the organization. This elevation in title reflects the scope, influence, and strategic importance of her role as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and a valued peer to the executive leadership team. Ijana now serves as a dedicated resource responsible for providing direct support to the Board of Directors on all matters requiring legal expertise and guidance.

Prior to joining Valleywise, Ms. Harris worked as an Associate Attorney at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, in the Products Liability Practice group, with a special emphasis on tire defect litigation, heavy equipment and machinery, and catastrophic loss litigation involving claims of permanent disability or death.

Ms. Harris started her career as the first associate hand-selected to join the ASU Alumni Law Group, a unique non-profit law firm focused on providing the community with access to legal services at reduced rates. As an Associate, Ms. Harris represented clients in criminal, civil, and family law cases in Maricopa and Pinal County.

Ms. Harris graduated Cum Laude, in May 2008 from Arizona State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. Ms. Harris graduated from Sandra Day O’Connor, College of Law in May 2013, and was given the Class of 2013 Dean’s Award for her exemplary contributions to the law school. In law school, Ms. Harris served as the President of the John P. Morris Black Law Students Associate, a Student Representative on the Faculty Appointments Committee, and as a teaching assistant for Legal Advocacy and Legal Method and Writing. Ms. Harris worked as a Judicial Extern for United States District Court Judge, Steven P. Logan and at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Prior to law school, Ms. Harris worked in legislative and governmental affairs for the Arizona Attorney General and assisted in formulating and advocating the Attorney General’s legislative agenda at the Capitol.

Ms. Harris was a selected participant in the 2016 Ladder Down Class, a business development group, focused on leadership empowerment, business development, and mentoring.

In 2017, as part of the festivities commemorating Arizona State University, College of Law’s 50th anniversary, 50 stars from the alumni community were recognized, one star for each year of the law school’s existence. Ms. Harris nomination as the star from the Class of 2013 highlights her positive impact on the law school, the community, and the legal profession.

In 2024 Becker’s Hospital Review named Ijana as a Rising stars: 42 healthcare leaders under 40 Rising stars: 42 healthcare leaders under 40 | 2024 | Becker’s

In 2025, Phoenix Business Journal selected Ijana as a member of the Class of 2025 40 under 40. Meet the 2025 class of 40 Under 40 – Phoenix Business Journal

Deb Sunman

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Deb Sunman serves the Chief Human Resources Officer, overseeing the organization’s human resources strategy in support of patient care, workforce sustainability, and organizational performance.

Warren Whitney

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

As Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Warren Whitney oversees government affairs, real estate, and all Valleywise Health construction planning and development. He also oversees marketing and communications and support services.

Executive Team

Steve Purves

Dr. Michael White

Claire Agnew

Michelle Barker

Beth Beckman

Lia Christiansen

Ijana Harris

Deb Sunman

Warren Whitney

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