CLEARLAKE, Calif. – St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake has announced the appointment of Colleen Assavapisitkul, RN, as its new chief nursing officer.

The appointment is part of an ongoing initiative by Adventist Health, the hospital’s parent organization, to increase operational effectiveness and local accountability through executive leadership.

Assavapisitkul is known for her passionate service in patient care, and for her dedication in her previous roles at St. Helena as director of quality/infection control and most recently as administrative director of patient care.

Over the past two and half years she has earned a strong reputation for focusing on improving quality standards, outcomes, and patient experience.

A career in health care that has spanned a variety of settings, including Hawaii, Oregon and Bangkok, Thailand, has provided Assavapisitkul with broad experience in patient care and infection control.

“I know Colleen personally as someone who truly leads with mission in mind, listens to her nursing team, and involves medical staff leaders in the process of guiding the clinical affairs of our health care delivery system,” said David Santos, chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “We give her our complete support, along with our commitment to excellence, and I am confident that she will play a pivotal role in leading us to our common goal: national preeminent status among critical access hospitals.”

St. Helena Hospital is part of Adventist Health, a faith-based, not-for-profit integrated health care delivery system serving communities in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Visit www.sthelenahospitals.org for more information.