Leadership Team at Carondelet Hospitals

Guiding Us into the Future

Meet the people who are proudly leading Carondelet Health Network in our commitment to delivering high-quality health and wellness to the community. These leaders strive for excellence, innovation and accountability in all areas of care.

Carondelet Health Network Chief Executive Officer

Monica C. Vargas-Mahar, FACHE, is chief executive officer of Carondelet Health Network. A seasoned hospital executive, she has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare administration and served in multiple leadership positions. Prior to joining Carondelet, she was chief executive officer of The Hospitals of Providence East Campus and market chief operating officer of The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, Texas.

Vargas-Mahar is chair of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives and was appointed by The American Hospital Association to its Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award Committee. She also serves on the board for Trinity University Healthcare Administration Program, Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) and Loretto Catholic High School, and is former chair of the United Way of El Paso.  

She earned her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Calif.

 

St. Joseph’s Hospital Chief Operating Officer

Ryan Harper is chief operating officer at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was previously COO at St. Mary’s Hospital, and prior to joining Carondelet, he was chief strategy officer at Abrazo Scottsdale Campus in Phoenix, and served as manager of Government Relations for Tenet's Arizona Group, which includes Abrazo Health and Carondelet Health Network. Harper holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and a graduate degree from Duke University.

St. Joseph's Hospital Chief Financial Officer

Andy Garlington is the chief financial officer at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Before joining Carondelet, he was Vice President & Controller for Envision Healthcare in Nashville, Tennessee. He has also held healthcare finance leadership positions throughout Tennessee and Alabama. Andy received a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in Accounting and Finance and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

St. Mary’s Hospital Chief Operating Officer

Robbie Shappley is chief operating officer at St. Mary’s Hospital. Prior to joining Carondelet, he was COO for the Abrazo Scottsdale Campus and Abrazo Central Campus in Phoenix. He has also held healthcare leadership positions in southern California and Tennessee. Robbie received a Bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and an MBA from Wake Forest University, and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

St. Mary’s Hospital Chief Nursing Officer

Lynn Watson, RN is St. Mary’s Hospital Chief Nursing Officer. She has more than 20 years of experience and served as CNO and vice president of patient care services at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Illinois prior to joining Carondelet. Watson holds a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Illinois State University-Mennonite College of Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing Education and Administration from the University of Phoenix.

 

Holy Cross Hospital

Debra Knapheide, M.S.N.
Chief Executive Officer/CNO/COO

Debbie’s professional experience includes serving as director of multiple clinical departments and an Associate Program Manager for Psychiatric Services. As an Associate Chief Nursing Officer, she led the Clinical Services Division of an international health care organization. She has worked with health care professionals in the U.K., India and the Philippines, in both nonprofit and for-profit settings. She is credited with the development of a Bone and Joint Program at DePaul Health Center, a 600-bed hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, and has also consulted on competency-based education for clinical staff.

Debbie earned her B.S. in Nursing from the University of Missouri and her M.S. in Nursing and Leadership from Grand Canyon University.

Dina Rojas-Sanchez
Director of Support Services

Dina is the Director of Support Services for Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales. She joined Carondelet in April 1994. She has served in many capacities for the past 22 years leading the various departments of strategic planning, community relations, media relations and marketing. She has served as the lead of all ancillary departments overseeing the operations of facilities, environmental services, dietary services, business office, security and biomedical. Dina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Multicultural Education from Northern Arizona University.