MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Names Brandi Cassingham Chief Nursing Officer

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., May 8, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center named Brandi Cassingham, RN, Chief Nursing Officer. She replaces Kathy Dawson, RN, who is retiring after four decades in nursing.

Cassingham has spent the last decade with increasing executive responsibilities at Saddleback Medical Center, most recently as Executive Director of Acute Care Services. She was the hospital's first Lean Fellow, a designation achieved by a small percentage of individuals who undergo a transformational leadership process that furthers their ability to develop, resource and manage large-scale organizational transformations to benefit patients, staff and communities. Under her leadership, Cassingham created and implemented new models of patient care.

"Brandi is a compassionate and dynamic executive who is highly respected by our 600 nurses and the 2,500 physicians, employees and volunteers that support them," says Marcia Manker, CEO, Saddleback Medical Center. "She has distinguished herself as an innovative and effective leader who always puts patients first."

"I'm honored to be selected Chief Nursing Officer and follow in the footsteps of Kathy Dawson and the distinguished nurse leaders that served us since we opened our doors 44 years ago," says Cassingham. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to help lead our outstanding, dedicated nurses and look forward to all we can accomplish together to improve the health of our patients and communities we serve."

Cassingham received her Master's Degree in Nursing with a Nursing Administration focus and Bachelor's in Nursing from UCLA: Bachelor's in Exercise Science from USC; and Associate Degree in Nursing from Mount St. Mary's College.

Member of the Association of California Nurse Leaders and presenter at national conferences, Cassingham, her husband and two children live in Anaheim.

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is listed among America's Best Hospitals, Best of Orange County Hospitals, Top 50 U.S. Cardiovascular Hospitals and American Heart Association Cardiac and Stroke Care Gold Plus. Centers of Excellence include cancer, heart, pulmonary, orthopedics, spine, diabetes, neurology, neurosurgery, gastroenterology, emergency, critical care, breast health, imaging, geriatrics, and minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. It is a Magnet organization, highest honor for nursing excellence. The Women's Hospital at Saddleback Medical Center offers personalized obstetrics, perinatal programs and neonatal intensive care unit. Recent U.S. News & World Report high-performance rankings include heart failure and colon cancer surgery. It is part of MemorialCare with five hospitals, 200 care locations, MemorialCare Medical Group and Greater Newport Physicians. Visit www.memorialcare.org/saddleback-medical-center.  

SOURCE MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center