Senior Leadership
At Emerson Hospital, we’re one big team. But within that team are smaller groups that make a huge impact on everything from daily operations to patient care to the hospital’s bright future. That’s where our senior leaders come in. Learn all about them below.
Christine Schuster, RN, MBA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Schuster has over 25 years of health care experience. Prior to joining Emerson in 2005, she served as president and CEO of Quincy Medical Center and previously Athol Memorial Hospital. She also served as chief operating officer of the Extended Care Division of Tenet Saint Vincent Healthcare System in Worcester and director of critical care at New England Deaconess Hospital. Early in her career, she was a healthcare consultant with Coopers & Lybrand. Ms. Schuster received her master’s in business administration, with honors, from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a bachelor of science in nursing from Boston University. In 2005, she was appointed by Governor Romney to serve on the Massachusetts Health Education and Financing Authority (HEFA) Board of Directors. She was later elected chairman of the Mass. HEFA Board. Ms. Schuster is a member of the American Hospital Association Metro Regional Council and the boards of the Voluntary Hospitals of America Northeast and the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals. She has served on the board of the Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA), where she chaired the Clinical Issues Advisory Council and was a member of the Leadership Education Committee. At MHA, she continues to advocate for quality, cost-effective patient care as a member of the Committee on Finance. She is also engaged in civic affairs and has served on the board of the Concord Chamber of Commerce and the Concord Economic Council. Ms. Schuster recently received the 2010 American Hospital Association Grassroots Champion Award for her work in advocating for quality patient care.
C. Gregory Martin, MD
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Martin serves as a link between Emerson’s medical staff and hospital administration and plays a leadership role in directing the hospital’s quality improvement and patient safety efforts. Dr. Martin served as the hospital’s interim president and CEO in 2005. Previously, he was medical director at Concord Hillside Medical Associates. Dr. Martin has been a member of the Emerson Hospital Board of Trustees since 2003 and a member of the medical staff for the past 10 years. He has practiced internal medicine in Massachusetts for nearly 25 years. Dr. Martin graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Rochester.
Jack Wilhelm, MBA
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Wilhelm is responsible for directing Emerson’s financial operations including budget and reimbursement, patient registration, revenue cycle management and financial accounting. He is also responsible for information systems, health information management and physician practice management. Most recently, Mr. Wilhelm served Northeast Health System as executive vice president. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Merrimack College and his master's in business administration from Babson College. He is a member of the Hospital Financial Management Association and other professional financial organizations.
Joyce Welsh, RN, MSM
Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer
Ms. Welsh is responsible for inpatient and outpatient nursing services, pharmacy, home care, transitional care unit, Mass General Cardiology Program at Emerson, and cancer services. She is a health care executive with more than 27 years of experience. Prior to joining Emerson, she worked at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston as the senior director of patient care services, where she was responsible for administrative and clinical activities for medical-surgical, critical care, cardiac catheterization lab, coumadin clinic, infusion therapy, and the development of clinical pathways. She earned a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in management, graduating with academic excellence from Emmanuel College in Boston. She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, and she serves on the Board for the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives.
Christine Gallery, JD
Vice President for Planning and Market Development
Ms. Gallery develops programs that ensure the continued growth of hospital services. She leads the organization’s strategic planning and business development efforts, directs the hospital’s marketing strategy and oversees physician recruitment and relations. She has been with Emerson since 1996. Previously, she was director of physician network development at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton. Ms. Gallery received a bachelor of arts in political science from the College of the Holy Cross and a J.D. cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. Ms. Gallery serves on the board of directors for the National Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, part of the American Hospital Association.
Jack Dresser
Vice President for Development and Community Services
Mr. Dresser develops philanthropic and volunteer resources to advance the mission of the hospital and supports the activities of Emerson Hospital Corporators and the Emerson Hospital Auxiliary. He joined Emerson Hospital in 2002 and has been in resource development for over 15 years. Previously, he had a career in commercial real estate development. He serves on the boards of the New England Association for Healthcare Philanthropy and the Concord Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Dresser has a bachelor of arts in history from Cornell University. He is a member of the Concord Rotary and is active in organizing and coaching youth sports.
Eric Stastny
Vice President of Operations and Chief Human Resources Officer
Mr. Stastny provides leadership for key operational departments including general services, support services, facilities, and construction/project management. In addition, Mr. Stastny leads the human resources functions at Emerson including employee recruitment and retention, employee relations, compensation and benefits, training, and organizational development. Mr. Stastny has a broad range of experience in human resources in both hospital settings and physician practices. Most recently, he was associate vice president for human resources at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston. Previously, he worked for Group Health Associates in Cincinnati, Ohio, managing the human resources operations for a multi-specialty physician practice. Mr. Stastny earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in healthcare administration from Ohio University.
Linda Battaglini, MS
Special Adviser to President for Governance
Ms. Battaglini works with the hospital's Board of Directors to develop the structures, processes and policies that enhance the board's ability to lead the organization effectively. She also leads special project assignments. She has been a senior vice president in health care strategic planning for over 25 years, working at multi-hospital systems in the Boston area at Hallmark Health and at United Health Services in Binghamton, NY. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Harpur College in Binghamton and a master’s degree in accounting from Binghamton University.