New president named at Transylvania Regional Hospital

A chief nursing officer who has focused on patients her entire career has been tapped to lead Transylvania Regional Hospital, Mission Health announced.

Michele Pilon has accepted the position of President and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).

Michele, a resident of Eden, will join Mission Health on Nov. 14.

She is a graduate of the University of Akron and University of St. Francis. She most recently served as CNO at the 220-bed Memorial Hospital of Martinsville in Martinsville, Va.

“I’m excited to join the community and to serve the patients, family members and caregivers at Transylvania Regional Hospital,” she said. “My career in nursing started at the bedside. I have continued to focus on providing an exceptional experience for patients through the leadership roles I have had and I look forward to bringing that focus to Transylvania Regional Hospital.”

Her most recent career stops have included Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville, where she served as Chief Nurse Executive; Morehead Memorial Hospital in Eden, where she served as Vice President of Patient Care Services; Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, where she was Assistant CNO.

She has also practiced nursing and has held leadership roles in Florida and Ohio.

“Adding Michele to our regional executive team will help advance our system-wide key strategies including providing the safest, highest-quality, care in the nation when, where and how consumers desire it, achieving long-term financial stability, and effectively growing, and managing, the number of people we serve,” said Kathleen Culhane Guyette MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and President of Regional Member Hospitals.

The hospital will rely on her leadership to continue to develop clinical services initiatives including the construction of the new Emergency Department.

Michele succeeds interim President and CNO Melina Arrowood, who will be the hospital’s Clinical Operations Manager.