HSHS Names Chief Administrative Officer of HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a leading Catholic health ministry with operations in Illinois and Wisconsin, announced today that Aryn Hunter, MPA, BSN, RN, has been named the first Chief Administrative Officer for HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield, effective July 19, 2026.

“HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital is a cornerstone of pediatric care for the HSHS central Illinois region, serving families across a 90-mile radius,” said Brian Brennan, President and CEO, HSHS Central Illinois Market. “Investing in dedicated leadership for the Children's Hospital reflects our strategic commitment to growing and strengthening pediatric services close to home, where families need them most. Aryn brings the operational vision and drive to guide the Children's Hospital through its next chapter of growth, and I am confident she will elevate the level of care we deliver to the children and families who depend on us."

In this role, Hunter will be responsible for overseeing nursing, operations and other organizational functions of the Children’s Hospital.

With over 20 years of clinical and operational experience in healthcare, Hunter currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer at HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield. Prior to starting that role in 2024, she served as the hospital’s Director of Operations. Other previous roles within HSHS include serving as manager of education, emergency preparedness coordinator and infection preventionist at multiple HSHS sites.

During her tenure at St. Francis Hospital, Hunter has driven mission-focused growth of services at this critical access hospital including a Cancer Care Center expansion project, doubling its size and offering value-based services, and recruiting various surgical specialists to the area to minimize travel burdens for patients.

Hunter earned her Master of Public Administration from Tarleton State University. Before moving into hospital leadership, she built a strong clinical foundation as an ICU and emergency department nurse, along with several years as a critical care flight nurse with Air Methods and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and as a research coordinator at Washington University School of Medicine at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

HSHS has begun recruitment for a permanent replacement for the CAO role at HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield.

Resources

Aryn Hunter, MPA, BSN, RN photo (PNG, 2.9 MB)