BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — UAB Health System recently announced the appointment of Terri Poe, formerly of Opelika, as its inaugural Chief Nursing Executive following a competitive national search.
According to the press release from UAB, Poe is a highly respected nursing leader with extensive experience across both UAB Hospital and UAB St. Vincent’s, bringing a deep understanding of nursing operations and interdisciplinary collaboration within a complex, integrated health system. She previously served as Chief Nursing Officer for UAB Hospital and held senior nursing leadership roles at UAB St. Vincent’s.
Poe joined UAB in 2009 as director of Emergency Services before being named Chief Nursing Officer in 2013. Her career spans decades of leadership in clinical operations, workforce development, patient care transformation and strengthening nursing cultures in both academic and community hospital settings.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Public Administration and a Doctor of Nursing Practice, all from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Poe is Nurse Executive Board certified and is an active member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives. She is also an American Essential Hospitals Fellow and a Johnson & Johnson Innovation Fellow.
In addition to her executive leadership roles, Poe serves as an associate professor in the Doctoral Program at the UAB School of Nursing.
UAB Health System leaders noted in the statment that Poe is widely recognized for her steady leadership, commitment to excellence and ability to unite teams around shared goals, making her well suited to lead nursing across the system in this new role.
In her new systemwide role, Poe will guide the vision for nursing across all UAB Medicine entities. Her focus will include aligning practice standards, advancing professional development and supporting the teams that deliver patient care throughout the system. Health system leaders said the position is central to strengthening nursing excellence and preparing the workforce for the future.
“I am honored to step into this new role and grateful for the trust placed in me,” Poe said. “Our nurses and clinical teams are the heart of this organization, and I am committed to supporting them, advancing our practice and strengthening the care we provide across all UAB Medicine facilities. I look forward to working together to build on the remarkable foundation we already share.”
UAB Health System CEO Dawn Bulgarella said Poe stood out during a competitive national search.
“During the national search, many exceptional candidates from across the country participated,” Bulgarella said. “Terri distinguished herself with her depth of experience, her understanding of both our academic and community environments, and her ability to connect strategy to the realities of frontline care. She is a trusted leader with a clear vision for how nursing can drive quality, culture and performance across the system. I am confident she is the right person to lead this work forward.”
Incoming Chief Operating Officer Janet Hadar said the chief nursing executive role is vital to the organization’s continued growth.
“The chief nursing executive plays a critical role in shaping how our entire system functions,” Hadar said. “Terri’s leadership will be instrumental as we continue to align practices, strengthen our workforce and ensure that every patient receives safe, high-quality care at each of our hospitals and clinics. Her collaborative approach will help accelerate progress and support our teams through the growth ahead.”
