___________________________________________________________________________ Mary Washington Healthcare
▲ Dr. Christopher Newman
The link between music and leadership isn’ t as distant as you might think. Both depend on listening, collaboration, and authenticity.“ People gravitate toward authenticity. I’ ve always believed in authentic leadership and simply being myself. Whether I’ m at work, with friends, or playing music, you’ re going to get the same me every time.” The same consistency would shape his approach to medicine.
He started in a rural Midwestern town.“ I was a solo practitioner right out of school in the rural Midwest and really saw everybody that came in regardless of the ability to pay.” Not every bill got paid in cash.“ I had patients who paid me in trade because they had no other way to pay. One family stripped the wallpaper and painted my house because I’ d taken care of them for free for years. I care deeply about serving everyone. Everybody needs healthcare, and I believe it’ s our responsibility to find ways to provide excellent care for every patient.”
Today, the scale of Mary Washington Healthcare differs, but the philosophy stays the same.“ As we’ ve grown, we’ ve worked to carry that same mission throughout the organization. Everybody deserves excellent care, respect, and dignity.”
As his leadership responsibilities grew, Dr. Newman earned an MBA to complement his clinical expertise and moved into executive roles. Before joining Mary Washington Healthcare in 2019 as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer, he held leadership positions at Penn State Health. He became president and CEO of Mary Washington in 2025.
Growing capacity
Mary Washington Healthcare has transformed alongside the region it serves.
Located between Washington, D. C., and Richmond, Virginia, Mary Washington Healthcare started with Mary Washington Hospital as a single community hospital, and now runs Stafford Hospital, a separate
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