St. David's South Austin Taps Chief Nursing Officer

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — St. David’s South Austin Medical Center has named Ulondia Lee as its new chief nursing officer, officials announced Tuesday.

Lee succeeds Sally Gillam, who retired in April after serving 30 years in that role. Lee, who assumed her new role on April 8, formerly served as CNO at the 354-bed Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, a full-service acute care hospital in San Antonio, for three years.

“With more than 20 years of leadership experience in coordination of patient care, quality, efficiency improvement and managing clinical operations with fiscal responsibility, I am confident that Ulondia will serve as a valuable member of our leadership team,” David Huffstutler, president and chief executive officer of St. David’s HealthCare, said in a prepared statement.

As Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, Lee had direct oversight of all facility nursing operations where she established a nursing strategy to support the hospital’s long-range goals, including operational efficiencies, volume growth, physician relations and employee engagement, according to a bio. Prior to her role as CNO at Metropolitan Methodist, Lee served as vice president of clinical nursing and director of medical-surgical services, as well as coordinator of the hospital’s Magnet Program.

Lee has served in several nursing leadership positions throughout her nursing career, including medical-surgical assistant director at North Hills Hospital in North Richland Hills near Fort Worth, as well as nursing administrative supervisor at Osteopathic Medical Center in Fort Worth. Previously, she worked as a nurse in various departments at King’s Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Mississippi.

About St. David’s South Austin Medical Center

St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, which is part of St. David’s HealthCare, is a 334-bed acute care facility offering a range of complex specialties and sub-specialties, including a nationally accredited oncology program with the area’s only adult bone marrow transplant program; a trauma program that includes a Level II trauma center to treat the most severely injured and critical patients; a comprehensive cardiac program; full-service maternity and newborn care with Level I and II nurseries; and three full-service emergency centers in the communities of Bee Cave, Bastrop and Buda.