June 20, 2019 – Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has named Dr. Emily Ptaszek as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr. Ptaszek assumes the position on Aug. 19, upon the retirement of former President and CEO Mike Ellis.
“In appointing Dr. Ptaszek as CEO, the board recognizes and applauds her sound leadership skills, mission-driven attitude and expertise for improving operational excellence,” said Haris Domond, chairman of the board for Healthcare Network. “We are grateful that someone who understands the needs of the organization, the patients and greater community will lead us into the next chapter.”
Dr. Ptaszek currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida. She is a highly accomplished, board certified clinical psychologist who brings more than 10 years of clinical experience to her executive leadership role. 
Before joining Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida as the Chief Psychologist in 2013, she spent five years at the Veteran’s Administration as a Staff Psychologist specializing in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, she provided evidence-based treatment and consultative services in primary care for returning veterans.
In 2013, the opportunity to lead the integration of behavioral health service in primary care drew her to Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida. As the Chief Psychologist, she was charged with developing the organization’s integrated behavioral healthcare program. The integrated program combines primary health care and mental health care in one setting in an effort to improve access and reduce the stigma often associated with seeking mental health services. As a result, integrated behavioral health is available to Healthcare Network patients through its 21 practices, making Healthcare Network home to one of the most comprehensive programs in our region.
As a distinguished member of the Southwest Florida community, Dr. Ptaszek was named a 2014 40-Under-40 recipient by Gulfshore Business magazine. Furthermore, she was the inaugural recipient of the Alumni Award for Leadership, offered by the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Maryland. She currently serves on the board for the Naples Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Managers for Vivida Health. She is a past president of the Florida Psychological Association, Calusa Chapter, and previously served as a clinical instructor with FSU College of Medicine – supervising and teaching post-doctoral psychology fellows and medical students.
In addition to her work at Healthcare Network, Dr. Ptaszek remains dedicated to continuing education through her MBA coursework and membership with the American Psychological Association.
About Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida
The mission of Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida is to provide quality healthcare accessible to everyone in our community, regardless of ability to pay. Founded in 1977 to serve migrant farmworkers and their families in Immokalee, Healthcare Network now provides care to more than 51,000 residents of Collier County through 21 practices including the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® and the Health and Smiles Mobile. Healthcare Network provides primary healthcare services including internal medicine, family care, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and senior care as well as dental care and integrated behavioral health for both adults and children. For more information, visit www.HealthcareSWFL.org, or to schedule an appointment, please call 239-658-3000.
