JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Laura Smith, R.N., CEO, of Ellett Memorial Hospital in Appleton City, Mo., began her three-year term as a member of the MHA Board of Trustees on Jan. 1, 2023. As a member of the MHA board, she will provide governance for the association and assist in the development of policy on behalf of the state’s 140 member hospitals.
“Laura will offer important insights as a CEO with nursing experience and deep operational experience,” said Jon D. Doolittle, MHA President and CEO. “As the leader of a small rural hospital, she will help us better understand how to ensure rural Missourians and the hospitals that support their care — remain healthy.”
Smith joined Ellett Memorial Hospital in 2008 serving as a licensed practical nurse. She received her nursing degree in 2013 and was named Chief Nursing Officer in 2017. In 2019, she was selected to serve as CEO. She is a lifelong resident of St. Clair County.
The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association in Jefferson City that represents 140 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public about health care issues.
