Debra F. Sukin, PhD, MHA, FACHE

As Regional Senior Vice President of Houston Methodist, Dr. Debra F. Sukin has responsibility for four suburban hospitals in addition to having system responsibility for the Neuroscience service line and Methodist DeBakey Heart Center. Dr. Sukin also serves as the preceptor and executive leader for the Houston Methodist Administrative Fellowship Program.

With more than 25 years of health care experience, Dr. Sukin has designed, developed, and opened 4 hospitals in her career. In 2017, she opened Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital where she serves as CEO and is currently in the planning and design phase for the recently announced Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital expected to open in 2024. All hospitals in the North Region which include Houston Methodist West, Houston Methodist Willowbrook, and Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital have been recognized in the top 10 Vizient Hospital rankings and achieve a Leap Frog A rating.

Prior to joining Houston Methodist, Dr. Sukin served as Senior Vice President of CHI St. Luke’s Health System as well as Chief Executive Officer of CHI St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital, St Luke’s Lakeside Hospital, and St Luke’s Springwood Village.

A Houston native, Dr. Sukin is an active community advocate and public speaker. She is past Chair for both Interfaith of The Woodlands and The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors. Dr. Sukin also serves as a board member for Woodforest National Bank, Texas Hospital Association HOSPAC Board and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board. She is a member of the Texas Hospital Association Council on Policy Development and The Greater Houston Chapter of the Young President’s Organization.

In 2007, Dr. Sukin was recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s “Up & Comers” in healthcare leadership. The American College of Healthcare Executives honored her with the Regent’s Early Careerist Healthcare Executive Award in 2010. She was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2013 as one of the top Women Hospital and Health System Leaders in the country, and by Montgomery County Women’s Council on Organization as a 2014 Woman of Distinction. In 2016, Dr. Sukin was named a Hometown Hero in The Woodlands. Most recently, Houston Business Journal recognized Dr. Sukin as an “Outstanding Business Leader in Healthcare” for Women Who Mean Business and “Business Woman of the Year” in 2017.

Dr. Sukin earned a PhD in Health Policy and Health Management from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She received her Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Dr. Sukin resides in The Woodlands with her husband, Steven Sukin, MD, and their two boys, Jacob and Eli.