BERLIN, Vt., University of Vermont Health – Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) today announced that Anna Tempesta Noonan, BSN, MS, RN, will retire as President and Chief Operating Officer following nine years of dedicated service leading CVMC, and more than three decades of service across UVM Health. Noonan will step down in the Spring of 2026. 

Noonan joined CVMC as President & COO in 2017, bringing deep clinical and operational experience after establishing and leading the Jeffords Institute for Quality at the University of Vermont Health - UVM Medical Center. Her work at the Jeffords Institute earned national recognition for quality, safety, and infection prevention, secured substantial graduate medical education funding, and sustained top performance among academic medical centers. A lifelong Vermonter born in Barre, Noonan spent 50 years working in health care, beginning her career as a nurse’s aide at Central Vermont Hospital. She earned nursing degrees from UVM, followed by an MS in executive leadership and spent 37 years in leadership roles.

“Serving the people of central Vermont has truly been the greatest privilege of my career,” said Anna Tempesta Noonan. “The CVMC team inspire me every day with their integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care and service to Vermonters. Together, we’ve strengthened the health and well-being in this region. I am deeply proud of the work we have done together over these past 9 years. I leave confident that CVMC will continue to live its mission: improving access, affordability, and achieving better outcomes for the community we are honored to serve.”

Erica Hare, Chair of the CVMC Board of Trustees, said: “Anna’s leadership steadied CVMC through a pandemic, natural disasters, and continuous budget challenges. All the while accelerating innovation that measurably improved care for our region. On behalf of the Board and our community, we thank Anna for her service, dedication, and compassionate leadership.”

Stephen Leffler, MD, Chief Executive Officer, UVM Health and longtime colleague, said: “Anna’s legacy is defined by measurable impact: creating a safer hospital environment, expanding access to care close to home, and building strong community partnerships. Under her leadership, CVMC has become a model for rural health care innovation and her work has touched countless lives across central Vermont. We are grateful for her contributions and will work closely with the CVMC Board to ensure a smooth transition for patients, Woodridge residents, staff, and the community. I am grateful for the decades spent working in close collaboration with Anna and wish her all the best in retirement.”

Under Anna’s leadership from 2017 to 2026, CVMC achieved major milestones that strengthened care and community health across central Vermont:

• Navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple flooding events, protecting patients and staff, sustaining essential services, and standing up community response through THRIVE and regional partnerships.
• Expanded access to advanced care by upgrading cancer treatment technology, introducing orthopedic robotics, and expanding gynecological and OB/GYN services with 24/7 midwifery coverage, achieving primary stroke certification and ED pediatric readiness certification.
• Created and advanced a workforce development model that has graduated more than 120 professionals since 2021, now adopted across the UVM Health system.

University of Vermont Health – Central Vermont Medical Center
130 Fisher Road
Berlin, VT 05602

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About Central Vermont Medical Center

University of Vermont Health – Central Vermont Medical Center is a patient-focused health care provider serving more than 66,000 residents in central Vermont. Through a 122-bed community hospital and the 153-bed Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing facility, as well as 25 outpatient clinics throughout the region. We deliver a full spectrum of inpatient, outpatient and long-term care services. As part of a rural academic health system, Central Vermont Medical Center combines the best of community-based care with medical innovation and research — bringing them as close to home as possible. Together, we’re addressing the social drivers of health that affect access and affordability. Through our innovative workforce development programs, housing, childcare and transportation partnerships, advancing economic stability, Central Vermont Medical Center is helping build a healthier, more equitable future for all Vermonters. 

About University of Vermont Health

University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.