Administration
Memorial's mission is to provide advanced and compassionate care to heal, inspire, and transform the health of our community. Our vision is to be the driving force in improving the health of our patients, and community, throughout their lifetime. We are guided in our mission and vision by diverse teams of compassionate, driven professionals.
Kent G. Nicaud
President & CEO
Kent Nicaud has more than 25 years healthcare management experience from both the private sector and non-profit arena. He has held consulting services contracts with hospitals located in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Mr. Nicaud has been working with Memorial Hospital at Gulfport on a consulting basis since 1996, and as an employee since 2008. In 2010, he was named Chief Operating Officer and became President and CEO in 2018. He attended Tulane University for undergraduate and graduate studies through their executive MBA program.
William Barrette
Chief Financial Officer
William Barrette is an experienced finance professional with over 18 years of success in all areas of financial management, planning, strategic and corporate development in both public and private sectors of healthcare. His most recent position was Vice President, Decision Support at Ochsner Health System. His tenure at Ochsner also included in-depth involvement in Supply Chain Finance and Strategy serving as Assistant Vice-President of that Division. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and majored in Psychology and Pre-Med Curriculum. He completed his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Tulane University Freeman School of Business in New Orleans with Concentrations in Finance and Management.
Shawn Dufford, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Dufford has extensive experience in hospital and medical staff operations. His most recent role was Senior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer with SCL/Intermountain Health. Prior to this, Dr. Dufford worked as a firefighter/paramedic for 9 years and was a flight instructor and corporate pilot.
He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Colorado and a medical doctorate from Ross University before completing his Surgery Internship and Anesthesia residency at the University of Colorado. He also received a master’s degree in business at the University of Denver and recently completed a master’s degree in data science and analytics.
Mary Brobst, MSN, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Mary Brobst, MSN, RN, is from St. Louis, Missouri, and has been a nurse for her entire career. She graduated with her Bachelor of Nursing from Arizona State University where she began her career at Phoenix Children’s Hospital as a NICU staff nurse, where she was at the bedside for eight years. She began her leadership career as a supervisor, manager, and director within the Women’s & Children’s Service Line for BJC Health System and SSM Health System in St. Louis.
From 2008-2013, she was the Chief Nursing Officer of St. Clare Health Center in Fenton, Missouri, part of the SSM Health System. In 2013, she took the position of Sr. Vice President, Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer for Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids, an independent, faith-based, community hospital located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Ron Hedges
Vice President, Information Systems
Ron Hedges has been an integral part of Memorial Health System since 2005, starting as the hospital’s inaugural cybersecurity analyst and progressing through various leadership roles, including Senior Director of Information Systems and Director of Information Technology. In his current capacity as Vice President, he provides strategic direction for all facets of information systems operations, from cybersecurity to technology infrastructure.
Before his tenure at Memorial, he served in diverse capacities in the United States Marine Corps and the private sector. Ron holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of the People and an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from Hawaii Pacific University. His multifaceted background and extensive experience position him as a dynamic leader in the healthcare information systems arena, driving innovation and excellence within the organization.
Kevin Holland, MSHA, MBA
Vice President, Operations
Kevin Holland joined Memorial Hospital with more than 25 years of healthcare management experience with a focus on strategy, growth, and leadership development. Mr. Holland has held executive positions in private and public hospitals in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Mississippi State University, as well as an MBA and a Master of Science in Health Administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He is responsible for the operations, growth, and strategic direction of the recently acquired Memorial Hospital at Stone County.
Angie Juzang
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Angie Juzang joined Memorial with an extensive background in marketing, public relations and community outreach. As vice president, Ms. Juzang is responsible for managing internal, external and media-specific communications, implementation of various advertising platforms, coordination of corporate and community relations, as well as administrative oversight of the Memorial Hospital gift shop, and serves as public information officer. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University.
Melissa McCollum
Vice President, Human Resources
Melissa McCollum joins Memorial Health System after serving as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Steward Health Care in Dallas, Texas. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated expertise in areas including strategic HR management, employee relations, compliance, and compensation analysis. Ms. McCollum holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Arts from the University of Memphis.
Aimee Robertson, JD
President, Memorial Hospital Foundation
Aimee Robertson joined Memorial in 2018 with a background of more than 12 years in finance and business. Mrs. Robertson oversees the operations of the Memorial Hospital Foundation, which develops relationships and financial resources to support the patients, employees, and healthcare initiatives of Memorial. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Mississippi State University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
Wade Wright
Vice President, Revenue Cycle
Wade Wright has served in the United States Marine Corps and during his service participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He received several awards and medals for his service. He has his Masters Of Business Administration from Bethel University in McKenzie, TN, and his Bachelor’s degree from University of Tennessee at Martin. He has several professional certifications and accreditations and a wealth of knowledge and experience in the Revenue Cycle and Health Information Management fields.
Haley Zelenka, JD
Vice President, General Counsel
Haley Zelenka has oversight responsibility for the Corporate Compliance and HIPAA functions, as well as contract management. She also provides legal advice on a variety of administrative and operational matters to the Administrative team. Most of these matters include recurring agreements/contracts, interpretations of personnel labor laws, and other operating issues. Ms. Zelenka attended Mississippi State University for her undergraduate work, and the University of Mississippi for her law degree.