Shepherd Center Welcomes New Chief Information Officer

Barry Fitts

Shepherd Center announced that Barry Fitts has joined the organization’s leadership team as vice president and chief information officer (CIO). In this role, Fitts will provide tactical leadership of all Shepherd Center information services and strategic technology planning. He will also serve as a member of the senior management team (SMT). 

“Barry possesses strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. His strategic vision and dedication to excellence will greatly contribute to our continued success,” said Jamie Shepherd, MBA, MHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Shepherd Center.

Fitts comes to Shepherd from Christus Santa Rosa Health System, part of a national not-for-profit healthcare corporation based in Irving, Texas, where he served as associate CIO. In that role, Fitts managed relationships with regional executive leadership teams, aligning information systems strategy with organizational goals, overseeing clinical and financial systems, and driving process improvements to reduce complexity and costs.

He brings 25 years of IT experience and over 27 years of management experience to the role.

“I’m thrilled to join a hospital that not only delivers world-class care to its patients but also extends compassionate and empathetic support to everyone within the organization,” Fitts said. “In my search for a healthcare group where my IT leadership skills, personality, beliefs, ethics, and values could thrive, I discovered Shepherd Center. Working at Shepherd Center also offers me the chance to be closer to my family, which is extremely important to me.”

Fitts and his wife, Lori, have three children and two lively boxers. He enjoys sports, hiking, reading spy novels, listening to classic rock, and, above all, spending time with his family.