Leadership development remains one of the most pressing needs in medical group management today. Building effective leadership pathways can make or break organizational success as practices strive for operational efficiency amid staffing and retention challenges.
Carolyn Brubaker Moore, MBA, FACMPE, Vice President of Operations at PeaceHealth Medical Group in Oregon, expands on her work in creating an internal operational leadership development program. She sits down with Daniel Williams for an episode of the MGMA Insights podcast to share her journey, her model for structured leadership development and lessons learned that practice leaders can adopt in their own organizations.
Carolyn will be leading a session titled “Build Your Own Operational Leadership Development Program” at the MGMA Leaders Conference in Orlando.
Building a Career in Healthcare Leadership
With over two decades of leadership experience, Carolyn reflects on the role MGMA played in her career growth. As a division manager in multi-specialty surgery, she gained educational opportunities with the CMPE exam and also found instant community as part of a study group in the Portland area.
“I really appreciate how those of us that belong to MGMA can really steal shamelessly from each other in terms of best practices. So it's really helped my leadership journey,” she highlights. “We have some amazing leaders that are part of this organization.”
For her, nonprofit work has been especially meaningful.
“Working for a nonprofit organization is really important to me because part of the mission is to provide care for anyone that needs it,” she emphasizes. “There is no discrimination based on the ability to pay or based on an insurance carrier you may have or not have.”
Identifying a Critical Gap
Many organizations have some form of leadership training resources, but Carolyn identified a missing link—structured operational leadership development.
At PeaceHealth, she adapted a program she had previously designed for her division into a scalable model to serve all ambulatory leaders. “This program, I felt, really addressed a critical gap and have had great success in running it since 2022,” she says.
The overarching goal of Carolyn’s program is to help leaders build confidence and close competency gaps. Her hope for each of the leaders involved is gaining the ability to identify where they have opportunities in their skills and specialties.
“Many of the leaders experience the same particular competencies or tasks that they struggle with. So then there becomes an opportunity at a peer group leader level to address that and elevate the performance, the comfort and the confidence associated with those particular areas.”
Retreats That Build Connection
A standout feature of Carolyn’s program is her approach to quarterly retreats. Instead of one-off training sessions, her retreats provide a dedicated space for leaders to connect and grow together.
“We always open up with a retreat reflection. And then we do a leadership bonding activity, which is really geared towards just furthering the development of the relationships of these peer leaders with each other. And there’s always an element of fun,” she says.
Inclusivity in Leadership Development
Unlike many selective leadership programs, Carolyn emphasizes inclusivity as a core principle. Her programs prioritize including all leaders, from clinical to operational supervisors.
“The only time we have someone not attend is if they are on vacation or out sick,” she notes.
This approach has helped create alignment across leadership levels and ensured that all supervisors, managers, and directors benefit from consistent professional development.
Looking Ahead
Carolyn’s message for practice leaders is clear: invest in leadership development, make it inclusive, and build programs that address real competency gaps. Her upcoming Leaders Conference session will offer actionable steps for organizations ready to create their own models.
Resources:
- MGMA Leaders Conference 2025: Learn more and register
- MGMA Membership: Access tools, communities and educational opportunities - Learn more and register
- Connect with Carolyn Bruebaker Moore on LinkedIn
- Visit the PeaceHealth Medical Group website to learn more
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