CEO
National Association for Healthcare Quality
Stephanie Mercado is the chief executive officer of the National Association for Healthcare Quality® (NAHQ), the organization at the forefront of elevating the profession and advancing the discipline of healthcare Quality & Safety. NAHQ sets the industry standard and helps individuals and organizations achieve it. The association also offers a strong community and professional home for those who work in healthcare Quality across the country and internationally.
Mercado brings more than 20 years of healthcare industry experience to her role at NAHQ. Since joining NAHQ in 2013, she has implemented innovations and introduced methodologies to research and define standardized competencies for the healthcare quality profession. This has resulted in advancement of the discipline of Quality and increased visibility and credibility for the Quality workforce.
Mercado holds the CPHQ credential, is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a Health Evolution Senior Fellow. In 2018, she was recognized by .orgCommunity with the Outstanding Nonprofit Leader Award.
Modern Healthcare recognized Mercado as one of the Top 25 Women Leaders in 2023 and she was included in their prestigious “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” ranking in both 2023 and 2024.
Leadership Insights: Driving Mission-Driven Revenue Growth
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
10:45am - 11:45am CT