President/CEO
Florida Hospital Association
Mary Mayhew is president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association (FHA), which represents more than 225 hospitals and health systems throughout Florida. Florida's hospitals provide care for 11 million patients annually, provide jobs for more than 300,000 Floridians and contribute over $177 billion to the economy each year.
Since joining FHA in October 2020, Mayhew has led efforts to position the organization as a key voice with public policy makers, opinion leaders, the media and the public. The association aims to support critical invest-ments for a modern, sophisticated health care system in Florida, to strengthen Florida’s mental health system, to underscore Medicaid’s role in improving important health and educational outcomes for Florida’s children, and to improve Medicaid’s accountability to support an effective and comprehensive network of providers delivering high-quality outcomes for more than four million Floridians. Mayhew has advanced policies to strengthen the pipeline of health care workers in Florida, coordinated emergency response and recovery from natural disasters and cyberattacks, and increased FHA’s engagement with Florida’s Congres-sional delegation to advance important priorities for hospitals and health care in our nation’s capital.
Prior to joining FHA, Mayhew served as Secretary of the Florida Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) in Governor Ron DeSantis's administration. As Secretary, Mayhew played an instrumental role in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also spearheaded several initiatives to support increased accountability for improved health care outcomes for the more than four million Medicaid enrollees and to promote integrated care coordination.
Mayhew joined AHCA from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, where she oversaw the more than $375 billion Medicaid program.
Mayhew also served more than six years as the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. During this time, she advanced comprehensive health homes, Medicaid Accountable Commu-nity Organizations, integrated behavioral health homes, and efforts to improve access to substance use disorder treatment in primary care practice settings. Promoting high-quality behavioral health services remains a priority for Mayhew today.
Advancing Field Advocacy: Strategies for Healthcare Leaders
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
3:15pm - 4:15pm CT