We are excited to announce that Michael McDermott, MD, MBA, will serve as Montage Health’s next President and CEO effective spring 2025. This follows the planned retirement of Steven Packer, MD, who has served in the role for 25 years, leading Montage Health through some of its most significant periods of growth and innovation in service to Monterey County communities.
“Speaking on behalf of the Montage Health Board of Trustees, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. McDermott to lead this exceptional organization into its next chapter,” says Bill Warner, Chair of Montage Health’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Packer’s visionary leadership has created a solid foundation, and we are confident that Dr. McDermott will continue to build on that success as we strive to improve the health and well-being of our community.”
McDermott comes from Mary Washington Healthcare in Virginia where he served as CEO since 2015. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and has been recognized multiple times by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the top hospital and health system “physician leaders to know.”
“Although it was a difficult decision to leave an organization that I’ve had the privilege to lead for the past 10 years, I am grateful for the opportunity to build upon Dr. Packer’s legacy and join Montage Health, a health system I’ve admired for years,” McDermott says. “On a personal note, my wife, Chrissy, and I have visited Monterey many times and are excited to be closer to our sons who also reside in the state.”
Speaking on behalf of the Montage Health Board of Trustees, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. McDermott to lead this exceptional organization into its next chapter. Dr. Packer’s visionary leadership has created a solid foundation, and we are confident that Dr. McDermott will continue to build on that success as we strive to improve the health and well-being of our community.
— Bill Warner, Chair of Montage Health’s Board of Trustees
With a dedication to innovation and patient-centered care, McDermott’s distinguished career aligns seamlessly with Montage Health’s 90-year history of serving Monterey County with excellence and compassion.
“Serving this community has been the honor of my lifetime,” says Steven Packer, MD, President and CEO of Montage Health. “As I continue to lead Montage Health through this transition, I am confident in the talented team we have in place and excited to see Dr. McDermott continue advancing our mission of delivering extraordinary care and inspiring the pursuit of optimal health.”
During his tenure, Packer led transformative initiatives including the expansion of Community Hospital to double its number of patient rooms, the development of Ohana, Montage Health’s youth mental health program, the launch of Montage Medical Group and its continuing development of a roster of more than 100 primary and specialty care providers, and the launch of Aspire Health Plan, Monterey County’s first Medicare Advantage program. These advancements have expanded healthcare access and the opportunity for Monterey County communities to have the highest quality of care locally.
“As a local, nonprofit healthcare system, Montage Health has always been about people — our patients, our staff, and the community we serve,” Warner says. “With Dr. McDermott at the helm, we will remain true to that purpose, ensuring access to world-class care while exploring new opportunities to meet the evolving needs of our community.”
