Fowler named president and CEO of Hospice of the Bluegrass

Philadelphia area native formerly worked for Hope Healthcare Services

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 28, 2014) — Elizabeth “Liz” Durst Fowler has been named president and CEO of Hospice of the Bluegrass. Fowler replaces Gretchen Brown, who retired after 32 years.

Fowler has more than 30 years’ experience in health care and non-profit administration. Prior to coming to Hospice of the Bluegrass, Fowler served in several different positions with Hope Healthcare Services, a provider of post-acute healthcare services, including hospice, palliative care, PACE, home health, private duty nursing, adult day health and long-term care diversion services in Southwest Florida.

Fowler’s roles with Hope Healthcare included chief of hospice services and chief of quality and compliance. Fowler’s background also includes hospital administration and leadership of a community-based arts organization.

“Liz has a great appreciation of the organization’s past and a well-based vision of where we need to go in the future,” Hospice board Chair Mark Nabity said. “She brought significant energy and change to the organizations she has worked with in the past and I am confident she will provide great leadership as we move forward to build upon the strong organizational foundation laid during Gretchen Brown’s tenure as CEO.”

Fowler grew up in the Philadelphia area and the rural Appalachia region of western Maryland. She received a bachelor’s of science degree from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also obtained a Certificate in Gerontology while at Syracuse.

Always active in her community, Fowler has been a board member, advisory board member and officer of numerous organizations including The Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, Florida Gulf Coast University, The Sanibel School Fund, The Sanibel School Advisory Committee and Barrier Island Group for the Arts.

“It is an honor to join an organization with a strong legacy and a promising future,” Fowler said. “I look forward to embracing the special qualities of Hospice of the Bluegrass that has enabled the organization to be recognized as one of the finest hospice and palliative care programs in the country. I’m committed to ensuring we will be a dynamic and progressive provider of care and services in each of the communities we serve for many years to come. Healthcare is changing, as well as the needs of our communities. I want to assure the residents in the 32 counties we serve have the care they need when they are seriously ill. We will need to partner with many organizations and healthcare providers to do this in an affordable way.”