Chris Jenkins Joins Dean's Healthcare Leadership Community Advisory Group

September 8, 2025 - Chris Jenkins has joined the SPH Dean’s Healthcare Leadership Community Advisory Group, which brings together healthcare leaders whose expertise, experience, and leadership will help provide input about the essential skills, knowledge and competencies that students should possess through their current academic program offerings, particularly the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program, housed within the Division of Health Systems Management and Policy.

Chris Jenkins is the Chief Operating Officer of the Saint Francis Hosptial in Memphis. As the COO, Mr. Jenkins oversees day-to-day operations at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis. Prior to assuming the COO role at Saint Francis Memphis, he served as COO of Saint Francis Bartlett from 2018 to Nov. 2024. Prior to joining the team at Saint Francis-Bartlett, Mr. Jenkins held the role of Executive Director of University of Tennessee Methodist Physicians at Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare. He served in several different leadership roles during his time at Methodist, including Administrator of Clinical Operations at Methodist University Hospital and Director of the Cancer Center, Brain and Spine Institute and Orthopedic Center, among other positions. He completed his undergraduate work in 2001 from The University of Montana where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and received a Master of Health Administration from the University of Memphis in 2006.

He also occupied the role of Administrator of the Tulane Cancer Center in New Orleans.

Mr. Jenkins is a member of the Bartlett City Schools strategic planning committee, the board of directors for Mid-South Emergency Preparedness Coalition, is vice chair of the Tennessee Healthcare Coalition, as well as the marketing chair for the Mid-South Healthcare Executives. He also serves on the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce board, as the vice-president for Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, and the board of directors for Ava Maria.

He is a 12-year volunteer and hole captain for the FedEx St. Jude Classic Golf Tournament. He was previously honored by the Memphis Business Journal as a Top 40 under 40 recipient and is a past recipient of the Young Healthcare Executive of the Year for Tennessee by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Learn more about the SPH Inaugural Dean’s Healthcare Leadership Community Advisory Group’s first meeting outcomes by clicking here:
Inaugural Dean’s Healthcare Leadership Community Advisory Group 

Chris Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer of the Saint Francis Hospital in Memphis