Helios Care Names Joan MacDonald as New President and CEO

ONEONTA—The Helios Care Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Joan MacDonald, DNP, MSN, RN, as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer, effective May 19. This leadership transition follows the planned departure of current CEO Dan Ayres, who will remain in his role until MacDonald assumes her position and will support the transition in a consulting capacity, officials said in a press release.

“The search for our next CEO was thorough and rigorous,” said Dr. James Dalton, chair of the Helios Care Board. “We are grateful for the valuable input provided by our staff through their leaders, which played a key role in our decision. Joan emerged as the top candidate from a highly competitive pool, and we are confident she will lead Helios Care with skill, compassion, and vision.”

According to the press release, MacDonald brings to Helios Care nearly two decades of healthcare leadership experience in the region. She joined the Bassett Healthcare Network in 2005 as a registered nurse in Internal Medicine and the Special Care Unit at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She quickly advanced to nursing leadership roles, eventually becoming senior director of nursing at A.O. Fox Hospital in 2017. Soon after, she was named chief nursing officer at A.O. Fox Hospital. In 2020, MacDonald was also appointed vice president of operations at Fox and she led nursing and clinical teams through the COVID-19 pandemic and has been instrumental in driving operational improvements and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence, officials said.

MacDonald holds a bachelor of science in nursing and a master of science in nursing in healthcare administration. In 2023, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University, with a doctoral thesis focused on end-of-life care—aligning closely with Helios Care’s mission. She is also certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in Quality Improvement.

Lean Six Sigma is a performance improvement methodology to enhance efficiency, reduce deficits and improve overall organizational performance. LSS Black Belt professionals are the experts in assessing and analyzing current strategies and implementing improvements to reduce waste, increase efficiency, and improve productivity, according to Purdue University.

MacDonald resides in Walton with her husband, Jim. Officials said the Helios Care team looks forward to welcoming her leadership in the coming weeks as Ayres transitions out of his role and she takes the reins.

“The Board extends its deep gratitude to Dan Ayres for his dedicated service and steady leadership. With Dan’s start date in his new role in Maryland now moved to July, he has generously agreed to continue as CEO through Joan’s arrival and assist in the transition thereafter. His continued commitment is greatly appreciated,” officials said.