AMY CARRIER

Amy Carrier is the first woman to lead Centra Health, where she oversees 7,300 employees and the operations of 50 medical care locations, including four hospitals.

Since becoming Centra’s CEO in 2021, Carrier has overseen the creation and implementation of a $500 million modernization plan — the largest in the organization’s 36-year history — that will fund significant facility improvements, including adding a new five-story tower that will house inpatient care rooms and the labor and delivery unit at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Over the course of her 31-year health care career, she has broken barriers for women more than once. Prior to joining Centra, Carrier was the first woman to serve as the market president of Bon Secours Hampton Roads, where she developed the health system’s first all-female executive leadership team, which included four hospital presidents and a foundation president.

Carrier said her mother, who worked as a human resources leader, had a significant influence on her career and her leadership philosophy of putting the well-being of people first. She strives to develop a workplace culture that is supportive and empowers her staff to provide the best possible care to patients.

Carrier has been deeply committed to mentoring aspiring leaders and college students, including through college programs. She delivered the 2023 commencement speech at ​​Randolph College, a talk in which she encouraged students to maintain a growth mindset and find work that connects to their passions.

She serves on numerous boards, including the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Read more about the 2023 class of Virginia Business Women in Leadership Award winners.