Bon Secours taps president of Petersburg, Emporia hospitals

Brenda Woodcock assumed her new role as president of two Bon Secours hospitals in Petersburg and Emporia on Monday.

She is the first female president of the of the Bon Secours Southside Medical Center and the Southern Virginia Medical Center, and succeeds John Emery, who Bon Secours named to lead Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville and Rappahannock General Hospital in Kilmarnock at the end of July. Dr. John Yosay served as interim president of the two hospitals during the search for a permanent president.

Woodcock joined Bon Secours in 2016 and most recently was the Richmond market chief nursing officer, overseeing nursing operations for seven acute-care hospitals, along with other health care services. She was promoted to the role in December 2020.

“It’s an honor to continue my service to this ministry in a new capacity and work with our physicians, associates and community partners to serve the distinct needs of our patients both in and around Petersburg, the Tri-City area and in Emporia,” Woodcock said in a statement. “I am delighted to lead the effort of meeting the changing needs of these communities we serve.”

Woodcock is also the executive sponsor for workplace safety and behavioral health in the health system’s Richmond market. She leads strategies for workplace violence and injury prevention, and works to expand resources for patients with mental health disorders.

She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University and her doctorate of nursing practice from Liberty University.