Executive Team

Kenneth McFarland
President & Chief Executive Officer
In 2011, Kenneth D. McFarland was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Mission Hospital, a not-for-profit combined 509-bed tertiary medical facility with campuses in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach. Mission Hospital Mission Viejo is Orange County’s only regional trauma center and, through a unique partnership with Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), is the only designated pediatric healthcare center in south Orange County. Mission Hospital Laguna Beach (formerly South Coast Medical Center) provides 24/7 emergency, intensive and surgical care, as well as behavioral health services and chemical dependency treatment programs. Mr. McFarland is directly responsible for providing leadership, strategy, accountability, community relations, coordination, as well as, communication consistent with the tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange by continually improving the health and quality of life of people in the communities we serve. Read more...

Markie Cowley, MSN, RN, FACE
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Since 1990, Markie Cowley has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Mission Hospital and since 2009, Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. She is also Mission’s Compliance and Privacy Officer tasked with initiating procedures and practices to achieve and maintain state and federal healthcare regulatory requirements. In her first 10 years at Mission, Cowley served as Chief Nursing Officer and then Chief Operating Officer. She has brought to Mission more than 10 years of experience as a nurse leader and is part of a progressive executive team that contributes to the success of the organization. Read more...

Eileen Haubl
Interim Chief Financial Officer


Shirley Barnes
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
With more than 25 years experience, Shirley Barnes serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. Since 1995, she has overseen human resources programs for the hospital including recruiting and retaining skilled personnel, training procedures, organizational development, employee health services and performance improvement. Barnes ensures the human resources strategies and planning efforts at Mission Hospital are based on best practice-driven performance improvement. Under the guidance of the St. Joseph Heath System (SJHS), Barnes upholds Mission’s commitment to ensuring its ministry provides a quality workplace where employees are valued and rewarded for their contributions. Read more...

Michael Beck
Vice President, Operations
Mission Hospital Laguna Beach
Michael Beck serves as Vice President, Operations at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. In this role, Beck will oversee all hospital operations, programs and activities of MHLB. He will also be responsible for aligning MHLB with Mission Hospital’s core values and business objectives as part of the St. Joseph Health System (SJHS). As a member of the St. Joseph Health System, Beck is also responsible for implementing health system goals and initiatives within the hospital ministry. Read more...

Sister Martha Ann Fitzpatrick
Vice President, Advocacy & Ministry Formation
For more than 60 years, Sister Martha Ann Fitzpatrick, a member of the Sister’s of St. Joseph of Orange, Congregation of St. Joseph (CSJ), has provided both professional and spiritual guidance for the health and well-being of the communities she has served. She came to Mission Hospital in 1994 when it was acquired by the St. Joseph Health System. Initially serving as the hospital’s Vice President of Sponsorship, Sister Fitzpatrick has played an integral role in the formation of Mission Hospital’s healthcare ministry for nearly 15 years. She is responsible for the advocacy of health issues in the community the hospital serves. She also serves as a faculty member of Mission and Mentoring a system-wide program that aims to develop and form employees to carry on the mission and values of the Catholic health ministry. Read more...

Dennis Haghighat
Vice President, Medical Affairs
Dennis Haghighat, M.D., serves as Vice President of Medical Affairs at Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. Dr. Haghighat acts as a liaison between the medical staff and administration at the Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach campuses. In addition to his medical affairs post, he serves as the administrative director of surgical services, and is heavily involved in the roll out of “Design for Perfect Care,” the hospital’s clinical solution moving from paper to electronic medical records. Dr. Haghighat enjoys being involved in improving the quality of care and implementing best practices at Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. Read more...

Eileen Haubl
Vice President, Financial Operations
Eileen Haubl serves as Vice President of Financial Operations for Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. In this role, she oversees the planning, development, implementation and management of all administrative functions and services within the revenue cycle departments. These include the business office, patient access, staff productivity, materials management, and service line operations improvement. She also oversees the operations of Mission Surgery Center. Read more...

Linda Johnson, RN, MSN, NEA-BC
Vice President, Patient Care & Chief Nursing Officer
With more than 32 years experience as a registered nurse, Linda Johnson, Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer, has brought another level of quality and experience to nursing at Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. In her role, she works with all clinical departments and personnel to ensure the highest quality of nursing care is delivered to Mission Hospital patients. In addition, she leads the development of nursing programs, oversees policies and procedures and ensures that Mission’s nurses continue to be among the best in the region. Read more..

Winnie Johnson
Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Foundation
Winifred “Winnie” Johnson serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Mission Hospital Foundation. In 1995, Mission Hospital joined the St. Joseph Health System and Johnson was brought on board to build a Foundation and Foundation Board of Directors to support the hospital’s needs. Johnson subsequently led the Foundation and the St. Joseph Health System in developing a culture of philanthropy, known as “the Spirit of Giving” to encourage all expressions of giving --“bringing people together to foster a shared responsibility for the quality of life in our community.” Read more...

Cindy Mueller
Vice President, Mission Integration
Cindy Mueller serves as Vice President of Mission Integration at Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. In her role, she is responsible for integrating the mission and values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange into the hospital’s daily operations and providing oversight to improve the health and quality of life within the community. Mueller focuses her efforts on inspiring a healing ministry within Mission Hospital and beyond. She works closely with the St. Joseph Health System and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange to ensure the health system’s strategic goals are woven into all aspects of care for the dear neighbor through education, compassionate care and access to affordable healthcare. Read more...

Lisa Weaver
Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Planning
Lisa Weaver serves as Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning for Mission Hospital and Mission Hospital Laguna Beach, and has been with Mission since 1993. Her responsibilities include exploring and evaluating hospital programs and services while working with clinical directors to ensure the delivery of the best quality healthcare. Read more...