UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center Leadership

Established in 2012, SRMC serves tens of thousands of New Mexicans each year. The center is led by President and CEO Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, MBA, FACHE.

Meet the Leadership Team

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Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, FACHE
President

Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, FACHE has over 38 years of progressive experience in an academic healthcare environment. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of New Mexico, she began her career as a pediatric nurse and worked in the general and sub-acute nursing units at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH).

As her career progressed, she obtained her master’s in business from the University of Phoenix, and moved into leadership roles within the organization, taking on director positions and serving as an Administrator for Ambulatory Services at UNMH.

In 2013, Silva-Steele joined UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC) as its interim Chief Operating Officer and served as President and CEO from 2014 to 2023. As of 2024 she remains President of SRMC.

Silva-Steele was a National Association of Public Hospitals (NAPH) fellow from 2011-2012 (now known as America’s Essential Hospitals). She participated in the Disparities Leadership Program through the Disparities Solution Center of Massachusetts General Hospital from 2009-2010 and was a recipient of The Disparities Leadership Program Award for “Recognition of Excellence in Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care.” In addition, in 2014 she received the Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award for her work in addressing disparities in health care while serving at UNM Hospital. Silva-Steele is board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Health Executives (FACHE).

Silva-Steele has served on the Hospital Services Corporation (HSC) Board of Directors from 2014 to 2022, the New Mexico Hospital Association (NMHA) Board of Directors since 2015 and the New Mexico Healthcare Executives (NMHE) Board of Directors since 2016.

 


Dr. Matthew Wilks

Matthew Wilks, MD
Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Matthew Wilks obtained his BA degree with honors in biology from Oberlin College. He moved to Northern California to pursue graduate studies at Stanford University in theoretical and field marine biology. He then decided to pursue medical school at the University of Arizona, where he obtained his MD from the College of Medicine. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Wilks returned to Arizona and worked at Chandler Regional Hospital near Phoenix as an attending physician, director of the emergency department and medical director for Southwest Ambulance and Chandler Police Department’s SWAT team. He also worked at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix and Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Ariz.

Prior to joining SRMC full time, Wilks worked at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, N.Y., where he was an attending physician and vice chair of the ED. In 2012, he joined SRMC as a part-time provider in the ED and a year later became its medical director. He has served as the vice chief of staff, chief of staff and immediate past chief of staff. He has also been serving as the medical director of the Quality and Patient Safety Department and several other hospital and medical staff committees.


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Pam Demarest, MSN, MBA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer

Pam Demarest joined the Executive Leadership Team at UNM Sandoval Regional Medical (SRMC) Center in March of 2014 as the Chief Nursing Officer. She was also Chief Operating Officer from 2018 to early 2023. Prior to working at UNM SRMC, Demarest had progressive experience in community and academic hospitals since 1974.

Demarest has worked for UNM Hospitals for the majority of her career, starting out as a burn and trauma nurse in the 1980s, and moving on to a variety of leadership roles within the organization throughout the 1990s and 2000s.Positions included Transplant Services Director, Value Analysis Program Director, Interim Executive Director of Emergency Services, Executive Director of Adult Medical Surgical Services, Interim Executive Director Medical Surgical Services and her most recent role as the Executive Director of Critical Care and Progressive Care Services.

She received her master’s in business/ healthcare administration in 2000 and her master’s in nursing in 2007.

Demarest is a member of the New Mexico Organization of Nurse Leaders and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. She has served on the boards for the New Mexico Hospital Association, Sandoval County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Sandoval County Health Council.

Outside of work, Demarest loves to visit her out-of-state family, enjoys traveling to new places and appreciates spending time with her friends. She is also known for her creative side, with hobbies that include scrapbooking and making home-made greeting cards.


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Gurdeep Singh, DO
Chief Diversity and Well-Being Officer

Gurdeep Singh, DO, is the Chief Diversity and Well-Being Officer at The University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho. Dr. Singh works with the executive team and community partners in leading efforts and programming focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Well-Being that aligns with the UNM Health System’s mission and goals.

Dr. Singh graduated with a doctorate of osteopathic medicine from Andrew Taylor Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Mesa, Arizona and completed his internal medicine training at Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, Oregon. Dr. Singh has received numerous accolades for both for his clinical care and leadership. Since 2015, Dr. Singh has been diplomate of the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and has been a faculty member within the Department of Internal Medicine since 2016.

 


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Correen Bales
Chief Human Resource Officer

Correen Bales is the Chief Human Resource Officer for the UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC) campus. Bales graduated with a Bachelors in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University and a Master’s of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She has been a leader in health care within the field of Human Resources for over thirty years. Correen is passionate about the vast and complex field of Human Resources and the many different aspects that fall within her scope of responsibility. She believes in working hard, being creative, having fun and developing an environment that develops a positive team environment and allows success. The SRMC campus is a hospital that has had a journey of many amazing things and where she believes the culture of the organization matches her outlook in life.

Download the Organizational Chart

See the leaders behind SRMC. View the complete organizational chart.