LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Captain (Ret.) Jeremy J. Hawker, MSN, RN, NC, USN, assumed the role of vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital on Nov. 3, 2025. The appointment draws on Hawker’s 30 years of leadership in clinical care and operations, primarily through the United States Navy Nurse Corps, to oversee nursing services at the 93-bed facility serving St. Mary’s County.
Hawker steps into a position that directs nursing standards, staff development and patient safety protocols across emergency, inpatient and outpatient departments. As chief nursing officer, he reports to hospital president Mimi Novello and integrates into the executive team to align nursing practices with the hospital’s mission of community-focused care. The role involves supervising more than 400 nurses and support staff, managing recruitment amid regional shortages and advancing evidence-based initiatives like residency programs for new graduates.
Before retiring from the Navy in July 2025, Hawker commanded the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command and Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River. That post covered healthcare for 12,000 beneficiaries tied to 90 commands in Southern Maryland, including active-duty personnel at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. His oversight there emphasized operational efficiency, with expansions like a new acute care clinic opened in January 2025 to handle urgent needs without referrals to larger centers. The clinic, located in Lexington Park, reduced wait times for conditions such as minor injuries and infections, supporting the base’s 8,000 workers and their families who rely on it for primary and specialty services.
Hawker’s Navy tenure included stints as chief nursing officer at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton in California, where he led 600 nurses through deployments and expansions in surgical capacity. He also served as executive officer at the Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command Great Lakes and Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Illinois, coordinating joint military-civilian care for 50,000 patients annually. Earlier, as associate director for Surgical Services at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia, he streamlined procedures that cut recovery times by 15 percent in high-volume areas like orthopedics and trauma.
National accolades underscore his contributions. In 2025, Hawker received the Legion of Merit for meritorious service during his Patuxent River command, recognizing improvements in readiness training for expeditionary medical teams. He earlier earned the Senior Military Nursing Leadership Excellence Award from the Military Health System and the Outstanding Student Award from the Military Officers Association of America. His decorations include a Meritorious Service Medal, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals and three Achievement Medals, reflecting sustained impact on patient outcomes and team morale.
Novello, who holds an MD, MBA and FACEP certification, welcomed Hawker in a statement: “It’s a privilege to welcome Captain Hawker to our team. He brings in-depth leadership experience and a genuine commitment to service that will strengthen our nursing programs and the care we provide every day.”
Hawker, a Minnesota native, holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Minnesota State University and a Master of Science in Nursing as a Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda. After retirement, he relocated his family to St. Mary’s County, drawn by its coastal communities and proximity to Patuxent River. This move positions him to address local needs, such as integrating veteran care pathways that link the hospital’s services with Navy resources.
“Service has always been at the heart of my career,” Hawker said. “I’m honored to join MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and to support a team so dedicated to caring for this community.”
MedStar St. Mary’s, established in 1912, operates as the primary acute care provider for St. Mary’s County’s 115,000 residents, with 88 routine beds and 12 for special care units like intensive and cardiac monitoring. The hospital handles 15,000 emergency visits and 4,000 surgeries yearly, focusing on cardiology, oncology and orthopedics tailored to the region’s aging population and workforce in aviation testing. As a major employer with 1,100 associates, it anchors Leonardtown’s economy, where healthcare jobs represent 12 percent of employment.
Nursing leadership at the facility builds on recent milestones. In May 2024, MedStar St. Mary’s secured Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a designation held by fewer than 10 percent of U.S. hospitals for excellence in professional practice and outcomes. This followed accreditation in July 2025 for its nurse residency programs at both St. Mary’s and nearby MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, preparing 50 new hires annually through mentorship and simulations. Becker’s Hospital Review named it a 2025 Great Community Hospital, citing its century of service and innovations like telehealth expansions during the pandemic.
In Southern Maryland, where rural access challenges persist, the chief nursing officer shapes responses to workforce gaps. The region faces a projected 20 percent nursing shortage by 2030, driven by retirements and competition from Washington-area facilities. Hawker’s military background equips him to foster partnerships, such as with the College of Southern Maryland for clinical rotations that place 100 students yearly at the hospital. These ties, rooted in Patuxent River’s economic pull, ensure seamless care for the 25,000 veterans and active-duty members in St. Mary’s and surrounding counties.
The hospital’s community health outreach, under nursing direction, includes free screenings for diabetes and hypertension at events in Charlotte Hall and California, reaching 2,000 participants annually. Hawker’s emphasis on safety protocols, honed in high-stakes Navy environments, aligns with these efforts to reduce readmissions, which dropped 8 percent locally since 2023 through coordinated discharge planning.
