Ascension Appoints Kedar Mate, David King to Board of Directors

The appointments were announced by Ascension President and CEO Eduardo Conrado, who said the organization was seeking directors with new perspectives and experience across healthcare and innovation.

Ascension has appointed Kedar S. Mate, MD, and David P. King to its Board of Directors, with both appointments effective September 16, 2026. The additions bring expertise spanning healthcare quality, patient safety, digital health, life sciences, and healthcare leadership.

The appointments were announced by Ascension President and CEO Eduardo Conrado, who said the organization was seeking directors with new perspectives and experience across healthcare and innovation.

Dr. Mate is co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Qualified Health AI, a digital health company focused on helping healthcare organizations implement artificial intelligence safely and securely. He also serves as President Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Senior Scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine, and faculty member in the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Mate has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare quality, patient safety, clinical outcomes, and responsible innovation. He previously served as President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and currently holds board positions with organizations including MLK Community Health System, Healthcare Excellence Canada, Results for Development, Blue Shield of California, and the Partnership for Quality Measurement.

King joins the board with experience in healthcare operations, life sciences, governance, and strategic consulting. He is Managing Member of KingMan LLC and previously served as Chairman and CEO of Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, now Labcorp. During his tenure, the company expanded from a US-based clinical laboratory into a global life sciences organization operating in more than 100 countries.

King currently holds leadership and governance roles with Smith & Nephew, Illumina, Privia Health, PathGroup, and Novant Health. He also served as Non-Executive Chair of AMSURG before its acquisition by Ascension.

Earlier in his career, King was a partner in the healthcare practice at Hogan & Hartson LLP, now Hogan Lovells, and served as an Assistant US Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Sheila Burke, Chair of the Ascension Board of Directors, said Mate and King bring complementary experience to the board as Ascension works on its strategy and long-term priorities.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News