Tammy Saunaitis joined the University of Maryland Medical System in 2022, bringing more than 20 years of experience in health care human resources leadership to UMMS at a critical time in the System’s growth. She is the vision behind the System’s HR Transformation, a comprehensive initiative designed to position UMMS as a destination employer for top talent, aligned in excellence around our shared values. Tammy was named a 2023 HR Superstar and 2024 Talent Acquisition Leader of the Year by HRO Today, made Becker Hospital Review’s list of Top CHROs to Know for her transformational work in Human Resources, and most recently was named one of Becker’s 2026 Hospital and Health System CHROs and Chief People Officers to Know.

As chief human resources officer (CHRO), Tammy oversees every aspect of the team member lifecycle: recruiting and onboarding; total rewards; organizational learning and development; team member engagement and well-being; individual growth and career development; and the HR systems and data analytics that support every phase of the lifecycle

Tammy is committed to fostering a just culture, grounded in compassion and integrity. She holds numerous professional certifications and affiliations, including Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FAHCE), Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and others that inform her approach to guiding HR colleagues across the System.

Tammy was previously CHRO at SCL Health (now Intermountain Healthcare) and held long-term leadership positions at other health systems, including Meriter Health Services (now UnityPoint Health – Meriter), Ascension Health and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She holds an MBA in human resources and marketing from Lewis University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago.