New Chief of Staff and Vice Chief Named at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford is pleased to announce that a vote by the medical staff has resulted in the 2-year appointments of Dr. David Sellers as Chief of Staff and Dr. Stephen Rich as Vice Chief of Staff, effective January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021.

In office as Chief of Staff, Dr. Sellers will chair the Medical Executive Committee; advocate for medical staff in board meetings; interpret and ensure staff alignment with board policies; orchestrate continuing education opportunities for staff; and serve as a community spokesperson. As Vice Chief of Staff, Dr. Rich will assume the duties and authority of Chief of Staff in Dr. Sellers’ absence.

“I am a strong proponent of collaborative work that unites people with different perspectives so that we can strategize creatively,” said Dr. David Sellers, Chief of Staff, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. “In this role, one of my priorities will be promoting effective communication and problem-solving between the medical staff, administration, and Board of Trustees.”

Dr. Sellers continues as lead hospitalist of the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford hospitalist program, which cares for more than 75 percent of the hospital’s adult patients and consists of 34 physicians and six nurse practitioners. Dr. Rich, who specializes in bariatric surgery, led notable innovations in that space as the hospital’s Chief of Surgery between 2017 and 2019.

“I am thrilled to see two leaders of this caliber assume increased responsibilities on the executive team at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford,” said Gordon Ferguson, CEO and President, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. “Dr. Sellers and Dr. Rich have unique medical specialties but share a passion for promoting the comprehensive well-being of our staff and patients.”

A native of Akron, Ohio, and a graduate of the internship and residency programs at Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, Dr. Sellers has lived in Murfreesboro since 2004. He serves as chairman of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund of Rutherford County, Inc., and is an active member of Murfreesboro Lodge No. 12, Free and Accepted Masons PHA.

A native of Shelbyville, Tennessee, Dr. Rich completed his general surgery residency and internship at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine at Chattanooga. He has served on various committees at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, including the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, the Surgical Advisory Committee, and the Medical Executive Committee.