
Dr. Dacones joins the organization as part of a comprehensive senior leadership team realignment aimed at accelerating PeaceHealth’s three-year transformation strategy
VANCOUVER — PeaceHealth today announced the appointment of Imelda Dacones, MD, FACP, as president of care delivery and value. Following the promotion of Mike Dwyer to president of strategy and business value, Dr. Dacones joins the organization as part of a comprehensive senior leadership team realignment aimed at accelerating PeaceHealth’s three-year transformation strategy.
A long-time strategic partner to PeaceHealth, Dr. Dacones is a nationally recognized physician executive and healthcare leader with more than two decades of experience driving business and cultural transformation.
“In her new role, Dr. Dacones will help accelerate PeaceHealth’s bold journey to become a truly integrated health system that delivers a person-first, value-driven and highly trusted care and employment experience for all,” said Sarah Ness, PeaceHealth incoming president and CEO. “Dr. Dacones has a proven track record of driving strategic transformation and will help break down care delivery silos, streamline decision-making, elevate the caregiver experience and advance the performance excellence needed to shape the PeaceHealth of the future.”
Effective Sept. 15, Dr. Dacones will lead and evolve the full scope of PeaceHealth’s clinical operations with renewed emphasis on physicians and clinicians, care teams and care models, ensuring we deliver value with every care encounter. She will partner closely with Richard DeCarlo, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Michelle James, RN, senior vice president and chief quality, patient safety, risk and nursing officer, and other ambulatory, acute and shared services leaders to evolve PeaceHealth’s care delivery system.
“As a longstanding strategic partner to PeaceHealth, I am excited to now join this incredible organization from within,” said Dr. Dacones. “I am deeply committed to working alongside our physicians, clinicians and care teams to build on PeaceHealth’s legacy of healing and evolve our care delivery model to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.”
The first woman and first person of color to chair The Permanente Federation’s National Executive Council, Dr. Dacones has been widely recognized for her vision, including being named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minority Leaders and a “Most Admired CEO” honoree by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
PeaceHealth will announce additional leadership team updates in the coming weeks as part of its broader effort to accelerate progress to deliver a person-first, value-driven and highly trusted experience for all.
Also read:
- Signatures filed for initiatives on parental rights, blocking trans athletes from girls’ sportsSupporters of two initiatives on parental rights and transgender participation in girls’ sports filed signatures Friday, moving the measures closer to consideration by Washington lawmakers.
- Vancouver Police investigate shootingVancouver Police are investigating a fatal shooting reported early Jan. 3 outside the Off-Ramp Sports Bar on Northeast 112th Avenue.
- Vancouver Police release critical incident video from Dec. 28 officer-involved shootingVancouver Police Department released a Critical Incident Video related to a December 28 officer-involved shooting while the Office of Independent Investigations continues its review.
- Opinion: Transit agencies need accountability not increased state subsidyCharles Prestrud argues that Washington transit agencies face rising costs and declining ridership due to governance structures that lack public accountability.
- Letter: ‘For years, American foreign policy too often felt like a blank check’Vancouver resident Peter Bracchi argues that the 2025 National Security Strategy marks a long-overdue shift toward clearer priorities, shared responsibility, and interest-based American leadership.
- POLL: Are you better off than you were a year ago?This week’s poll asks readers to reflect on their personal financial situation and whether they feel better off than they were a year ago as economic conditions continue to shift.
- Opinion: Does tailgating cause speeding?Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl examines whether tailgating contributes to speeding and explains why following too closely increases crash risk with little benefit.








