St. Tammany Health System has announced the appointment of Kelly Rabalais, FACHE, as assistant vice president of communication.
Rabalais is a member of the College of Healthcare Executives and was previously the chief administrative officer for former St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister. Rabalais will continue serving as the health system’s assistant vice president of strategy, a role she has filled since joining the health system in January 2020.
“Kelly is a dynamic leader with a rare sense of vision,” St. Tammany Health System President and CEO Joan Coffman said. “Even before she joined our team, I knew her as a level-headed professional with exactly the kind of leadership skills and instincts we value as we fulfill our community-based mission. We were grateful then that she joined our St. Tammany Health System family, and we are even more grateful now as her role expands.”
As head of the Communication Department, Rabalais will serve as the health system’s public information officer and government relations liaison, as well as overseeing the department’s day-to-day marketing and communication efforts.
“Not only is it a thrill to assume leadership of the health system’s talented Marketing and Communication team, but it is a privilege to continue serving the people of St. Tammany Parish,” Rabalais said. “The healing work done at St. Tammany Health System and its flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital have for decades proven invaluable to the Northshore community. It’s an honor to help support that mission into the future.”
Rabalais is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and previously served as an elected member of the Louisiana State Bar Association Board of Governors. In 2022, she became a health law specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization.
She previously served as then-Parish President Brister’s executive counsel before accepting the position of chief administrative officer. Among Rabalais’ major accomplishments while with the parish was her leadership in developing Safe Haven, a comprehensive behavioral health campus in Mandeville.
Rabalais earned a undergraduate and law degrees from Louisiana State University. Additionally, she holds a master’s in health administration and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.