Thomas Chakurda

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

Tom Chakurda brings more than 30 years of experience as a senior level healthcare communications executive to his role as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. Prior to joining Independence Health System (formerly Excela Health) in 2019, Chakurda held the position of Vice President for Communications at Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Boca Raton, FL, for 10 years. There, he was part of a senior executive team that produced a $125 million bottom-line improvement for the organization and helped to position the institution as the highest ranked Best Regional Hospital in Palm Beach County by U.S. News & World Report. In 1988, Chakurda joined Allegheny General Hospital and its parent organization as Assistant Vice President for Communications. In 1990, he was promoted to Vice President. Chakurda also served as Vice President for Communications at West Penn Allegheny Health System for more than a decade. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of Media Relations for Presbyterian-University Hospital and then joined Ketchum Public Relations as a Senior Account Executive. A native of Pittsburgh, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Diane, are the parents of two daughters, and reside in Unity Township, Westmoreland County.