Leadership

Annette Sy, DNP, RN, NE-BC
Chief Nursing Executive for Keck Medical Center of USC

Annette Sy, DNP, RN, NE-BC, serves as the chief nursing executive (CNE) for Keck Medical Center of USC, which includes Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. In this role, Annette is responsible for overseeing and advancing the professional practice of nursing across the organization. Here, she serves as a vital health system resource; guaranteeing the organization adopts strategies to strengthen nursing environments and to recruit and retain the best and brightest nursing talent from across the country.

Prior to becoming CNE, Annette served as chief nursing officer (CNO) for Keck Medical Center from 2012 to 2021. During her tenure, Annette oversaw a number of initiatives that helped to strengthen nursing environments across the organization. Some of these included leading development of the medical center’s shared nursing governance council; overseeing the design of the medical center’s clinical ladder program; leading the development of the organization’s nursing professionalism program; and overseeing Keck Hospital of USC’s Magnet journey and application efforts, which led to Magnet designation in 2018.

Annette holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Dubuque; a Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Dubuque; and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the California State University DNP Consortium. Annette is also a member of the National Association of Oncology Nurses, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives.

Brian Dawson, MSN, RN
Interim Executive Administrator, Perioperative Services

As interim executive administrator of perioperative services, Brian Dawson oversees all surgical services at Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, including endoscopy services. He has oversight of the Pre-operative Assessment and Center for Education (PACE), the pre-operative area, inpatient and outpatient operating rooms, recovery, centralized scheduling and central sterile processing. He works closely with other administrators and physician leaders to ensure maximum efficiency, quality and patient care in all operating areas.

Dawson’s background is well-suited for the challenging, fast-paced environment of Perioperative Services. He has served as the director of Perioperative Services at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado; the vice president of Surgical Services for Salem Hospital in Oregon; chief of staff to the Surgeon General in the Bureau of Navy Medicine and Surgery in Washington, DC; executive vice president at Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, North Carolina; and CEO for US Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan. In these roles, he has consistently created operational improvements, and decreased cost per surgical procedure while reinforcing a commitment to drivings service line growth and improving quality of care.