Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia is proud to honor Carol Healan Burrell as the 2025 Gainesville Woman of Distinction.

The Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction award honors a remarkable woman who embodies the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, serving as an inspiring role model for girls. This year, Burrell has been chosen for her outstanding leadership and impactful contributions to the community, exemplifying the spirit of service and empowerment.  

Burrell has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) since 2011, leading the health system through an era of unparalleled success and growth.

She has been named Georgia’s Most Respected Business Leader by Georgia Trend magazine and has appeared on the list of the 100 Most Influential Georgians for twelve years in a row. She is also included in Atlanta Magazine’s 2025 Atlanta 500.

Under Burrell’s leadership, NGHS has grown from a one-hospital system with a few employed physician practices and satellite outpatient locations to one of the largest and well-respected healthcare organizations in the state – with an economic impact of nearly $7.5 billion each year. Today, Burrell leads more than 12,000 employees across:

• Northeast Georgia Medical Center – five acute care hospitals, including a Level I Trauma Center, with more than 960 combined beds and a medical staff of more than 1,300 providers representing more than 50 specialties

• Northeast Georgia Physicians Group – the sixth largest multispecialty physician group in the state

• Georgia Heart Institute – the state’s most forward-thinking heart and vascular program

• Graduate Medical Education – one of the state’s largest programs, empowering the physician leaders of tomorrow through residencies in seven specialties and multiple fellowships

• Plus dozens of medical office buildings, urgent care centers, imaging centers, long term care facilities, rehabilitation clinics and more.

Burrell was born and raised in Carl, Ga. She received her bachelor’s degree in medical technology from Georgia Southern University and Emory University, and she earned her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Central Michigan University.  She has more than 30 years of experience in a variety of clinical operations, in both for-profit and non-profit settings, and has been a member of NGHS’ senior management staff since 1999.

Burrell is a past board chair for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and is active in Gainesville Rotary, United Way, and the Georgia Hospital Association.  She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Vizient MidSouth. She was named 2024 CEO of the Year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals and received the 2025 Leadership Legacy Award from the Georgia Commission on Women, the 2024 W. Daniel Barker Leadership Award from the Georgia Hospital Association, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She was inducted into Junior Achievement’s Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame as a 2024 Laureate.

A hallmark of Burrell’s tenure at NGHS is a culture of continuous improvement, called “Quest for Excellence,” which empowers everyone across the organization – from administrators to frontline staff – to identify and implement ways to improve care. As NGHS continues to grow, the Quest for Excellence ensures employees never lose sight of the experience they provide patients and inspires them to achieve Burrell’s mantra – “Be better tomorrow than you are today.”

Burrell will be honored as the 2025 Gainesville Woman of Distinction during a special luncheon on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the Chattahoochee Country Club. Special thanks to the presenting sponsor, Northeast Georgia Health System, for its generous support. Individual tickets are $125, and additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Proceeds support Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.gshg.org/gainesvilleevents. Questions about this annual event may be directed to Lindsay McCuen, community engagement manager at Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, at 888-689-1912.  ❧