# UNM Hospital Names Dr. Steve McLaughlin CEO as Kate Becker Retires in December

> Dr. Steve McLaughlin will become CEO of UNM Hospital in December, succeeding retiring Kate Becker and keeping a weekly emergency department shift.

- Published: 2026-10-15T04:00:56+00:00
- Section: Leadership
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-15/unm-hospitals-names-steve-mclaughlin-ceo
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/unm-hospital-names-ceo-030300408.html)

## Key takeaways

- Dr. Steve McLaughlin will succeed Kate Becker as UNM Hospital CEO when she retires in December.
- McLaughlin will also serve as permanent vice president of clinical affairs and continue practicing as a physician.
- UNM Hospital is New Mexico's only Level I trauma center and has 465 total job openings across all departments and locations.

Dr. Steve McLaughlin, interim vice president of clinical affairs at the University of New Mexico Hospital, will succeed Kate Becker as hospital CEO upon her retirement in December, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/unm-hospital-names-ceo-030300408.html) reported. McLaughlin will also become UNMH's permanent vice president of clinical affairs and will continue to practice as a physician at the hospital, UNM officials announced Wednesday.

## McLaughlin's Path From Emergency Medicine to CEO

McLaughlin is a tenured professor at the UNM School of Medicine, where he joined the faculty in 1998, and became chair of the emergency medicine department in 2012. In 2023, McLaughlin was appointed chief medical officer at UNMH. He works in the emergency department once a week and says he hopes to continue his practice in his new role.

"I am absolutely committed to continue to do that work," he said. "It helps me fill my cup professionally, helps me to stay energized, and I think very importantly, it really keeps me connected to the journey of our patients and our staff."

McLaughlin, who is originally from Seattle, moved to New Mexico in 1995 to complete an emergency medicine residency at UNM, university officials said. He holds bachelor's degrees in biology and economics from the California Institute of Technology, a medical degree from the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and a master's degree in business administration from the UNM Ellis School of Business Leadership.

Dr. Michael Richards, CEO of the UNM Health System and vice president of UNMH Health Sciences, said in a statement he had full confidence in McLaughlin's leadership. "I have worked with Dr. McLaughlin across many settings, including in the clinical arena, teaching students and in a variety of leadership roles," Richards said. For the first time, the heads of the UNM Health System, its hospital and the president of the university, Dr. Steve Goldstein, are all physicians.

## UNM Hospitals' Scale and Recent Moves

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), [UNM Hospitals](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000ioh9/unm-hospitals) has 465 total positions open across all departments and locations and more than 400 advanced practice professionals. Its radiology and imaging teams perform 300,000 procedures and exams each year. The records also list a 2025 expansion that opened a new Critical Care Tower with 18 operating rooms, a six-room radiology suite and two hybrid-capable ORs, doubling ER capacity.

## Earlier UNM Hospital Developments

In June 2026, UNM Hospital's Radiology Department and Memory & Aging Clinic began using an FDA-approved radioactive diagnostic agent during PET scans to detect amyloid plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease, UNM Newsroom reported. The same month, American City Business Journals reported that Becker would retire in December after leading major expansions, including an $842 million Critical Care Tower and a $36 million Children's Psychiatric Center. In July 2026, UNM Hospital said it would not renew its contract to provide healthcare services at the Metropolitan Detention Center, KOAT reported.

## What Comes Next at UNM Hospital

McLaughlin said the hospital's biggest challenges are ensuring patients have access to care and that its workforce is supported. UNMH is New Mexico's only Level I trauma center, and the university's healthcare expansion includes doubling the size of its medical school in the coming years.

## Companies in this story

- [UNM Hospitals company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000ioh9/unm-hospitals) · website: https://unmhealth.org

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