Stephanie Mercado

CEO

Nat'l Assoc for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ)

Stephanie Mercado is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for Healthcare Quality® (NAHQ), the leading organization driving the advancement of healthcare Quality & Safety. With more than two decades of experience in the healthcare industry, Mercado has played a pivotal role in elevating the profession and positioning NAHQ as the authority on workforce competencies in Quality.

Since taking the helm in 2013, Mercado has led transformative initiatives that include the development of the NAHQ Healthcare Quality Competency Framework™ and the first-ever workforce study in Quality & Safety. These efforts have provided critical insights into the state of the healthcare Quality workforce and guided organizations in addressing gaps in readiness. Under her leadership, NAHQ launched Workforce Accelerator®, a scalable solution to assess, upskill, and align healthcare professionals with industry standards.

She serves on advisory panels and national committees, including those for AHRQ, CMS, IHI, and supports the WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan. Mercado is a CPHQ, Certified Association Executive (CAE), and Health Evolution Senior Fellow. Among her many honors, she was named to Modern Healthcare’s “Top 25 Women Leaders” and “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” in both 2023 and 2024.