Northern Nevada native and 15-year Renown Health veteran steps into expanded C-suite role as organization advances its 10-year strategic vision
Renown Health, northern Nevada’s only not-for-profit academic health system, today announced the appointment of Cristal Herrera Woodley, MBA, as Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer (CMXO), effective July 6, 2026. Woodley, a proud northern Nevadan who has dedicated 15 years to Renown Health, assumes one of the organization's most visible leadership roles at a pivotal moment in its strategic transformation.
Cristal joined Renown Health as a Business Intern while completing her dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Information Systems at the University of Nevada, Reno. Over the course of her career at Renown, she rose through progressive leadership roles from digital marketing specialist to Vice President of Marketing and Communications, building a reputation as a results-driven, mission-first leader with deep roots in the communities Renown serves.
“Cristal embodies everything Renown stands for — deep community roots, a relentless commitment to our mission, and a proven ability to deliver results that matter. She has been instrumental in building the brand, trust, and communications infrastructure that defines who we are in this region. As we advance our 10-year strategic plan, expand our academic health system identity and navigate new partnerships, having Cristal in this role gives me tremendous confidence in our path forward,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Renown Health.
In her promotional role as CMXO, Cristal will oversee enterprise-wide marketing, communications, public relations, community engagement, customer experience, engagement center and physician relations. She will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and executive leadership team, with a focus on advancing Renown’s brand as an academic health system, stewarding the organization’s community trust through its partnership with Kaiser Permanente, and delivering a seamless, patient-centered experience across every touchpoint.
“I grew up in Winnemucca, Nev., and I have spent my entire career watching Renown transform the health of this region. This role is not just a professional opportunity; it is a personal mission. I believe that a brand is a promise, and my commitment is to ensure that every message we put into this community connects to the exceptional care waiting on the other side of it. I am honored to serve our patients, our team members, and the communities across northern Nevada at this extraordinary moment in Renown’s history,” said Cristal Herrera Woodley, MBA, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, Renown Health.
Cristal holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Technology Management from Western Governors University and dual undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada, a Recognition and Scholarship Committee Chair for the Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD), and an advisor and faculty panelist at the Forum for Healthcare Strategists. She has been recognized as a Terri McNorton Rising Star by SHSMD and a Woman of Achievement by the Nevada Women’s Fund.
Renown Health is Nevada’s largest, not-for-profit integrated academic healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in a community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. To join the Renown Health team, visit renown.org/careers.
