Meet the New CEO of the Upcoming Hospital in Minneola

Kay Barnett has been named CEO of AdventHealth’s planned hospital in Minneola, a four-story, 80-bed facility that will bring inpatient care to the growing south Lake County community beginning in late 2025. Barnett will report to Kari Vargas, CEO of AdventHealth Winter Garden and the Northwest Market of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division.

“AdventHealth is focused on bringing care closer to home for the people we serve,” Vargas says. “The new Minneola hospital will meet the significant health care needs of the area and bring new jobs into the community under the leadership of an experienced, strategic leader.”

Barnett currently serves as vice president of strategy and emerging operations for the Northwest Market of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division. In this role, she leads all strategy and growth functions for the market, which includes AdventHealth Winter Garden, AdventHealth Apopka, AdventHealth Altamonte Springs and the upcoming AdventHealth Minneola, in addition to four freestanding ERs.

Barnett’s previous experience includes serving in division-wide roles as vice president of strategic planning and executive director of network development, as well as progressive business development roles at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs.

“It’s been a pleasure serving our Northwest Market this past year and building strong relationships with local community and physician leaders,” Barnett says. “As I step into this next role, I’m committed to deepening these relationships, and building an effective, compassionate care team to deliver high-quality whole-person care to Minneola and south Lake County residents.”

Barnett earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and a minor in communications from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is a 2022 graduate of the AdventHealth Executive Leadership Program and is an active member and volunteer of the WholeLife Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Together with her husband Ryan, Barnett has two sons, Blake (9) and Connor (7). In her leisure time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling.