Senior Leadership Team
Our experienced and dedicated leadership team is guided by our Mission to provide care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities as well as by our core values of compassion, integrity, collaboration and excellence.
President, St. Mary’s Health System and SVP, Covenant Health
T: 207-777-8802
Cindy Segar-Miller, FACHE, joined St. Mary’s Health System as the President effective September 1, 2023. She is a seasoned healthcare executive with a record of success in transformational leadership positions. Her strategies and creative solutions have earned her the reputation as being a positive change agent for small to mid-size hospitals.
For the past 20 years, Segar-Miller has gained considerable expertise supporting a portfolio of national and international clients. Her experience includes tenure as principal for Spectrum Health Partners in Franklin, TN; executive consultant for Bon Secours Mercy Health in Portsmouth, VA and Norfolk, VA; as Chief Executive Officer for Lock Haven Hospital in Lock Haven, PA and as CEO for Ashland Medical Center in Ashland, PA.
Segar-Miller is a registered nurse and earned her graduate degree in Health Services Management Services and Policy from New School University in Middletown, NY.
Vice President, Medical Affairs | Chief Medical Officer
Email: dsmithMD@stmarysmaine.com
Dr. Smith serves as the Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for St. Mary’s Health System. In these roles, he provides leadership to the medical staff of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and oversight to the care provided throughout the health system.
Doug has been part of St. Mary’s since 2001. In addition to being a practicing primary care physician, he has served in multiple leadership capacities prior to assuming his current roles in 2020. Before joining St. Mary’s, he practiced in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania as part of WellSpan Health System.
Doug, his wife and two children love having Maine as their home. He is a “Buckeye” by birth and education, having grown up in Ohio and graduated with his M.D. from The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He received his B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. After medical school, he completed his Family Medicine residency at York Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, where he served as Chief Resident.
Vice President, Mission Integration
Email: ekeene@stmarysmaine.com
Elizabeth Keene serves as Vice President for Mission Integration for St. Mary’s Health System. In this role she is responsible for integrating the mission and values of the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Marguerite d’Youville, into the hospital, long-term care facility and physician practices associated with St. Mary’s. Her work includes supervision for spiritual care, ethics, community outreach and spirituality in the workplace programs.
Her background is in pastoral counseling and end-of-life care. Elizabeth created the volunteer and bereavement program for Johns Hopkins Home Hospice in Baltimore, Maryland and served as Coordinator for Spiritual and Bereavement Care at Johns Hopkins Home Hospice from 1995-2002. She served as the Bereavement Coordinator with Harriet Lane Compassionate Care, the pediatric palliative care program at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, from 2002-2008. Prior to health care work, Elizabeth served as Pastoral Associate at St. Philip’s Parish in Auburn, Maine focusing on faith formation for the parish.
She received a B.A. in psychology and religion from Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA and she received her Master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Boston College. She is a Fellow in Thanatology in Death, Dying and Bereavement from the Association of Death Education and Counseling and is an Associate Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. She serves on several community health-related boards in Androscoggin County and is a member of the Maine State Palliative Care Advisory Council.
Vice President, Operations | Integrated Medical Group
Email: hskolfield@covh.org
Heather Skolfield serves as Vice President, Integrated Medical Group for St. Mary’s Health System. Ms. Skolfield grew up and continues to live in the Androscoggin community. Prior to joining St. Mary’s, she worked for many years as an administrator at several hospitals in the state of Maine. Her professional accomplishments include valued leadership roles at Mid Coast Hospital, Mercy Hospital, and Northern Light in Bangor.
Over the course of her career, Ms. Skolfield has consistently demonstrated her ability to balance strategic decisions and financial discipline, with a hands-on approach to leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s College, of Maine and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from New England College. She enjoys being involved in the community and follows her children around New England for various sporting events.
Vice President, Behavioral Health
Email: mabbatiello@covh.org
Mike Abbatiello, MPPM, CPA, FACHE serves as Vice President of Behavioral Health for St. Mary’s Health System. Mike is a Certified Public Accountant and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Organizational Management from the USM Muskie School of Public Service, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Long Island University. Prior to joining St. Mary’s, Abbatiello held senior leadership roles in Maine for nearly twenty years at Sweetser, and Maine Behavioral Healthcare.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be part of the St. Mary’s family, am so impressed with their commitment to Behavioral Health, and look forward to working with our teams to better meet the growing Behavioral Health needs in the communities we serve.”
Vice President, Business Development and Communications
Email: SCostello@covh.org
Steve Costello serves as vice-president for Business Development and Communications of St. Mary’s Health System. Prior to his current position, Steve was Executive Director of Philanthropy for Covenant Health/St. Mary’s. Steve began working at St. Mary’s in 2019 and for 35 years prior he was one of the owners and Vice-President of Sun Media Group, a family-owned media company that was the parent organization for the Lewiston Sun Journal and 11 weekly newspapers around Southern, Central and Western Maine. His areas of responsibility include strategic development of business interests, marketing and communications and facilities management.
Steve grew up in Maine attending local schools in Lewiston and went on to receive a BS from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He has been very active over the years in various civic organizations both locally and for trade organizations.
Steve lives in Lewiston with his wife Mary Ellen, and they have three grown children whom he loves to spend time with. During his free time, he enjoys skiing, biking, pickleball and playing golf. An ardent Boston sports fan, he has been a die-hard Red Sox and Patriots fan even during the lean years.
System VP of Post Acute Care/Maine, President of d’Youville Pavilion
Email: phickey@stmarysmaine.com
Philip Hickey is the current President of St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavilion, a 210 bed Rehab and Post Acute Care Facility, and System VP of Post Acute Care in Maine for Covenant Health. Hickey also oversees the 128 unit independent living facility, St. Mary’s Residences.
Hickey has more than 37 years of experience in the senior living field with an extensive background in independent living, assisted living, skilled care and rehabilitation care.
He holds a BS and a Masters in Health Care Administration.
He was recently appointed by Governor Mills to the Maine Nursing Home Licensing Board.
Hickey lives in Cumberland, Maine with his husband and 2 “kids”, two miniature dachshunds. He also has two grown children.
Director of Employee Experience
Email: blaplante@covh.org
Brenda is the Director of Employee Experience at St. Marys’ Regional Medical Center. She joined the St. Mary’s HR Team in October 2018 as a HR Partner after more than three decades in a management role in the Retail Industry.
In addition to her work experience, Brenda has a BS in Business Administration, a BA in Psychology, a graduate certificate in HR, and a Masters in Organizational Leadership, as well as HR certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP).
Brenda represents St. Mary’s on the United Way Board of Directors and serves on their Health Impact Council as well.
Brenda and her husband have two grown children and reside locally with their rescue pup, Brady. When she’s not working she enjoys spending time with family and being at the beach.
