HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center has appointed two leaders to permanent executive roles following their service in interim capacities. Angela Sonon has been named senior vice president and chief operating officer, and Valerie Ritter has been named vice president and chief nursing officer, effective June 1. Sonon had served as interim chief operating officer since October 2024, and Ritter had served as interim chief nursing officer since February 2025.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome Angela and Valerie into these critical leadership roles,” said Joseph Frank, Penn State Health’s East Region hospital president. “Both have gone above and beyond in their interim positions, earning the trust and respect of their teams and colleagues. Their passion, expertise and commitment to excellence will continue to drive Lancaster Medical Center forward as we grow and serve our community with outstanding care.”
As chief operating officer, Sonon will oversee the daily operations of Lancaster Medical Center, working closely with all departments to ensure efficient and effective processes. She joined Lancaster Medical Center in July 2022 before its official opening in October 2022, serving as senior director of quality and medical affairs before stepping into the interim chief operating officer role. Before joining Lancaster Medical Center, Sonon worked for Tower Health for 29 years in various capacities, including nursing leadership roles in the Intensive Care Unit, Oncology and Quality and as a nurse practitioner. Most recently, Sonon served as the senior director of Clinical Operations, Practice and Quality at the McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital.
Ritter had an accomplished career of more than 20 years at Tower Health before joining Lancaster Medical Center. She served as the nursing director for the emergency department at Pottstown Hospital, where she led initiatives to improve patient care and streamline department operations. She also held leadership roles in the emergency department and inpatient nursing, where she provided strategic oversight and fostered clinical best practices to enhance patient outcomes.