Charles Callahan, senior vice president and chief quality officer for Memorial Health System, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective April 1.

In his new role, Callahan will have leadership responsibility for implementing strategies that advance care quality, patient safety and operations excellence throughout the health system. He also will collaborate with Memorial Medical Center staff, partnering physicians and other strategic partners to ensure long-lasting, effective relationships that promote innovation and value in patient care consistent with the organization’s mission and vision.

Callahan joined Memorial in 1991 as a staff rehabilitation psychologist after earning his doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and completing a neuropsychology specialty internship at the University of Missouri–Columbia School of Medicine.

He became administrator for Neuromuscular Sciences and Orthopedics in 1997, adding Emergency Services three years later. In 2008, Callahan was promoted to vice president of operations, gaining valuable experience in the areas of Medical Imaging, Laboratory Medicine, Pharmacy and Dietary Services. In 2013, his title changed to senior vice president and chief quality officer to reflect an expanding organizational emphasis on quality and safety processes.

Callahan earned his master of business administration at the University of Illinois–Springfield. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Psychological Association and is board-certified in rehabilitation psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

He has nearly 50 professional publications in the areas of brain injury rehabilitation, neuropsychology, emergency/trauma medicine, healthcare process improvement and outcomes measurement.

He also served on the editorial boards of “Rehabilitation Psychology” and the “Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation” and is past president of the American Psychological Association’s Division of Rehabilitation Psychology. For the past six years, Callahan has served on the United Way of Central Illinois Board of Directors, including a term as board chair in 2012-13.

Callahan and his wife, Mary, live in Springfield, and are the parents of three children: Kerstin, Madeline and Brett.