A New C-Suite Spot in Care

 

May 2026 Issue

By E.J. Goodwin
Photo courtesy of Beaufort Memorial Hospital

 

As the Lowcountry grows, so does the demand for caring,
community-centered healthcare.

Beaufort Memorial is growing, too—the health system’s second hospital will open in Bluffton in 2027, and a unique combination emergency and urgent care facility will call Hilton Head Island home around the same time.

This growth is about more than just new facilities. It requires strong, forward-thinking clinical leadership to guide the Beaufort Memorial nursing staff and ensure patients continue receiving exceptional care.

At Beaufort Memorial, two leaders have stepped into these pivotal nurse leader roles.

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Vice President of Patient Care Services Marissa Jamarik, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, has brought with her from Charleston, SC, a deep belief in the role nurses play as caregivers and advocates in their communities.

Alongside her, the organization’s first-ever Assistant Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) is a familiar face and longtime leader in the organization: Ashley Hildreth, MSN, RN, CEN, SANE, who represents the strength of growing leadership from within.

As nurse leaders, this duo is helping shape the future of nursing at Beaufort Memorial, setting their sights on clinical excellence, workforce development, and a continued commitment to the Lowcountry community and its ever-changing healthcare needs.

Hearing—and Answering—the Call

May is National Nurses Month, a month where, above all others, it’s important to stop and think about—and thank—the nurses in the community. It’s more than a job; it’s a calling, and both Marissa and Ashley heard the call to healthcare early.

Marissa was raised in Virginia by parents who were both physicians, so she always expected to pursue a career in healthcare. A brief exploration of pre-law in college confirmed it; she was a little too driven by compassion, kindness and service for a law career, she admitted. “I figured they’d frown upon me hugging people in the courtroom,” she said with a smile.

The day she walked into her first clinical experience, Marissa felt like she was home. “The hands-on care nurses provide, their role as true servants and advocates for their patients, that’s what I was drawn to,” Marissa said. “I think you have to be called to nursing—you have to inherently know it’s the kind of work you want to do.”

Ashley, an Orangeburg, SC, native, always knew she belonged in the field, getting her start in emergency services and slowly transitioning into nursing from there.
She wasn’t sure initially what she wanted to do, but she took an EMT class (before she was even old enough to sit for the exam) and was hooked. She eventually finished EMT school, then paramedic school – then, she felt the call of the emergency room.

“I loved what I did with EMS, but I was curious about what happened in the ER,” she said. “Whenever we’d drop patients off at the ER, I always wanted to know what was next. As an ER nurse, I learned to be patient, methodical, and how to deal with a fast turnaround. Asking ‘why,’ over and over again, has really served me well in leadership.”

Voice, Advocate, Mentor

Transitioning from bedside nursing to an executive leadership role was a shift, but one that reshaped Marissa’s perspective.

“None of us enter the nursing field to say, ‘Gosh, I’d like to be in a boardroom wearing a nice pair of heels,’” Marissa said. “But the frontline is the backbone of healthcare, and as CNO, I get to be their voice at the table, their advocate.”

Beaufort Memorial is in a period of strategic expansion throughout the Lowcountry, and that growth presents the health system with significant opportunity.

“What excites me most is the opportunity this growth creates to not just expand our services, but to also strengthen how we deliver care,” she added. “Growth allows us to invest in our people, advance innovation, and broaden access for the communities we serve. It’s not just about size; it’s about impact for the patients and families who rely on us every day.”

Growing from Within

Ashley said she has “a love for chaos,” so the exciting role of inaugural ACNO—and all the new challenges that come with it – is something she feels ready for.

From her beginnings as a new graduate nurse in the ER, she eventually became ER charge nurse and later assistant emergency department director, where she helped the organization transition to the current Pratt Emergency Center.

In 2018, she pivoted into organization-wide quality leadership as the Corporate Director of Quality and Patient Safety Officer, guiding compliance with federal and state regulatory agencies and The Joint Commission, while building a culture of safety and accountability.

As Beaufort Memorial continues to expand its footprint, her role will position the evolving health system for future success in workforce development, nursing excellence, and consistency of compassionate, skilled care as the Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital opens its doors.

“As the organization has grown, I’ve grown,” she said. “We’re expanding our reach and growing with the needs of our community. Every time the community has a need, Beaufort Memorial fills that gap and figures out how best to serve those needs, and I’m excited to continue to be a part of our legacy as ACNO.”

Exciting New Horizons

The nursing landscape today is completely different than it was decades ago. Big challenges face the industry: Staffing shortages that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic and never recovered, the increasing cost of living—not just in Beaufort, Bluffton and the surrounding areas, but nationwide—and increasing rates of violence in healthcare facilities.

These factors mix with patients who, today, are arriving at healthcare facilities sicker than ever before, combined with more responsibilities than ever for nurses both at the bedside and in outpatient facilities. At Beaufort Memorial, though the field of nursing has evolved, the mission of community, connection, and compassion is still front and center.

As the next chapter of the community health system unfolds, one thing is certain: With Marissa and Ashley, strong clinical leadership is ready to guide the future of nursing—right here in their community.