AdventHealth Celebration has a new leader: Amanda Maggard took over the role of campus CEO in mid-2023. She previously led AdventHealth facilities in Zephyrhills, Dade City and Winter Garden. In 2023, she was named a Becker’s Healthcare “Rising Star: Healthcare Leaders Under 40.” Amanda and her husband, Michael, have two sons—Griffin and Landry. In their free time, they enjoy staying active, traveling, football, and visiting Walt Disney World.
Q: What do you like about working at AdventHealth Celebration?
A: There’s a feeling of family to the place, and we have a number of team members who’ve been at the hospital since it opened in 1997. The hospital and the team have grown with the community. There’s also a personal connection for me. I’ve been a patient here, and my family members have been treated here too. And as a big Disney fan, I like that the hospital is a part of the greater Disney community here in Celebration.
Q: What would you like people to know about the hospital?
A: We are a unique hospital, thanks to our four founding pillars: We are an exceptional community hospital; We are a modern-day example of the philosophy of whole-person care; we are a living laboratory for health care innovation; and a center for destination medicine for patients on a global scale. And I’m proud that our quality of care is widely recognized. We have been honored for patient safety and overall excellence by organizations including the Leapfrog Group, U.S. News, and Healthgrades.
Q: What types of innovation are you working on?
A: There are many examples. Recently, our team performed a first-in-the-world procedure that targeted kidney tumors with sound beams. This pioneering treatment, known as histotripsy, has the potential to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue, helping patients recover and feel healthy and whole. We will soon be the first in Florida to use a similar procedure for liver tumors. We’re also a center for utilizing and teaching the latest technology and techniques in robotic surgery, which is why patients from around the world come to Celebration. And our Clinical Research Unit offers access close to home to leading-edge cancer treatments, meaning patients can get the care they need without leaving the Celebration community.
Q: What’s next for the hospital?
A: We are continuing to innovate, bringing world-class, whole-person care across all our medical specialties. And we continue to grow to meet Celebration’s health care needs. In fact, we are planning the construction of a new, 5-story patient tower! We expect to be treating patients in this tower beginning in early 2027.