Hospital for Special Care Names Crista F. Durand President & CEO
NEW BRITAIN, CT, [February 17, 2025] – Hospital for Special Care, the nationally known, independent long-term acute care hospital based in New Britain, Connecticut, has named Crista F. Durand as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Durand comes to HFSC most recently from Newport Hospital in Rhode Island, where she served as President and Chief Executive officer for the past ten years.
Durand succeeds Lynn Ricci, who spent 20 years at HFSC, first as a Vice President, eventually rising to the role of President and CEO in 2015. Ricci announced her planned retirement late last year.
Durand was chosen after an extensive national search. She is a Connecticut native who spent her early professional years in leadership roles at Connecticut hospitals. She joins HFSC on March 3rd .
Board Chair Diane Chace offered, “Let me begin by expressing my heartfelt thanks to current CEO, Lynn Ricci, who over the last decade greatly expanded the Hospital’s unique care delivery services while maintaining our 84-year mission and keeping us financially viable, especially through the long, difficult days of COVID.”
“We welcome Crista,” said Chace, “who I am confident will further our commitment to our mission. Crista’s acute care background will add best practices from that arena to our already ample skill set. We are all thrilled to hand our strategic planning and growth reins to Crista and to support her in broadening our Autism services to include adult populations, growing our inpatient and outpatient Neuroscience programs, and building on our expertise in the treatment of children and adults with complex needs.
“I am already impressed with the Hospital for Special Care, from its deep commitment to patients and their families to its embrace of quality and innovation,” said Durand. “I could not be more excited and honored to step into this role, to steer the Hospital’s growth, and to sustain the wonderful work happening here. It will be a privilege to guide the Hospital’s expanding mission.”
According to Lynn Ricci, outgoing President and CEO, “Working with the staff, patients, and families who comprise the Hospital for Special Care community has been the honor of my professional life. I am so pleased that Crista will lead the next phase of innovation for our unique institution.”