Vanessa Smith
Chief Operating Officer

Vanessa Saenz Smith has joined Emerus as Chief Operating Officer.


Vanessa brings 25 years of managing operational excellence and improving the patient experience to her new role as a member of the executive leadership team.

She will leverage her experience with health system partnerships, small format operational infrastructures, strategy and business development, and acquisitions to provide oversight and direction over market operations throughout the company.

Vanessa spent the past 12 years in various management roles at United Surgical Partners International. Most recently, she was the Market President – West Operations, where she led operations, service line development and overall growth strategy in the company’s West market. This included 33 ambulatory surgical centers and 3 hospitals across six states. Prior to that, she spent eight years in physician practice management, helping to drive strong financial results, while transforming the delivery of care to patients. She has held various roles on the payor side where she began her healthcare career.

Vanessa earned a Bachelor of Science in Business and Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University. Vanessa, her husband and their two daughters are based in Houston.