Hospital for Special Care names new CEO, promotes 2 other execs

Hospital for Special Care in New Britain. HBJ Photo | Dave Krechevsky

By David Krechevsky

August 10, 2026

Hospital for Special Care announced three executive promotions on Monday, including naming a current president and CEO to fill the position nearly five months after its previous leader left after just over a year.

R.

Moses

Vargas

R.

Moses

Vargas, who most recently served as the New Britain-based hospital’s chief legal officer and vice president of government affairs, officially took over as president and CEO on Monday. He succeeds interim President and CEO Lynn Ricci, who returned in March to temporarily lead the organization after retiring last year.

Ricci will remain with Hospital for Special Care until Sept. 15 to assist with the transition. She stepped into the interim position after the hospital and former CEO Crista F. Durand mutually agreed to a leadership change effective March 16.

Durand had been named president and CEO in March 2025 following a nationwide search conducted with the help of executive search firm WittKieffer. She succeeded Ricci, who had led the organization since 2015.

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Vargas joined Hospital for Special Care about six months ago. Before that, he served as senior vice president and chief legal officer at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, where he was part of the executive leadership team overseeing legal strategy, government relations, corporate compliance, risk management and insurance.

Jennifer Farley

Vargas holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law, as well as a bachelor’s degree, Master of Social Work and MBA from the University of Utah.

Hospital for Special Care also announced two other executive promotions Monday.

Jennifer Farley was named senior vice president and chief operating officer.



Farley joined the organization in 2015 and most recently served as chief quality officer and vice president of organizational excellence.

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Paula Doyle

Paula Doyle was named vice president and chief nursing officer. She joined the hospital in 2022 and had served as interim chief nursing officer since April.

Board Chair Brian Tevnan emphasized continuity in announcing the appointments, stating that promoting from within helps to create stability and ensures continuity of the hospital’s culture.

Hospital for Special Care, which marked its 85th anniversary this year, provides long-term acute care and rehabilitation services for adults and children with complex medical needs. It operates inpatient and outpatient facilities in New Britain, Hartford and Hebron.

Hospital for Special Care announced three executive promotions on Monday, including naming a new president and CEO to fill the position nearly five months after its previous leader left after just over a year.

R.

Moses

Vargas

R.

Moses

Vargas, who most recently served as the New Britain-based hospital’s chief legal officer and vice president of government affairs, officially took over as president and CEO on Monday. He succeeds interim President and CEO Lynn Ricci, who returned in March to temporarily lead the organization after retiring last year.

Ricci will remain with Hospital for Special Care until Sept. 15 to assist with the transition.



She stepped into the interim position after the hospital and former CEO Crista F. Durand mutually agreed to a leadership change effective March 16.

Durand had been named president and CEO in March 2025 following a nationwide search conducted with the help of executive search firm WittKieffer. She succeeded Ricci, who had led the organization since 2015.

ADVERTISEMENT

Vargas joined Hospital for Special Care about six months ago. Before that, he served as senior vice president and chief legal officer at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, where he was part of the executive leadership team overseeing legal strategy, government relations, corporate compliance, risk management and insurance.

Jennifer Farley

Vargas holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law, as well as a bachelor’s degree, Master of Social Work and MBA from the University of Utah.

Hospital for Special Care also announced two other executive promotions Monday.

Jennifer Farley was named senior vice president and chief operating officer. Farley joined the organization in 2015 and most recently served as chief quality officer and vice president of organizational excellence.

ADVERTISEMENT

Paula Doyle

Paula Doyle was named vice president and chief nursing officer. She joined the hospital in 2022 and had served as interim chief nursing officer since April.

Board Chair Brian Tevnan emphasized continuity in announcing the appointments, stating that promoting from within helps to create stability and ensures continuity of the hospital’s culture.

Hospital for Special Care, which marked its 85th anniversary this year, provides long-term acute care and rehabilitation services for adults and children with complex medical needs. It operates inpatient and outpatient facilities in New Britain, Hartford and Hebron.

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