Carrie J. Whitcher Named 2026 Commencement Speaker

Houghton University is pleased to announce that Carrie J. Whitcher, Chief Quality Officer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Insurance Services Division, has been selected as the commencement speaker for the class of 2026.

Carrie brings over 25 years of leadership experience in quality improvement in both payer and provider settings. She brings expertise in health care quality improvement and administrative strategy and execution.  She is an action-oriented leader who is passionate about improving health care structures and processes to maximize patient outcomes, dedicated to advancing organization-wide culture through matrix collaboration, communication, and team development strategies, and driven to achieve results through innovative strategies and programs

Carrie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration from the State University of New York College at Fredonia and a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been recognized for her strong leadership at both local and national levels.  In 2018, she was honored with Diversity Journal’s Women Worth Watching Award: Executives Leading the Way to Excellence in the Workplace, Marketplace, and the World.  She has volunteered in a multitude of settings over the years, most recently with The Wesleyan Church, leading the national Marketplace Multiplier movement as their team leader of strategy. She is a 2024 graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh Inc, LP XL and serves on Boards of Directors in the Pittsburgh community.

The commencement ceremony will celebrate the achievements of Houghton’s Class of 2026 on May 9, 2026.