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Russ Averna

Vice President of Human Resources, Spaulding Rehabilitation

Russ Averna is the Vice President of Human Resources for Spaulding Rehabilitation, the non-acute care services division of Mass General Brigham (MGB). Prior to joining MGB in 2010, Russ Averna had a twenty-six year career with Jordan Hospital (now Beth Israel Deaconess, Plymouth), where he served as the senior Human Resources executive and had responsibilities for a number of clinical and support function departments. Russ also has experience working with a start-up pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge and Montreal where he assessed the company’s human resources systems, policies, and practices, with emphasis on compliance matters.

Russ received his undergraduate degree from Colgate University and a Masters in Business Administration from Cornell University. Additionally, while at Cornell he took health care-related coursework and served a summer internship with the CEO of South Country Hospital in Rhode Island, requirements to receive a certificate in healthcare administration.

He has been an arbitrator, hearing cases filed under the Massachusetts Lemon Law. His commitment to workforce development, career advancement, and worker training has been reflected in membership in various government and private Boards. He has worked in unionized as well as union-free enterprises.

Russ believes there are two main goals for effective Human Resources programming. The primary one is to reinforce a culture where colleagues work collaboratively and are united by a shared mission, demonstrate a common value system, and are laser-focused on the needs of patients and their families. The second is having an engaged staff that find their commitment to Spaulding rewarding on both a personal and professional level.  We have an organization with a diversity of staff, reflective of the communities in which we live and patients we serve, and where everyone knows they are valued and “belong.” Spaulding is led by a talented team and staffed with caring and competent colleagues who are driven to achieve both these goals.