Van Hentenryck Closes Distinguished Chapter in Organizational Leadership
today announced that Chief Operating Officer, Karen Van Hentenryck, MA, MBA, will retire from her role, effective Dec. 31, 2025. Her retirement marks the culmination of more than 30 years of service and leadership at HL7.
Van Hentenryck has been a central figure in HL7’s executive leadership team, overseeing administrative operations and ensuring seamless collaboration across departments while supporting the organization’s mission to advance interoperable healthcare worldwide.
“Serving HL7 for nearly three decades has been an incredible journey,” said Van Hentenryck. “I am proud of the operational excellence, collaborative culture, and global impact our team has achieved. As I step down, I am confident that HL7’s strong foundation and talented leadership will continue to advance our mission, empower the community, and shape the future of interoperable health care worldwide.”
The Board’s Succession Planning Committee will lead the leadership transition at HL7. Independently, both the COO and CEO are stepping down at the end of the year. “Karen has been one of the inspirational leaders at HL7 for decades,” said HL7 CEO Charles Jaffe, MD, PhD. He continued, “Her leadership, institutional knowledge, and tireless dedication have been key to the organization’s stability, growth, and ability to deliver on its mission. The organization is stronger because of her contributions.”
Prior to her appointment as chief operating officer, Van Hentenryck served HL7 for 25 years as associate executive director and for two years as the director of technical publications. She has also held roles with health IT vendors and payers as a technical writer and nonprofit management professional.
“On behalf of the board, we thank Karen for her extraordinary dedication to HL7. Her leadership in operations and strategy has been instrumental in ensuring HL7 remains a trusted, innovative, and globally influential organization,” said Julia Skapik, MD, MPH, Chair of the HL7 Board of Directors. “We are deeply grateful for her decades of contributions and wish her the best in retirement.”
Van Hentenryck will remain actively engaged throughout the transition, collaborating closely with the board, the Succession Planning Committee, and the executive leadership team to support a seamless transition. HL7 will continue to provide succession updates to members and stakeholders throughout the year.
