Anne Marie Watkins

Chief Nursing Executive & Senior Vice President

Anne Marie Watkins, DNP, MSHCA, RN, CENP, is the chief nursing executive and a senior vice president at UCI Health.

Watkins oversees all aspects of patient care and nursing practice at the academic health system. She also serves as assistant dean of nursing education at the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing.

Watkins comes to UCI Health from Kaiser Foundation Hospital and Health Plan, where she was vice president of National Patient Care Services, Operations and Strategy. She also provided executive leadership for the organization’s National Patient Care Services programs and services to all Kaiser Permanente markets.

Previously, Watkins was chief nursing executive for Kaiser Permanente, San Diego Medical Center and Zion Medical Center in San Diego. She brings much experience working in Orange County, having served in nursing leadership positions at UCI Health — Placentia Linda, UCI Health — Fountain Valley, CHOC and Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Watkins received her doctor of nursing practice degree from University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as her master of science in nursing, master of science in healthcare administration and bachelor of science in nursing from California State University, Long Beach. She also has a specialty certification in executive nursing practice.