Instructor Biography

About The Instructor

Ralph Lawson is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Baptist Health South Florida, Inc. Baptist Health owns six-hospitals and 21 satellite outpatient centers and is the largest private employer in Miami-Dade County. Baptist operates in three counties, with over 14,000 employees, and has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Employers in America for the last eight years by Fortune Magazine.

Prior to joining Baptist Health, Mr. Lawson spent 17 years at Deloitte, the last eight years of which were as a partner responsible for the Florida healthcare practice.

Mr. Lawson earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Colorado and a Master's Degree of Business Administration from The Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Lawson also serves as Chairman of the Board of Catholic Health Services which employs 2,200 individuals providing healthcare services primarily to the elderly of South Florida. He is the National Secretary/Treasurer of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) which has over 35,000 members. He has been nominated by the HFMA National Board to serve as National Chair-elect effective June 1, 2011 and the National Chair effective June 1, 2012. Mr. Lawson is also a member of the Florida Institute of CPAs and was a former Chairman of the FICPA Healthcare Committee. Mr. Lawson is the past President of the Coral Springs Soccer Commission, Inc., one of the largest soccer clubs in the United States.