Dr. Joe Roberts Named to Becker's CMOs to Know in 2026 List

Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Joe Roberts, MD, was named to Becker Healthcare's 252 hospital and health system chief medical officers to know in 2026 list. This is the third time that Dr. Roberts has made the list.

According to Becker's, “These physician executives are instrumental in elevating patient safety, upholding rigorous quality standards, strengthening collaboration between executive leadership and medical staff, and guiding risk management efforts.”

Dr. Roberts' entry reads: “Since 2020, Dr. Roberts has served as vice president and chief medical officer for UNC Health Southeastern, overseeing the medical staff along with medical education, infection control and quality departments. He provides leadership oversight for a residency and fellowship program comprising approximately 100 individuals. He also brings deep roots in Robeson County, with a career shaped by service and community return, including early practice with the Indian Health Service at the Choctaw Nation Indian Hospital in Oklahoma. He also brings more than two decades leading Lumber River Family Practice in Lumberton after opening it in 1994. He transitioned to a full-time system role in 2016 as the complexity of practice operations grew nationwide, bringing frontline perspective into executive leadership. Beyond the hospital, Dr. Roberts has served on organizational governance bodies and continues community-facing leadership, including appointment to the Lumbee Tribe board of health in 2022 and ongoing service as medical director for Community Hospice in Lumberton, as well as prior medical directorships for long-term care and other entities.” 

To view the entire list, visit 252 hospital and health system chief medical officers to know | 2026.