Ventura County Health Center announced today that Kimberly Milstien will succeed Barry Fisher as its next CEO. She will assume the position March 1.

Prior to the appointment, Milstien served as president and CEO of Simi Valley Hospital until resigning last November. Caroline Esparza, the center’s chief nursing executive, has been named as its interim president and CEO.

Milstien became CEO of Simi Valley Hospital in 2012 and oversaw the development and improvement of numerous hospital programs, including the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, the country’s first hybrid treatment and imaging lab. The hospital also began a transition toward a community-wide network of health services with its acquisition of four private practices under a division of its Medical Foundation.

Milstien joins the VCHC staff as the hospital undergoes a $305 million renovation project scheduled for 2017 completion.

“We are extremely fortunate to find someone with Ms. Milstien’s experience, particularly at such an important time in Ventura County Medical Center’s history,” Fisher, the hospital’s current leader, said in a statement. “I am very confident that her background, experience and personal qualifications make her a perfect choice to help us steer our hospital into the future.”