Hospital for Special Care Makes New Leadership Appointments, Names R. Moses Vargas, Esq., President and Chief Executive Officer
August 10, 2026Organization also promotes Jennifer Farley to Chief Operating Officer and Paula Doyle to Chief Nursing Officer
R. Moses Vargas, Esq., is the new President and Chief Executive Officer for Hospital for Special Care, effective today. He succeeds Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Ricci, who rejoined the organization in March 2026. Vargas, who was most recently Hospital for Special Care’s Chief Legal Officer and Vice President of Government Affairs, will steward the organization’s mission and oversee execution of its strategic growth initiatives. Ricci will remain with the organization until Sept. 15 to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
In addition to Vargas’ appointment, Hospital for Special Care has promoted two leaders to round out the executive team. Jennifer Farley, MBA, FACHE, has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, where she will develop strategies to support service line expansion and create operational efficiencies. Paula Doyle, DNP, MPH, RN, has been named Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer and will oversee all nursing staff and help direct clinical policies for the organization.
“The selection of Moses, Jen and Paula for these key management roles reflects the strength of leadership and depth of talent within Hospital for Special Care,” said Board Chair Brian Tevnan. “By promoting from within, we create stability for our dedicated teams, ensure continuity of our culture, and remain committed to the execution of our current strategic plan. Each of these three leaders brings complementary strengths to grow our nationally recognized rehabilitation, autism, and neuromuscular programs, and expand access to care to more patients with complex health needs.”
These leadership appointments come as Hospital for Special Care marks 85 years of innovation, advocacy, and commitment to patients who have exceedingly limited options for essential care and support. Since its inception in 1941, Hospital for Special Care has worked together with the state of Connecticut to create much needed services for patients with complex healthcare needs – services that would not otherwise be available to residents in Connecticut, and beyond.
Robert Moses Vargas, Esq.
Vargas brings more than 11 years of executive leadership experience in healthcare. Since joining HFSC as Chief Legal Officer nearly six months ago, he has developed a strong understanding of the organization’s mission, operations, and strategic priorities while building relationships across the enterprise. This experience enables him to bring both institutional knowledge and an objective perspective to advancing HFSC’s long-term goals.
Before joining HFSC, Vargas served as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where he was a member of the executive leadership team and played an integral role in the organization’s growth and strategic direction. He led legal strategy, government relations, corporate compliance, clinical and enterprise risk management, and insurance. Throughout his career, he has partnered closely with boards of directors and executive leaders, worked collaboratively with state regulatory agencies, and helped guide complex strategic initiatives, including organizational affiliations, acquisitions, and innovative partnerships that expanded access to care and strengthened healthcare delivery. His leadership experience spans acute care, pediatric, and behavioral health organizations, with a consistent focus on governance, operational excellence, sustainable growth, and mission-driven innovation.
Vargas holds a bachelor’s degree, Master of Social Work, and Master of Business Administration from the University of Utah, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Jennifer Farley, MBA, FACHE
Farley joined the organization in 2015 as Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety Officer, where she played a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s High Reliability journey. She most recently served as HFSC’s Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of Organizational Excellence, providing executive oversight across Respiratory Therapy, Pharmacy, Ancillary Services, and Contracting, while also overseeing enterprise-wide quality improvement initiatives, emergency preparedness and response, hospital licensure, and accreditation activities. Under her leadership, the organization achieved several significant milestones, including earning Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety Accreditation in Enhanced Respiratory Care and Joint Commission Accreditation for Behavioral Health. She has also held key leadership roles in Emergency Preparedness, including serving as Incident Commander, and recently expanded her scope to include oversight of outpatient services, rehabilitation therapies, and community-based programs, further strengthening the organization’s continuum of care.
Farley began her healthcare career as a Radiographer and Mammographer in an acute care hospital setting before transitioning into operational leadership within Jefferson Radiology. There, she led initiatives in accreditation and staff education prior to advancing to the role of Director of Hospital Support Services.
Farley is board certified as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 2023, and holds a Bachelor of Science with a minor in Business Administration, as well as a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Hartford.
Dr. Paula Doyle, MPH, RN
Doyle joined Hospital for Special Care in 2022 and has served as Director of Nursing Operations and Interim Chief Nursing Officer since April 2026. Aiming to improve employee satisfaction and decrease staff turnover she has implemented new onboarding processes, competency assessments, and clinical skills acquisition models. Doyle also created the Center for Nursing Excellence to improve quality outcomes by creating a framework for education, staff development, and nursing empowerment.
Prior to joining Hospital for Special Care, Doyle was a Performance Excellence Specialist for Waterbury Hospital, responsible for leading process improvement activities to enhance quality outcomes, patient safety, and patient experience. Previously, she served as Director of Women’s Health Services for Waterbury Hospital’s Family Birthing Center. Doyle has also held nurse leader positions at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and the Hospital of Central Connecticut, and has been an adjunct nursing clinical instructor at Naugatuck Valley Community College and the University of Saint Joseph.
Doyle earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saint Joseph College, a Master of Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Sacred Heart University.
About Hospital for Special Care
Hospital for Special Care (HFSC) is the fourth largest, free-standing long-term acute care hospital in the U.S. and one of only two in the nation serving adults and children. HFSC is recognized for advanced care and rehabilitation in pulmonary care, acquired brain injury, medically-complex pediatrics, neuromuscular disorders including ALS research, spinal cord injury, comprehensive heart failure and comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Located in New Britain, Hartford and Hebron, CT, HFSC operates inpatient and outpatient facilities serving Southern New England and the Tri-State area on a not-for-profit basis. For the latest news and information, please visit www.hfsc.org, and follow us on Facebook (@HospitalforSpecialCare) and LinkedIn (@Hospital-for-Special-Care).