Mitchell College will welcome Richard “Rich” Lisitano, president of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health, as commencement speaker for its 82nd Commencement Exercises. He will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 on Sat., May 16, at 10 a.m. on the Mitchell College Green.

Lisitano, a Connecticut native, assumed his current role in 2023 and recently announced his retirement. Prior to becoming president of L+M Healthcare, he was senior vice president of operations at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). He joined YNHH in 1986 as assistant director of pharmacy. Throughout his almost 40-year career, Lisitano has had an outstanding reputation for consistently optimizing operations, improving performance, and delivering sustainable financial results. His contributions with Yale New Haven Health include growth in departments including Genetics, Neurosciences, Oncology, and Urology. He was also the executive lead for developing, executing, and integrating an electronic medical record platform across each of the health system’s campuses. Lisitano earned a Master of Science from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, said, “Mitchell College is honored that Mr. Lisitano will deliver the keynote address to our graduating class. His decades of service to Yale New Haven Health, in many roles, will serve as an inspiration to our students as they think about their own journeys ahead. As we welcome Mr. Lisitano to campus, we are also grateful for our deepening partnership with L+M Healthcare, providing invaluable learning opportunities for our students in our expanding healthcare programs, including our Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), for which L+M Hospital is a clinical site and major partner.”