Tom Hecker, vice president for administration & chief of staff at Penn Medicine, has been named a 2025 Pennsylvania Fifty Over 50 honoree. 

When Dr. Hecker’s pregnant wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 29 and treated at Penn Medicine, it set Dr. Hecker on his professional path in healthcare administration. 

That interaction “opened my eyes to the business of healthcare,” recalled Dr. Hecker, who, since 2021, has served as Penn Medicine’s vice president for administration and chief of staff. “The opportunity to work for an organization that provides healing and comfort was compelling.”

Dr. Hecker earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Temple University, where he then served as assistant dean for administration and planning. He moved on to leadership roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, where he served as chief of staff, and at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center. Along the way, Dr. Hecker took on another kind of leadership, serving for six years as an Abington Township commissioner.

All of those experiences inform Dr. Hecker’s current role at Penn Medicine, where he supports the CEO and other leaders across clinical and administrative operations. He also manages the health system’s communications and government relations. “I’m proud to work for an organization whose mission is to save lives and improve health,” he said. “To support our providers and staff who do such incredible work is a true honor.”

According to the Public Strategies Group, this year’s Fifty Over 50 honorees exemplify the achievements that have pushed the state forward: They have built our cities’ skylines, broadened access to college and healthcare, and tackled challenges ranging from the environment to post-industrial economies.