Butler, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, has served Sarasota Memorial for more than 15 years. She has also led efforts to improve patient outcomes and streamline emergency operations as chairs of the Emergency Care Center’s Quality Improvement Committee.

"Sarasota Memorial is the crown jewel of our region — a hospital that represents the very best of what a public health system can be,” Butler said in a statement. “It has been the privilege of my career to serve here, and I’m running to ensure we preserve that excellence, transparency and trust for generations to come."