Heritage Health promotes Leslie Allen to chief operations officer

Heritage Health has promoted Leslie Allen to chief operations officer, putting a longtime internal leader in charge of how one of North Idaho’s largest community health systems runs its medical, dental, behavioral health, pediatrics, pharmacy and support services. The move comes as the nonprofit pushes ahead with growth at the Center for Healthy Living in Coeur d’Alene and folds CDA Pediatrics further into the organization.

Allen joined Heritage Health in 2017 and moved through clinical care, nurse triage, patient access, call center operations, clinic operations and executive leadership before becoming chief operations officer. She has more than 25 years of experience in clinical and operational roles, is a registered nurse, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an MBA in Healthcare Administration, and had been serving as interim chief operating officer.

Her role will support five years of growth focused on rural access, women’s health, integrated care, workforce development and the Center for Healthy Living. Heritage Health serves nearly 26,000 patients across North Idaho and is the region’s largest provider of integrated medical, dental and behavioral health services.

Heritage Health keeps consolidating its Coeur d’Alene footprint. It brought six buildings into the Center for Healthy Living at 3700 W. Seltice Way, and the new building would let teams work together in one place. Phase II of the project was set to break ground Feb. 5, 2026, at the same site, with a January 2026 report putting the cost at $4 million.

Heritage Health’s partnership with CDA Pediatrics is part of that same operational shift. CDA Pediatrics says the move is intended to strengthen long-term sustainability and access to care, not close the practice.