Derek Groves, PhD

Derek B. Groves, PhD, serves as president and CEO of Community Health Network Foundation, where he leads the philanthropic enterprise in support of Community Health Network’s mission to enhance patient care and improve health outcomes across Central Indiana.

Groves is a seasoned nonprofit and health system leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing healthcare philanthropy. He has a demonstrated track record of growing philanthropic support for mission-centered organizations and strengthening the operational, governance and asset-management structures that sustain long-term impact. His expertise spans principal and major giving, grateful patient fundraising, and comprehensive campaign leadership across integrated health systems and academic medicine, along with designing and implementing data-driven, technology-enabled fundraising strategies that strengthen performance and scale impact.

Prior to joining Community, Groves served as interim president of a university and academic medical center foundation, where he led philanthropic strategy, governance and organizational alignment during a period of transition. In that role, he advanced endowment growth and strengthened investment stewardship in support of long-range institutional priorities. Earlier in his career, Groves served as chief operating officer of the foundation and as the inaugural president and chief development officer of a multi-state healthcare foundation. In these roles, he led systemwide philanthropic strategy, expanded endowment development and built organizational capacity, including the growth of grateful patient fundraising programs and clinician engagement models that strengthened major gift pipelines.

Groves holds a doctorate in organizational leadership and a master’s degree in organizational management. His academic work focused on leadership’s role in shaping organizational culture, performance and employee engagement.