There are leaders who manage, and then there are leaders who transform. Dr. Bonnie Pugh — a Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC) pediatrician and President of the Board of Directors — is unmistakably making a difference with her leadership. Over more than two decades at COPC, she has grown from a new physician finding her footing into an influential leader. Her journey is a story of hard-won self-assurance, of learning to see her unique background and perspective not as obstacles but as strengths — and then channeling those gifts into something bigger than herself.
A Foundation Built on Mentorship
Dr. Pugh joined COPC straight out of residency in August 2004 as the fifth physician in her practice. From the very first day, she was surrounded by women who had paved their own paths in medicine — senior partners who were a full generation ahead of her and who embodied what it meant to lead with both strength and emotional intelligence.
“They set a really good example for me,” she reflects, “on how I wanted to emulate a strong female physician leader while still having a level of emotional intelligence and softness to what I do.”
It planted a seed she would one day grow into a program that transforms the experience of every new physician who walks through COPC’s doors.
Finding Her Voice
Early on, she invested in herself by completing medical leadership trainings and seminars, and seeking guidance from experienced physicians around her. Early in her career as a new physician, she became active with the Central Ohio Pediatric Society, assuming various leadership roles.
As Dr. Pugh’s mentors and physician partners neared retirement, they began to pass the torch to the next generation. In 2016, Dr. Pugh became a physician representative for her practice. “At the time, it felt like a huge responsibility for me. But I felt called to do it for the betterment of the practice and our patients.” From there, Dr. Pugh contributed to various committees and eventually began leading at the top of the organizational structure as a board member. “I never thought I’d be very interested in the business of the practice. From my committee experience, I appreciated learning from other groups. It made me wonder how we can make improvements for all our practices and to make sure that the corporation is stable and growing.”
When Dr. Pugh started serving on the COPC Board of Directors, she recalled that the room looked very different from who she was. She was one of only two physicians of color and one of the very few women. She couldn’t help feeling a little intimidated.
“Everybody has something to bring to the table. You just have to find it.”
This was one of the lessons she learned from an earlier Physician Leadership Academy speaker, Donna Alvarado, a Latina woman who navigated similar challenges in corporate leadership. Dr. Pugh — daughter of an immigrant, woman of color, a younger physician in a room full of senior colleagues — recognized herself in Alvarado’s story. Now it was Dr. Pugh’s turn to see her difference as her edge.
Today, she names her greatest strength without hesitation: “Bringing people together and building connections is one of my superpowers.”
That skill has become the engine of her leadership.
Board President — With a Distinctly Human Touch
When Dr. Pugh stepped into the board presidency in 2021, she was taking leadership of a unique group. COPC is truly physician-led, with the COPC Board of Directors structured so that only practicing, physician shareholders serve as board members, and executive leaders attend as partners in operationalizing initiatives. This is a rare arrangement in business and has its own distinct challenges.
Almost immediately, Dr. Pugh knew what her first move as board president needed to be. “I realized I needed to know what the executive leaders do to run this company on a day-to-day basis. And it was very important for me to build relationships with not only the executive leaders, but also the board members.”
She met individually with every member of the executive leadership team to learn their roles, understand their perspectives, and begin building genuine relationships.
“Part of leadership — the biggest part — is relationship building, communication, and building community,” she says. “My job is to bring that piece of connection.”
Her vision of the board is not merely a governance body but a cohesive, high-functioning community of leaders who know and respect one another. To that end, she implemented wellness-centered leadership coaching for all physician board members — a collaboration with COPC’s own Dr. Costa designed to deepen self-awareness and strengthen communication.
“My role is not just about running a meeting efficiently but elevating our board in how we communicate and govern so shareholders and executive leaders feel heard and respected, while balancing our responsibility to shareholders and the company’s financial health.”
Every board member enrolled in the leadership training. Because when Dr. Pugh believes in something, people follow. Remembering how foundational past trainings were for her, Pugh explained her philosophy on building and investing in leaders: “Once you train someone, that investment doesn’t go away. It makes a difference, and I hope it trickles down to their practices and their homes. I believe the impact will be seen far beyond the boardroom. Of course, this will benefit the business as well — we want to improve the lives of our physicians so we can take the best care of our patients.”
Pioneering a Culture of Connection at COPC
Dr. Pugh’s most recognized contribution to the organization may be the one that stretches farthest beyond her job description: the physician mentoring program she conceived and championed.
She approached COPC’s leadership with a conviction — that new physicians needed on-site mentors, structured support, and a genuine sense of belonging from day one. Going beyond the normal scope of board president, she came with a plan, made the case, and went to work alongside her colleagues on the Onboarding Launch Team: Dr. Derek McClellan, Dr. Mary-Lynn Niland, Dr. Stephanie Costa, Jennifer Piela, and Josh Nowack.
Launched in August 2024, the mentoring program was designed to provide new physicians with a strong foundation in COPC’s mission, values, and resources for physician well-being, as well as key strategies for practice management. The program pairs each new provider with a dedicated on-site mentor. Dr. Pugh and Josh Nowack personally visit new providers at their sites, connecting mentors and mentees and ensuring that the culture of support is real, not just aspirational. Since it began, 30 physicians and Advanced Practice Providers have been onboarded with this training.
Dr. Nathan Fister was in the first class to complete the program. “I’m looking forward to putting this [training] into action, so I can lead sustainably in my practice and show up each day excited to see patients and serve my community.”
Thinking about the future of the physician onboarding program, Dr. Pugh was confident that it would continue to make a lasting difference.
“Having this level of training and support at the start of their career will make them better physicians; they’re going to provide better care and set boundaries to protect work-life balance. As they grow at their practice, they’re going to be wonderful physician mentors themselves.”
A Lasting Legacy
At a time when healthcare organizations across the country are grappling with physician burnout and workforce challenges, Dr. Pugh’s leadership offers a clear example of what meaningful investment in physicians can look like.
By prioritizing mentorship, strengthening leadership development, and building intentional connections across the organization, she has helped position COPC to support not just the next generation of physicians—but the long-term sustainability of physician-led care.
As these efforts continue to take shape, the impact will be measured not only in stronger physician engagement, but in more consistent, connected care for the patients and communities COPC serves. That is the lasting influence of leadership rooted in purpose—and designed for the future.