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University Hospital director and CEO Donna Katen-Bahensky announced Everett's resignation Tuesday in an e-mail to staff.

"While we are all sorry to see Linda leave, this is a wonderful opportunity for her and is indicative of not only her executive skills, but also her national and international stature in the nursing profession," Katen-Bahensky said in the e-mail.

Everett, who had been on board for eight years, will become the executive vice president and chief nurse executive at Clarian Health in Indianapolis. Everett also will retain her national leadership post as president of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, which began Jan. 1.

"I have been thinking about the next phase of my career and decided I needed new challenges, both personal and professional," Everett told the Press-Citizen in an e-mail. "I am excited about the new challenge of providing leadership within a multiple hospital system in a corporate environment but still maintaining my academic ties."

In August, then-chief operating officer Ann Madden Rice was named CEO of University of California-Davis Medical Center. In November, then-chief financial officer Anthony DeFurio was named the new vice president for finance and CFO at University of Colorado Hospitals.

On the academic side, the dean of the College of Nursing post has been vacant since Melanie Dreher announced she was leaving a year ago.

These positions have not yet been permanently replaced.

University Hospitals split up Rice's duties and has not decided if it will replace her. Dan Rieber is serving as the interim CFO at University Hospitals. A committee is still searching for a nursing dean.

"Obviously, these changes hurt, but it doesn't indicate to me there is a leader void at the hospital," Iowa City regent Bob Downer said Tuesday. "These are very talented people that have been assembled as a staff at the hospital, and they are very much in demand."

"This obviously doesn't make life easier for people in positions of responsibility, but there are superb individuals that are still on board there," he said.

Downer, who also chairs the Iowa state Board of Regent hospital oversight committee, has worked with Everett in several capacities in recent years.

Downer said they worked together in attaining the Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. University Hospitals became the first hospital in Iowa to receive the distinction in January 2004.

"I am very familiar with Everett's situation. This has been one where the hospital she is going to has been relentless in pursuing her," Downer said. "She is truly one of the absolute top leaders in her field."

Katen-Bahensky said plans involving Everett's responsibilities would come in the next few days along with a farewell event.