Ms. Budesa joined the Cooper team in October 2023, and has more than 15 years of management experience at academic health institutions in primary care and surgery. In her role at Cooper University Health Care, she has responsibility for the oversight and strategic direction of the Surgical Services Institute, which encompasses 12 surgical subspecialities. This includes daily management of operations and finance, as well as the development and implementation of goals, objectives, and long-range planning for surgical services. 

Prior to joining Cooper, Ms. Budesa served as Associate Chief Operating Officer of Surgery at Penn Medicine from 2018 to 2023, where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of 15 surgical outpatient practices across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, she held various leadership roles at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine from 2005 to 2018, including Director of Administration and Finance for the Department of Geriatrics and New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging. She has also held multiple adjunct faculty roles at Camden County College and Rowan University in accounting, economics, and finance. She has a special interest in developing curriculum and lectures for medical students and fellows in business of medicine topics. 

Ms. Budesa is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Business in Camden, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in finance and master of business administration with a concentration in accounting. She also holds a graduate certificate in population health from Thomas Jefferson University. Ms. Budesa is designated as a Fellow of the American College of Medical Practice Executives.