Two longtime Sarasota Memorial Hospital leaders, Dr. Tara Butler and Bill Woeltjen, have announced their candidacies for seats on the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board.
Butler is seeking the Northern District Seat 2, while Woeltjen is running for Northern District Seat 1. Both are currently the only candidates filed for the countywide seats, which will appear on the August 2026 Primary ballot.
In a joint statement announcing their candidacies, Butler and Woeltjen described themselves as fiscal conservatives and said they share a vision of protecting Sarasota Memorial’s reputation for patient-centered care and responsible use of taxpayer funds.
Butler, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, has served Sarasota Memorial for more than 15 years. She has also led efforts to improve patient outcomes and streamline emergency operations as chairs of the Emergency Care Center’s Quality Improvement Committee.
“Sarasota Memorial is the crown jewel of our region — a hospital that represents the very best of what a public health system can be,” Butler said in a statement. “It has been the privilege of my career to serve here, and I’m running to ensure we preserve that excellence, transparency and trust for generations to come.”
Butler earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed her residency in emergency medicine through the University of South Florida at Tampa General Hospital. She has published in national medical journals and received the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine’s Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award.
Woeltjen has worked at Sarasota Memorial for 15 years, including 12 as Chief Financial Officer. He is focused on sustaining the hospital’s mission and independence. He holds degrees in economics, management and accounting from Tulane University and the University of South Florida, and an MBA from USF.
“Having spent my career helping to ensure SMH’s financial strength, I know firsthand what it takes to sustain this hospital’s mission,” Woeltjen said. “As a fiscal conservative, I’ll work to keep Sarasota Memorial strong, efficient and accountable to the people it serves.”
