The new general manager has been appointed by Central Otago Health Services Ltd after spending three months acting in the role following the resignation of former general manager Jan Fearnley.
Dr Horgan had been working at the hospital since January 2007 as the Allied Health Services manager.
She said her first priority would be to ensure the continuation of quality health services provided in Central Otago.
She also wanted to work with the Otago and Southland district health boards in future planning for services in the area.
Dr Horgan holds a PhD in biochemistry, and she worked for several years in hospitals and medical schools in the United States on autoimmune diseases and immunoglobulin activity.
She met and married her New Zealander husband in Montana while she lived there, and the couple moved to New Zealand in 1992, when she started work at the University of Auckland medical school.
From there, Dr Horgan had a career change and started teaching science to nursing and allied health students at Unitech, Auckland.
She became the head of school in health and community studies at Unitech before moving to Central Otago.
Dr Horgan said Central Otago was very much like Montana, and she and her husband loved the lifestyle of skiing, tramping and cycling.
"When we first came here 18 months ago, I was very impressed with the new hospital," Dr Horgan said.
"I could certainly appreciate the hard work that went into its development.
"I am really pleased to be at the helm of ship that has such a competent crew."
