OU Health in Oklahoma names first chief academic officer, and more | MED MOVES

Ian F. Dunn (OU Health)

Ian F. Dunn has been named executive dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

The university announced the appointment Nov. 17. Assuming the university board of regents gives its final approval, he’ll begin in his new role on Jan. 15.

In addition, Dunn will serve as the inaugural chief academic officer of OU Health, the university’s healthcare partner. The university said he’ll focus on integrating the academic and research missions with the health system.

Dunn joined the OU College of Medicine in 2018, serving as professor and chair of the department of neurosurgery. He has been serving as chief physician executive since October 2021, and as president of OU Health Partners and vice chair of the OU Health Partners Board of Directors. He has also served as senior associate dean of clinical affairs at the College of Medicine.

He played an important role in the 2021 merger that combined the OU College of Medicine faculty practice and OU Medicine Inc. to create OU Health, Oklahoma’s first fully integrated academic health system.

Dunn served for eight years as an associate professor in the department of neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and as director for the Center for Pituitary and Skull Base Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. described Dunn as “an exemplary neurosurgeon, researcher and educator.”

“We continue making considerable strides toward elevating the OU Health Sciences as a top-tier, research-intense academic health center, and our College of Medicine is key to this endeavor,” Harroz said in a statement. “Dr. Dunn’s proven ability to foster strategic collaborations to achieve enterprise-wide goals make him the ideal choice to lead our College of Medicine. His talent and energy will lift the health care for all Oklahomans.”

Cathy Garzio (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Weill Cornell Medicine chooses chief operating officer

Cathy Garzio has been appointed executive vice provost and chief operating officer of Weill Cornell Medicine.

Garzio will begin in the position in early February. She succeeds Stephen Cohen, who retired last year. Scott Puccino, the institution’s chief financial officer, has been serving as interim chief operating officer.

She was previously vice chair and director of finance and administration in the department of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

“I’m very excited to join Weill Cornell Medicine,” Garzio said in a statement. “I’m strongly grounded in financial administration, but my passion is building teams in a matrix structure and putting people first. Weill Cornell Medicine’s culture is built on multidisciplinary collaboration, transparency, diversity and equity, and I share all those values.”

Garzio takes the post as Weill Cornell Medicine is working to expand its healthcare, research and academic footprints, the organization said.

Robert A. Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and provost for medical affairs of Cornell University, said he’s looking forward to working with Garzio to help improve healthcare in New York City.

“Cathy is a talented executive administrator whose proven experience galvanizing diverse groups to advance academic medicine will make her a valuable addition to our senior leadership team,” Harrington said in a statement.

Richard Lehmuth (Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago)

Lurie Children’s Hospital hires chief strategy officer

Richard Lehmuth has been named the senior vice president and chief strategy officer of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Lehmuth will join the medical center on January 8, 2024.

Most recently, Lehmuth served as vice president and chief strategy officer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He was credited with helping transform Phoenix Children’s from a single hospital to an integrated network.

“Joining the remarkable team at Lurie Children’s represents an incredible opportunity to return to my Midwest roots and serve a top pediatric hospital in one of the largest markets in the country,” Lehmuth said in a statement.

“With world-class academics, advanced research and top-notch clinical care, Lurie Children’s has vast opportunities on the horizon, and I look forward to contributing to a new era of growth for the organization,” he added.

Tom Shanley, president and CEO of Lurie Children’s, said the addition of Lehmuth “is a further demonstration of our commitment to becoming a transformational force in pediatrics.”

“Rich will work closely with me to develop and deliver on our growth objectives and provide greater access to Lurie Children's outstanding care for more children in our city, state and region,” Shanley said in a statement.

Kathleen Jacobs (RWJBarnabas Health)

RWJBarnabas Health appoints chief investment officer

Kathleen Jacobs has been hired as the new chief investment officer of RWJBarnabas Health, the academic healthcare system in New Jersey.

Jacobs will start with RWJBarnabas on January 9, 2024. She will direct the investment strategy for the $8 billion health system.

She will report to Frank Pipas, RWJBarnabas Health’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.

“As RWJBarnabas Health continues to grow and establish its ever-increasing role as an anchor institution in New Jersey, Kathleen will help us ensure our longevity and ability to continue increasing access to excellent health care,” Pipas said in a statement. “Her background and expertise are uniquely suited to fulfill the needs of this new position, which will evolve over time as our system continues to expand.”

Most recently, Jacobs served as chief investment officer of New York University, where she led the investment office and oversaw the university’s endowments for eight years.

Before joining NYU, Jacobs was a managing director in the office of investments at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Beginning in 2008, she helped build the hospital’s first investment office.

Jacobs also served as senior Investor for the Juilliard School’s endowment. She also held investment roles at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan.