December 15, 2011

Year in review 2011: Leadership moves strengthen VUMC programs

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Year in review 2011: Leadership moves strengthen VUMC programs

Andre’ Churchwell, M.D., associate professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, was named associate dean for Diversity for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Terri Davis Crutcher, MSN, R.N., was named assistant dean for Clinical and Community Partnerships for the School of Nursing. Crutcher will work closely with Bonnie Pilon, DSN, R.N., senior associate dean of Clinical and Community Partnerships, assisting with day-to-day operations and strategic direction initiatives for VUSN’s comprehensive network of faculty practice programs.

Robert Dittus, M.D., MPH, was named associate vice chancellor for Public Health and Health Care and senior associate dean for Population Health Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dittus will oversee the research programs that address public health and health care.

Tom Elasy, M.D., MPH, medical director of the Vanderbilt-Eskind Diabetes Clinic, was named director of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health.

After serving for several months as interim chief executive officer of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Luke Gregory was named to permanently fill the role.

Katherine Hartmann, M.D., Ph.D., was named associate dean for Clinical and Translational Scientist Development. Hartmann is broadly responsible for fostering enterprise-wide research excellence as well as assuring protected time and mentoring for faculty who pursue active careers in research.

George C. Hill, Ph.D., the Levi Watkins Jr. Professor and professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immuno-logy, stepped down as associate dean for Diversity in Medical Education to focus on serving the University as assistant vice chancellor for Multicultural Affairs and special assistant to the provost and vice chancellor for Health Affairs.

Allen Kaiser, M.D., was named chief of staff for the Vanderbilt Health System. In this position, Kaiser has clinical administrative responsibility across VUMC's hospitals and clinics.

Seth J. Karp, M.D., was named to replace C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., as head of the Transplant Center, Tennessee's only comprehensive transplant program. Karp previously served as assistant professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and as director of the Pancreas Transplant Program and Transplant Fellowship Training Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Michael Neuss, M.D., was named chief medical officer for the VICC clinical enterprise. A Duke-trained oncologist in practice since 1986, Neuss was previously the vice president of the largest oncology practice in the Cincinnati area.

William Pao, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Medicine and director of Personalized Cancer Medicine at Vanderbilt, was named director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine.

David Posch, CEO of The Vanderbilt Clinic and executive director of Vanderbilt Medical Group, was appointed to the new role of CEO of Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics.

In June, Russell Rothman, M.D., MPP, was named director of the Vanderbilt Center for Health Services Research. Rothman, associate professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and chief of the section of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, is renowned for his work in health communication and quality improvement.

Margaret “Meg” Rush, M.D., was named to serve as acting chair of the Department of Pediatrics while she continues to serve as chief of staff for the hospital.

Yu Shyr, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Cancer Biostatistics, was named director of the newly formed Center for Quantitative Sciences.

Mary Beth Thompson was named associate vice chancellor for VUMC Development. Thompson will oversee development activities for all academic and clinical programs in the Medical Center.

Mary Zutter, M.D., was named assistant vice chancellor for Integrative Diagnostics. In her newly created role, she will guide efforts to apply and integrate the latest advances in biomedical science and technology and emerging diagnostic tests and procedures.