Search advisory committee appointed for executive vice president for health affairs

Jan. 22, 2015

A 10-member search advisory committee headed by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Claire Sterk with assistance from SpencerStuart has been appointed by President James Wagner and charged with identifying potential successors to S. Wright Caughman, executive vice president for health affairs and CEO of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center (WHSC).

Caughman, 66, announced in August his intention to step down from the position, which he has held since 2010. He will continue as executive vice president until the search is complete.

Caughman’s announcement of his plan to step down and willingness to serve until a successor is found provided the opportunity to explore models for leading the academic health center.  President Wagner and others conducted a thorough review of what the role of the next executive vice president for health affairs should be in order to promote continued success of Emory’s academic health center. These deliberations yielded the conclusion to maintain Emory’s current leadership model.

"I’m proud to work alongside members of this search advisory committee in helping Emory find the right leader for our extensive health sciences enterprise," says Sterk. "The combined experience and knowledge—not to mention the dedication and service—of these committee members from all areas of health sciences and health care give me great confidence that, together, we will find a dynamic and seasoned leader to fill this important position."

The search committee will be seeking a leader who has demonstrated excellence in health sciences education and research, and in health care delivery. According to the position description, "the ideal candidate will have an excellent vision for the future of academic health as an important component of the modern research university. He or she must be committed to enhancing collaboration across all of the health sciences disciplines along with the health care system so that mutually supportive relationships are realized and can flourish."

Sterk adds: "This leader will help Emory seize opportunities to make new discoveries, improve health and train the next generation of health care professionals, making a significant impact on the landscape of health and research in Georgia and the United States."

Members of the committee are:

  • Rafi Ahmed, director, Emory Vaccine Center; professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine; Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar
  • Deborah Bruner, Robert W. Woodruff Chair in Nursing; professor, director of faculty mentoring, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing; associate director of outcomes research, Winship Cancer Center
  • Jim Curran, dean, Rollins School of Public Health
  • Susan Grant, chief nurse executive, Emory Healthcare
  • Leon Haley, executive associate dean of clinical services, Grady Memorial Hospital; chief medical officer, Emory Medical Care Foundation
  • Laureen Hill, professor and chair, Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Doug Ivester, member, Emory University Board of Trustees; member, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Board of Trustees
  • Ami Klin, director, Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; professor and chief, Division of Autism & Related Disorders, Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine; Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar
  • Pete McTier, emeritus member, Emory University Board of Trustees; emeritus member, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Board of Trustees
  • Claire Sterk, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, Emory University

Executive search consultants from SpencerStuart are:

Nominations from the community are appreciated, and can be sent to: evpha.search@emory.edu.

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