A favorite quote of mine was also a favorite of our namesake and benefactor Mr. Robert W. Woodruff: “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” I’m so proud to be a member of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center family because we have an extraordinary team here who both believe in and live that philosophy.
Today we celebrate what would have been Mr. Woodruff’s 130th birthday. We are so thankful to him for the many generous investments he made in the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, and to the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which continues that support today.
I can’t think of a better time than Mr. Woodruff’s birthday to honor all the faculty, staff, students, and health care providers who embody his principles of leadership, service, and lifelong learning and who make our every success possible. You keep Mr. Woodruff’s memory alive, and he would be proud of the work you’re doing in research, education, and patient care.
Another group that embodies Mr. Woodruff’s commitment to personal and professional growth are the 2020 Woodruff Leadership Academy Fellows (below). Launched in 2003, WLA develops leadership and technical expertise, as well as the interpersonal, communications, and presentation skills necessary to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing landscape in research, education, and health care. The selection process for this intensive leadership program is rigorous, and those selected as WLA Fellows represent some of the most promising leaders within the Woodruff Health Sciences Center.
Congratulations and best of luck to the WLA Class of 2020! I look forward to working with them in the year ahead to continue advancing Mr. Woodruff’s enduring legacy.
And thanks to all of you for all that you do. Linda and I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year!
Please direct questions and comments to evphafeedback@emory.edu.
Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, FACR
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Emory University
Executive Director, Woodruff Health Sciences Center
CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board, Emory Healthcare | 
