Emory announces senior leadership appointments

June 17, 2025

Ahead of the 2025-2026 academic year, Emory today announced new senior leadership transitions and appointments.

Ravi Thadhani, executive vice president for health affairs, will step down from his role to pursue opportunities outside of Emory. Joon Lee, chief executive officer for Emory Healthcare, will assume the newly unified role of executive vice president for health affairs, CEO of Emory Healthcare, and vice chair of the Emory Healthcare Board of Directors. Christopher L. Augostini, executive vice president for business and administration and enterprise chief financial officer, will serve in an expanded capacity as executive vice president and enterprise chief operating officer and vice chair of the Emory Healthcare Board of Directors. All changes will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Since arriving at Emory, Thadhani has overseen the transformation of Emory’s health sciences and health care system by improving the quality and scope of care, strengthening its financial position, and instilling a culture of teamwork, inclusivity, and collective excellence. During his tenure, Emory’s health enterprise achieved impressive results. In 2025, the School of Medicine attained “Top Tier” designation, the School of Nursing attained a ranking of #1 for both its undergraduate and graduate programs, and the Rollins School of Public Health attained a ranking of #2 in the nation.

Together with Lee and Augostini, Thadhani stabilized Emory Healthcare’s finances, enabling their fiscal performance to sit among the top decile of academic health systems. Thadhani launched several initiatives, including partnerships with technology companies to create the “Hospital of the Future” and the establishment of the Max Cooper Prize in Immunology. He worked closely with benefactors to raise the level of care in cancer, heart and vascular disease, and neurology. Thadhani will serve in an advisory capacity through Aug. 31, 2025, and will remain an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicine.

“I am proud that we strengthened Emory’s academic mission and health care system,” Thadhani said. “I am confident that Emory’s health enterprise will be in the hands of an exceptional leadership team.”

In assuming the newly combined role of executive vice president for health affairs, CEO of Emory Healthcare, and vice chair of the Emory Healthcare Board of Directors, Lee will provide unified oversight of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, bringing together academic and clinical operations to drive integration, impact, and systemwide performance. As part of this alignment, the Emory University School of Medicine will report directly to Lee, ensuring greater synergy between academic excellence and clinical innovation.

“It is a privilege to lead this extraordinary institution at such a pivotal moment,” Lee said. “Together with our teams, we will elevate health across Georgia and far beyond—expanding discovery, delivering compassionate care, and driving innovation that transforms lives.”

Since 2017, Augostini has played a pivotal role in shaping Emory’s financial and operational strategies. As the executive vice president for business and administration, enterprise chief financial officer, and vice chair of the Emory Healthcare Board of Directors, he oversees enterprise-wide financial planning, debt management, and investment portfolios. His leadership has led to the development of Emory’s first all-funds integrated financial plan and debt portfolio restructuring. Additionally, Augostini has been instrumental in establishing an enterprise-wide master planning process, real estate strategies, and risk management protocol, and he has empowered leaders at every level to invest in Emory’s people. His work with Thadhani and Lee has been instrumental in improving Emory Healthcare’s financial position and market strength.

As executive vice president and enterprise chief operating officer, Augostini will oversee the financial management teams for both Emory University and Emory Healthcare. His portfolio will continue to include oversight of enterprise-wide investment management, real estate, facilities and master planning, and business operations, as well as Emory’s administrative, audit, and compliance functions, human resources, and IT. Together with Lee he will continue to build on the strategies that have enabled Emory Healthcare’s recent financial success.

“This is a truly unprecedented time for higher education and for academic health systems,” Augostini said. “Our important work ahead will require teams of people working collaboratively like never before. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Emory’s extraordinary people as we advance our mission to achieve excellence in education, research, and clinical care.”

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