Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please submit the good news—or the bad—from your shop, and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) tapped prominent health equity researcher Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, M.D., Ph.D., as the next editor-in-chief of the publication and JAMA Network.
Bibbins-Domingo, a Black internist, epidemiologist and health equity researcher from the University of California, San Francisco, is the Lee Goldman, M.D., Endowed Professor of Medicine and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the UCSF School of Medicine. She was also the inaugural vice dean for population health and health equity at the UCSF School of Medicine, and co-founded the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.
She is the first person of color to lead the medical journal and only the second woman to serve as editor-in-chief.
"This is an extraordinary time for science, medicine and public health—one where the possibilities for accelerating advancements in human health seem limitless, while deep challenges to achieving optimal health for all seem intractable. Against this backdrop, a trusted voice for science, medicine, and public health has never been more important," Bibbins-Domingo said in a statement.
She will begin her tenure July 1, succeeding Phil Fontanarosa, M.D., who has served as interim editor-in-chief since March 2021.
The last permanent editor, Howard Bauchner, M.D., left the position following a controversy over a podcast and associated tweet that called into question the existence of systemic racism in the medical profession.
MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center named Ranna Parekh, M.D., as its chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. Parekh will begin her role May 31.
As CDEIO, Parekh will collaborate closely with other institutional leaders to lead, advise, advocate and serve as a catalyst for positive change. She will oversee and participate in the institution’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) organizations to develop and implement goals and a long-term vision.
Parekh is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist with more than 14 years of experience leading DEI strategies, initiatives and programs at various health care organizations.
She currently serves as the inaugural chief diversity and inclusion officer at American College of Cardiology in Washington, D.C. During her career she also worked at the American Psychiatric Association as the deputy medical director and director of the Diversity and Health Equity division. At Massachusetts General Hospital, she was the inaugural director for the Psychiatry department’s Center of Diversity.
Parekh received her medical degree from Wayne State University and a master’s in public health from Harvard University.
Ovia Health
Digital health company Ovia Health, a Labcorp subsidiary, hired Leslie Saltzman, M.D., as the company’s new chief medical officer.
Saltzman comes to Ovia with more than 15 years of experience in clinical and business technology settings. She most recently served as vice president of medical at TrialSpark, where she oversaw a team providing cross-functional support across business development, product and operations. She also held the positions of chief medical officer and clinical adviser at Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center.
She is a practicing, board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine. Saltzman received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, her M.B.A. from New York University, and her D.O. from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Base
Murdoc Khaleghi, M.D., has jumped over to at-home lab testing company Base to serve as chief medical officer.
Khaleghi is a health tech industry veteran having worked for and advised many health technology companies. He was a founding member of the Everlywell team and serves as medical director at several health tech startups including WellnessFX, Healium, NeuroTrack and Me Biosciences. In his new role, he will oversee testing operations, address medical questions from users and help identify new critical health biomarkers to expand the company's consumer products.
> The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults, hired Laura Erickson-Schroth, M.D., as its new chief medical officer, effective May 1.
> Wellinks, a digital healthcare company offering an integrated, virtual chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management solution, also has hired a chief medical officer, tapping Abi Sundaramoorthy, M.D., for the role. She most recently served as executive vice president of clinical enterprise at Somatus.
> Hallmark Health Care Solutions, a healthcare technology firm, has brought on board Bill Naughton as the new company president.
> Rachel Stauffer has returned to the organization she co-founded in 2021, The Partnership to Advance Virtual Care (PAVC), to serve as executive director. PAVC is an advocacy coalition working to advance telehealth policy.
> Hint Connect, a nationwide primary care network, tapped David Cameron, M.D., as chief medical officer to provide clinical oversight as the network expands nationally. The company also hired Beth Holmes as Head of Network Development.
> Ob Hospitalist Group, the nation’s largest and only dedicated provider of customized obstetric hospitalist programs, has brought on board Amy VanBlaricom, M.D., to serve in the newly created role of chief clinical officer role.
> IllumiCare, a pioneer in point-of-care healthcare information technology, announced that Ralph Keiser has officially joined the company’s leadership team as chief strategy officer. Keiser previously served as chief executive officer of EPSi, a business division of Allscripts from 2016 until its sale to Roper Technologies in October 2020.
> Ontada, a McKesson business focused on oncology provider technology solutions, added Amy O'Sullivan, Ph.D., as senior vice president and chief scientific officer.