Chancellor Search

University of Arkansas System President Jay B. Silveria announced the selection of four finalists in the search for the next chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). 

Selected with the help of an advisory search committee chaired by William J. Steinbach, M.D., UAMS Chair of Pediatrics and Associate Dean of Child Health, the finalists will visit campus starting next week for meetings with faculty, staff, administrators and UAMS stakeholders.

The finalists, in order of their scheduled visits, include:

• Fredric E. Wondisford, M.D., M.S., MBA (Dec. 8-9)
  Dean, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix
• C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. (Dec. 11-12)
  Interim Chancellor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
• Steve Nelson, M.D. (Dec. 15-16)
  Chancellor, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans
• Jakub Tolar, M.D., Ph.D. (Dec. 17-18)
  Dean and Vice President for Clinical Affairs, University of Minnesota Medical School

“The caliber of finalists for the position of chancellor at UAMS is a testament to the opportunity this role offers to make a major impact on health education, research and patient care across our state,” Silveria said. “I’m grateful to Dr. Steinbach and our advisory search committee for helping to recruit such a high-quality group, and I look forward to each finalist visiting so we can learn more about them as we consider who should take on this critical job.”

Following the visits, Silveria will receive feedback from the campus community before making a recommendation to the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, which is responsible for appointing the next chancellor. 

“At the outset of this broad national search, we purposefully set the transformational goal of finding a chancellor who can shape a new aspirational trajectory for UAMS and for healthcare across Arkansas,” Steinbach said. “The committee believed we could attract renowned candidates from across the country who have substantial leadership experience in all three major academic missions as well as in leading large healthcare systems. The array of backgrounds and significant experiences of these finalists reinforces that belief. I am excited to introduce them to UAMS and the broader communities we serve to help catapult us forward for the next decade of growth and increased national recognition.”

Fredric Edward Wondisford, M.D., M.S., M.B.A.

Fredric Edward Wondisford, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., is dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. He previously served as professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, held the Henry Rutgers Chair and Chancellor Scholar title at Rutgers Health, and was chief of the Medical Service at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Wondisford is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in endocrinology — most notably, developing and clinically launching Thyrogen®, a recombinant thyroid-stimulating hormone that transformed care for thyroid cancer. His NIH-funded research since 1990 spans thyroid disease, diabetes and metabolic disorders. A graduate of Northeastern Ohio College of Medicine, Wondisford completed his internal medicine training at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, followed by an endocrinology research fellowship at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. He also holds advanced degrees in health care policy, management, and leadership from Cornell University.

C. Lowry Barnes, M.D.

C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., is interim chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee reconstruction. He also serves as professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, director of the Musculoskeletal Service Line at UAMS Health, and founding director of The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital at UAMS. An internationally recognized leader in joint replacement, Barnes is known for his expertise in complex hip and knee surgery and value-based orthopaedic care. His research contributions include more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, seven orthopaedic device patents, and the development of multiple hip and knee implants. Barnes graduated with honors from the UAMS College of Medicine and completed his orthopaedic training at UAMS, followed by fellowships at Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Inselspital in Switzerland, and the John N. Insall Traveling Fellowship.

Steve Nelson, M.D.

Steve Nelson, M.D., serves as chancellor of LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans. A distinguished physician-scientist, he is also a professor of medicine and a longtime leader in pulmonary and critical care. Over his four decades at LSU Health, he has held key roles including chief of pulmonary/critical care, vice chair for research, John H. Seabury Professor of Medicine, dean of the School of Medicine, and president of the LSU Healthcare Network. An internationally recognized clinician and researcher, Nelson is known for his work in pulmonary disease, environmental health, and critical care medicine. His scientific career includes more than $55 million in NIH and NSF funding and serving as one of three founding co-principal investigators in the establishment of the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center. Nelson earned his undergraduate degree at SUNY Stony Brook and his medical degree at McGill University before completing residency and fellowship training in pulmonology at Johns Hopkins.

Jakub Tolar, M.D., Ph.D.

Jakub Tolar, M.D., Ph.D., is dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School and a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy. He is also the vice president for clinical affairs at the University of Minnesota, board chair for University of Minnesota Physicians and co-leader of M Health Fairview, the joint clinical enterprise among the University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota Physicians and Fairview Health Services. An internationally recognized physician and researcher, Tolar is known for his work as a pediatric bone marrow transplant physician and specifically his care of patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. His research is broadly focused on developing cellular therapies for rare genetic disorders. Originally from the Czech Republic, Tolar received his medical education in Prague at Charles University. In 1992, he came to the University of Minnesota, where he received his doctorate in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and genetics.

The UAMS Chancellor Search Advisory Committee includes:

• William Steinbach, M.D. — Chair of Pediatrics, UAMS College of Medicine (chair)
• Ahmed Abuabdou, M.D. — Chief Clinical Officer, UAMS Medical Center
• Ryan Cork, MSHA — Vice Chancellor, UAMS Northwest Region
• Andy Davis, MSCE — Vice Chancellor for Government Relations
• John Erck, MA — Vice Chancellor for Advancement
• Molly Gathright, M.D. — Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, UAMS College of Medicine
• Laura James, M.D. — Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research
• Lester Matlock Jr. — Chair, UAMS Board of Advisors
• Dana Metcalf — Chair, UAMS House of Delegates
• Claude Pirtle, M.D., MBA — President, Heartland Whole Health Institute
• Natalie Rockefeller — Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Board of Advisors
• Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. — Dean, UAMS College of Pharmacy
• Christopher Walter, PT, DPT, Ph.D. — President, UAMS Academic Senate
• Jeremy Wilson — UA Board of Trustees
• Ben Beaumont — UA System staff support (ex officio)