U.Va. Health has now lost two senior leaders in one week as Melina Kibbe, dean of the School of Medicine and chief health affairs officer at U.Va. Health, and University Medical Center CEO Wendy Horton will both leave the health system to accept new positions.
Kibbe will become president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the UT System announced Monday, after being named the sole finalist for the position. Horton has accepted a leadership role at the University of California San Francisco Health Center after serving in her position at U.Va. Health since 2020.
“Dr. Kibbe is well-equipped to lead UTHealth Houston’s promising future and its exceptional community of educators, researchers and clinicians. She has contributed in high-impact ways in discovery, academic success, and enhancing the clinical enterprise everywhere she served,” the UT Health chancellor said in a statement.
Kibbe’s departure marks the end of an ongoing battle between U.Va. Health employees and their senior leadership. In September, 128 U.Va. Physicians Group faculty signed a letter of no confidence in Kibbe and former U.Va. Health CEO Craig Kent, delivering the letter to the Board of Visitors.
The Board ultimately hired outside counsel from Williams and Connolly to investigate allegations of fostering a culture of fear and retaliation. Those findings were presented to the Board at the investigation’s conclusion, and Kent resigned immediately after. The Cavalier Daily submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the findings from Williams and Connolly, but the University denied the request, citing attorney-client privilege and protection of personnel matters.
Now, neither Kent nor Kibbe will be in their posts at the start of the academic year. In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Interim U.Va. Health CEO Mitchell Rosner said the health system wishes her well after her departure.
“During her tenure as dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine and chief health affairs officer for U.Va. Health, Dr. Melina R. Kibbe has played a vital role in crafting and advancing U.Va. Health’s 10-year strategic plan, which seeks to expand U.Va. Health’s biomedical research enterprise and make U.Va. the nation’s top public academic health system,” Rosner said.
Because Kibbe has been named a finalist, she will not officially assume the role for at least 21 days. Once Kibbe departs, the University will now have non-permanent administrators serving in crucial roles including president, provost, CEO of U.Va. Health, CEO of the University Medical Center and dean of the Medical School.
Horton will depart the University in September for her new role. In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Rosner said the school is committed to a smooth transition process as they appoint an interim successor.
“During her tenure as CEO of the University Medical Center, Wendy Horton has been an enormous driver of and contributor to the growth of our academic medical center as well as helping to progress UVA Health’s ambitious 10-year strategic plan,” Rosner said. “We wish Dr. Horton all the best as she takes on her exciting new role at UCSF Health.”
Neither the University nor U.Va. Health announced either Kibbe or Horton’s departures to the public, but confirmed the departures after request for comment. Kibbe’s departure was announced Monday by UT Health.
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