Tammy Snyder, current senior vice president of Rochester Regional Health, was named as incoming chief executive officer of the University Medical Center Monday. According to the U.Va. Health press release announcing her appointment, Snyder will begin in the role Aug. 3 and is replacing Kathy Baker, interim CEO of the Medical Center.
The University Medical Center oversees the flagship hospital of the U.Va. Health system and works to advance clinical excellence, patient experience and operational performance of the Medical Center.
In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, Snyder wrote that her early priorities are “straightforward” and include working to understand where the Medical Center requires the most support.
“I intend [to listen], understand where operations and culture need the most support, reinforce quality and safety and create a clear roadmap for execution,” Snyder wrote. “I want people to feel heard, I want leaders aligned and I want us moving with discipline on access, patient and staff experience, and operational performance, quality and safety.”
To the role, Snyder brings over 10 years of healthcare administrative experience. At John Hopkins Medicine, the last role she served was chief administrative officer for anesthesiology and critical care medicine, from 2015 to 2021. She also served as chief administrative officer for the Department of Medicine for Weill Cornell Medicine from 2021 to 2022, and in her current role at Rochester Regional Health — which she began in 2026 — Snyder serves as senior vice president for system operations.
Snyder graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Health/Healthcare Administration/Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and with a Master’s in Health Policy and Administration from Yale University in 2008.
The Medical Center has not had a permanent CEO since Wendy Horton, former CEO of the Medical Center, left the role Sept. 14. Horton is named in an ongoing lawsuit against Craig Kent, former CEO of U.Va. Health and executive vice president for health affairs, Melina Kibbe, former dean of the School of Medicine and chief health affairs officer at U.Va. Health, and other Health System leaders.
Terrie Edwards, former interim CEO of the Medical Center, filled Horton’s position following her departure. On May 23, Baker took over the role as the search for the permanent CEO continued.
The Medical Center is not the only entity of U.Va. Health to see leadership turnover in the past few years. There are 10 other prominent positions that have changed since February 2025, including the CEO of U.Va. Health, chief of U.Va. Children’s Hospital and chief medical officer of U.Va. Health.
Snyder wrote that she accepted the role because “opportunities like this are rare,” and she noted her desire to uplift the mission of the Medical Center.
“U.Va. Health University Medical Center is one of the most respected academic medical centers in the country, and I believe deeply in its mission of caring, teaching, research and service,” Snyder wrote. “For me, this is about joining an institution with tremendous strengths and helping lead its next chapter with humility, focus and partnership.”
Lauren Seeliger is a news editor of the 137th term and enjoys covering U.Va. Health and University governance. Lauren is a fourth-year Behavioral Neuroscience student from Fairfield, Connecticut.
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