UI Health Care appoints interim leaders for two key positions
University of Iowa Health Care leaders have announced two interim leadership appointments aimed at strengthening its academic and strategic initiatives. Darren Hoffmann, PhD, has been named the interim associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies in the Carver College of Medicine, effective this month, as enterprise leaders complete a national search for the permanent associate dean position.
Melissa Whisler, MHA, MBA, has been named the interim executive director of Transformation Office for University of Iowa Health Care.
Hoffman named interim associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies
Hoffmann, who is an associate professor and vice chair for education in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, takes on the role of interim associate dean, as Daniel Tranel, PhD, stepped down from the leadership post on June 30.
The role of the associate dean is crucial in shaping policies, recruiting top talent, enhancing professional development programs, and advocating on behalf of Carver College of Medicine PhD students and postdoctoral scholars.
Hoffmann additionally serves as the curriculum director for the Biomedical Science Program for PhD students in the Carver College of Medicine and associate director of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP).
“It’s clear that Dr. Hoffmann has a true passion for not only preparing our students for careers in the biomedical sciences, but also setting new educational standards used nationwide,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, University of Iowa vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “I appreciate his willingness to step into this leadership role to continue developing a robust and engaging learning environment for our graduate students and postdocs.”
Hoffmann joined the faculty in the Carver College of Medicine in 2006, and since then has taught undergraduate students, PhD students, Master of Clinical Anatomy students, and students from a wide range of health professions. He also frequently leads workshops on graduate student professional development.
In addition to his leadership positions at Iowa, Hoffmann also chairs the committee that runs all national graduate student development programming through the Center for the Integration of Research Teaching and Learning (CIRTL). He assisted in the development of a virtual anatomy model that became an industry standard for virtual anatomy teaching practices, which led to classroom research on how students use similar tools.
He has earned a number of awards recognizing his commitment to teaching, including 17 Teacher of the Year awards from medical and dental students, the Carver College of Medicine’s Collegiate Teaching Award, the J.P. Long Teaching Award in the Basic Sciences, and the UI President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence—the university’s highest teaching honor.
The national search for the next permanent associate dean is in progress, with Kris DeMali, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, serving as the chair of the search committee.
Whisler named interim executive director of the Transformation Office
In an expansion of her duties, Melissa Whisler, MHA, MBA, has been named interim executive director of the Transformation Office. She will also continue as administrative chief of staff for the clinical enterprise of UI Health Care.
The executive director of transformation plays a key leadership role at UI Health Care, guiding improvement efforts across the whole enterprise. This position is focused on helping UI Health Care continuously evolve—enhancing patient care, streamlining operations, and staying ahead in a rapidly changing health care environment.
“Melissa has been a trusted advisor to our enterprise leadership team for many years and has a great grasp of the unique challenges and opportunities we have as a health system,” Jamieson says. “She is widely respected across the organization for her insight, leadership, and commitment to progress. In this interim position, she will continue to strive for a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, so that we stay at the forefront of health care delivery and operational excellence.”
Working closely with clinical, operational, and administrative leaders, the executive director will identify, prioritize, and execute high-impact strategic initiatives that align with the organization’s long-term goals. This role will also provide oversight of resources in the Transformation Office to guide effective governance and execution of strategic projects. These initiatives will reimagine clinical and operational processes, leveraging technology, data analytics, and best practices to improve patient care, efficiency, and performance.
This work will support collaboration across departments and help our teams deliver meaningful, long-term results.
In this role, Whisler will report to Bevan Yueh, MD, MPH, chief physician executive and Nitin Karandikar, MD, PhD, enterprise chief strategy officer, in the newly formed Transformation Office, which bridges the gaps between strategy, implementation, and operations efforts.
Whisler joined UI Health Care in 2008. Before becoming the hospital’s administrative chief of staff in June 2019, she served as clinical department administrator in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Emergency Medicine. From January 2023 through July 2024, she served as the interim chief administrative officer of University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
More information about the search for the permanent executive director of transformation will be forthcoming.