Whisler named interim chief administrative officer of UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Melissa Whisler, MBA, MHA, has been appointed interim chief administrative officer (CAO) of University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, following the upcoming departure of Pamela Johnson-Carlson, DNP, RN, NE-BC.
Whisler, whose new role begins on Jan. 12, 2023, currently serves as administrative chief of staff for UI Hospitals & Clinics. As interim CAO, she will report to Kimberly Hunter, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, interim chief executive officer of UI Hospitals & Clinics and interim associate vice president for UI Health Care.
“I am excited to have Melissa take on this interim role within our senior leadership team,” Hunter says. "She is well-versed in the unique missions and complexities of academic medical centers through her current and previous roles, and she’s extremely knowledgeable and well-respected across our organization. I know she’ll be a great resource and colleague to continue advancing the great work of our children’s hospital and women’s health services, as well.”
As interim CAO of UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Whisler will oversee day-to-day operations as well as planning and management of pediatric care initiatives. She will work closely with leaders and staff in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics as well as other departmental chairs, administrators, and staff across the enterprise.
The CAO also serves as the executive leader for the UI Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) and Children’s and Women’s Services at UI Hospitals & Clinics. The CDD, which is part of the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, serves as a statewide resource with services, training, research, and information to improve the health and independence of people with disabilities. In the area of women’s health services, the CAO works with leaders and staff in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in strategic planning and care initiatives such as quality and safety, operational efficiency, and clinical outcomes in gynecology, pregnancy, and infertility care services.
Whisler will maintain her responsibilities as administrative chief of staff at UI Hospitals & Clinics during this interim appointment.
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.
Plans for a national search for the chief administrative officer position are anticipated for a later date.