Leadership at UI Health Care

Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, began as the University of Iowa vice president for medical affairs and dean of the UI Carver College of Medicine on Aug. 1, 2023. As vice president for medical affairs, she is responsible for integrated planning and operations for UI Health Care, which comprises UI Hospitals & Clinics; the UI Carver College of Medicine; and UI Physicians, the health system’s multispecialty physician group practice. 
 
As dean of the UI Carver College of Medicine, Jamieson leads Iowa’s only comprehensive allopathic medical school, which inspires, educates, and trains future health care providers, scientists, educators, and policymakers for Iowa and the global community.
 
Jamieson came to Iowa from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, where she served as chair of the school’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and chief of gynecology and obstetrics for Emory Healthcare. 
 
Jamieson’s scientific work focuses on emerging infectious diseases in pregnancy, including in the areas of influenza, Ebola, Zika, COVID, and maternal immunization. In addition, her work incorporates a population health perspective, with projects addressing health disparities and social determinants of health in the context of maternal morbidity and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.
 
From 1997 to 2017, Jamieson worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she served in leadership positions such as leading CDC’s Zika emergency response as incident manager. Upon retirement from the U.S. Public Health Service as a captain in July 2017, she received the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award granted to an officer in the Commissioned Corps, for “notable contributions to reproductive health and public health practice.”
 
Jamieson serves on several American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) committees, including the Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Work Group and the COVID Expert Work Group. She has been an oral board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) since 2007, and she served on the ABOG board of directors from 2020 to 2023. In 2020, she was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
 
Jamieson received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Duke University School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed postgraduate education in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California at San Francisco and as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer in the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kimberly Hunter joined University of Iowa Health Care in April 2021 as chief nurse executive of University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. In March 2022, she assumed additional leadership responsibilities as interim associate vice president for UI Health Care and interim CEO of UI Hospitals & Clinics.

As interim associate vice president for UI Health Care, Hunter plays a key administrative role in advancing the organization’s tripartite mission of medical education and training, biomedical research, and patient care and service.

In her position as interim CEO of UI Hospitals & Clinics, Hunter oversees the operational, strategic, and financial performance of Iowa’s largest hospital and the state’s only tertiary and quaternary medical center. Working with clinical department leaders, administrators, and others, she champions initiatives that advance operational efficiencies, strengthen quality and safety measures, and enhance the patient care experience.

As chief nurse executive, Hunter leads the Department of Nursing Services and Patient Care at UI Hospitals & Clinics, providing administrative oversight to nursing services, care coordination, rehabilitation therapies, and respiratory care. Hunter fosters a commitment to evidence-based practice; shared governance; nurse recruitment, retention, and professional development; and team-based, interdisciplinary collaboration throughout the continuum of care. She also serves as associate dean for clinical practice in the UI College of Nursing.

Hunter’s professional experience includes more than 30 years of health care management experience – including nearly 20 years of collective experience at Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.

Hunter earned a Master of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In 2017, she earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership from Chamberlain University.

Hunter is credentialed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Nurse Executive Advanced–Board Certified.

Melissa Whisler  began serving as interim chief administrative officer for UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital in January 2023. In this role, she oversees day-to-day operations as well as planning and management of pediatric care initiatives. She 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.

Whisler was appointed administrative chief of staff in June 2019. In this role, she works closely with the CEO and hospital executives to promote alignment of institutional strategic initiatives and priorities across departments. She works with key enterprise stakeholders, including departmental executive officers, leadership in the Office of the Vice President for Medical Affairs and across campus, and external stakeholders.

Whisler graduated in December 2006 with a dual Masters of Business Administration and Health Administration degrees from the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business and College of Public Health. She joined University of Iowa Health Care in 2008 as Manager of Strategic Business Planning. She then held roles as the clinical department administrator for the Emergency Department (2012-2015) and as clinical department administrator in the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics (2015-2019).

Rebecca O'Rourke was named assistant director for clinical care services in March 2014. Her responsibilities include overseeing operations of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dermatology, Dialysis, Digestive Health, Family Medicine, Heart and Vascular Center, Hospital Dentistry, Medicine Specialties, Oral Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Surgery Specialties, and Urology.

Prior to her current role, she was most recently the director of Dialysis and Division of Nephrology administrator. She has served in several other capacities since joining UI Health Care, including as assistant to the chief executive officer, administrative fellow, and administrative resident.

Jennifer Miller was named assistant director for support services in March 2014. She is responsible for the service, quality, and fiscal performance of Environmental Services, Engineering Services, Food and Nutrition Services, Guest Services, University Employee Health Clinic, Project Art and Medical Museum, Patients’ Library, and space planning and utilization, spanning both children’s and adult services.

Prior to her current role, she most recently served as a senior project manager for UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. At UI Hospitals & Clinics, she has also been an administrative fellow, dietitian, retail manager, and dietetic intern in Food and Nutrition Services.

As Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Emily Ward works to ensure continued progress on initiatives and effective day-to-day clinic and inpatient operations.

Ward was the interim director of the Medical and Surgical Nursing Division and has been with University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics since 2007, beginning as a staff nurse in the Surgical and Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit. She then served as assistant nurse manager and nurse manager on the unit before moving onto the division leadership role.

Ward is a member of several professional organizations, including Iowa Organization of Nurse Leaders, American Organization of Nurse Executives, and American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She received a bachelor of science in nursing from Millikin University and her DNP from University of Iowa College of Nursing as well as a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Iowa.

Amy O’Deen, BSN, MHA, serves as senior assistant director at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and interim executive director of UI Stead Family Children's Hospital. She joined the Hospital Administration team in 1983 and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Her current responsibilities include: neurosciences (neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry), ophthalmology, oral surgery and hospital dentistry, orthopedics and sports medicine, otolaryngology, pathology, radiology, and women’s health.

Amy also has devoted considerable time to a number of University of Iowa and community organizations throughout her tenure, including serving as chair of the UI Alumni Association Board; vice chair of the Iowa Women Lead Change Board; program committee chair for the Iowa Women’s Leadership Conference; vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Athletics; membership on the Boards of the Iowa Women’s Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Leadership Iowa Alumni Association, the Hawkeye Area Council—Boy Scouts of America; and service with the Johnson County United Way Allocations Committee, Go Red for Women steering committee, the Iowa City Noon Rotary, and the Carver Hawkeye Arena Enhancement Campaign. She was selected by the Corridor Business Journal as a “Woman of Influence” in 2013.

Lee Carmen was appointed associate vice president for information systems in July 2007. He oversees information technology services, including technical support, applications development, and clinical applications across the University of Iowa Health Care enterprise. 

He joined the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine staff as director of Information Systems in 1994, directing information technology support for academic, research, and administrative initiatives. In 2001, he was named chief information officer and director of Health Care Information Systems for University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and UI Carver College of Medicine. He is an adjunct instructor in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa.

Carmen received bachelor’s degrees in microbiology from the University of Oklahoma and in electrical engineering from the University of Iowa.

Becker's Hospital Review recognized Lee Carmen in the 2014 edition of "100 Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know."

Jana Wessels was appointed associate vice president for Human Resources on March 1, 2011. In this role she is responsible for all human resource activities within University of Iowa Health System.

Prior to this appointment she served as Assistant Vice President for Human Resources for UI Health Care and Director of the Carver College of Office of Medicine Human Resources. In addition to her UI Health Care roles, Wessels has served in several administrative roles throughout the University of Iowa, including Director of Operations for the Division of Performing Arts in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Director of the Executive MBA program, in the Tippie College of Business. Jana also spent five years as a lead officer in the Operations Division of ACT, Inc. where she served as Director of National Recognition Programs.

She holds both JD and MBA degrees from The University of Iowa and is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the Iowa Bar Association.

Joseph B. Clamon, JD, was named the associate vice president for legal affairs for University of Iowa Health Care in April 2014. In this capacity he serves as chief legal counsel, overseeing the full range of legal services for each component of UI Health Care.

Clamon came to UI Health Care from UnityPoint Health in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he served as in-house counsel, advising UnityPoint leaders on a broad array of health care issues. Prior to his role with UnityPoint Health, he was an attorney with the law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery, specializing in health law and life sciences, and a judicial clerk for Judge Michael J. Melloy, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Clamon is currently an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa. He previously held adjunct professorships in the Drake University Law School and Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Clamon is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. He is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois, and is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and Iowa Society of Health Care Attorneys.