Krista Curell Named President of the University of Chicago Medical Center

The University of Chicago Medicine has appointed Krista Curell, JD, RN, as President of the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she will lead day-to-day operations and strategy for the hub of the growing academic health system. The appointment, which took effect in late 2025, recognizes her pivotal role in advancing operational excellence, equity, and strategic growth across the organization.

Curell, who also continues to serve in her prior positions as President of UChicago Medicine Crown Point and Executive Vice President, System Chief Operating Officer, will oversee more than 14,000 employees and 2,400 clinicians across UChicago Medicine’s hospitals, clinics, and physician practices in Chicago, its suburbs, and Northwest Indiana.

“Krista is an exceptional leader who understands every dimension of academic medicine: from the complexity of clinical operations to the human connections that define great care,” said Tom Jackiewicz, President of the UChicago Medicine health system. “Her blend of strategic insight, operational rigor, and empathy has strengthened our entire enterprise and I am confident she will continue to build on UChicago Medicine’s long legacy of excellence in research, education, and care while guiding us toward an even more equitable and innovative future.”

As president, Curell will continue reporting to Jackiewicz, who previously held the Medical Center president title in addition to his role as president of the health system.

Throughout her 25-year tenure at UChicago Medicine, Curell has strengthened the organization’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading academic health systems. She has helped build one of the institution’s most diverse and high-performing leadership teams and has championed initiatives that expand access to care, deepen community partnerships, and enhance operational efficiency — all while maintaining an unwavering focus on clinical excellence and patient experience.

Curell also oversees several transformative projects, including the 575,000-square-foot cancer pavilion opening in 2027; a forthcoming clinical laboratory and education center in Washington Park in partnership with City Colleges of Chicago; and UChicago Medicine Crown Point, which opened in 2024 as the system’s largest location outside Chicago’s Hyde Park campus.

A licensed attorney and registered nurse, Curell brings a distinctive blend of clinical, legal, and operational expertise to her leadership. She was a 2024 Daniel Burnham Fellow with Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) and her work has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Woman in Health Care and by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the nation’s COOs to Know. After she completed her fellowship, Curell was named to LGC’s board.

“It’s an absolute privilege to serve the University of Chicago Medical Center and our entire health system community in this new role,” said Curell. “Every day, I’m inspired by our teams’ commitment to our patients, our mission, and each other. Together, we’re expanding access to world-class care, advancing health equity, and creating an environment where innovation and compassion drive everything we do.”