David Russell has been appointed as the new chief strategy officer for Emory Healthcare and Woodruff Health Sciences, effective October 1, 2025. Russell has over 25 years of experience in strategic growth, business development, and operational leadership within large academic medical centers.
In his new role at Emory, Russell will oversee enterprise strategy, business development, and strategic partnerships. Joon S. Lee, MD, executive vice president for health affairs of Emory University and CEO of Emory Healthcare, commented on the appointment: “Working in academic medicine and with integrated delivery systems, David brings deep expertise in advancing health system transformation and strategic growth. With a proven ability to align vision, resources and execution across complex organizations, David will play a key role in positioning us for long-term success.”
Before joining Emory, Russell served as chief business development officer and executive vice president of organizational transformation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. In that capacity, he led efforts focused on system growth and innovation. His earlier roles include director and then vice president of strategic planning at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, as well as administrative director at University of California, San Francisco Children’s Hospital.
Russell expressed his enthusiasm about the new position: “I am honored to join Emory and its rich history of caring for patients, discovering research breakthroughs and educating the next generation of health care providers. I look forward to collaborating with team members to advance the goals and missions of the enterprise.”
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.
