Another top executive leaves
Another executive is leaving Ohio State University, the most recent in a number of high-level departures from the Wexner Medical Center and the university’s cancer center.
Jeff Walker, senior executive director for administration at the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, has accepted a position at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. There, Walker will serve as senior vice president for transformation and development. He will start his new job late this month, according to an internal memo sent to the James staff announcing his departure.
Walker was the first chief operating officer and senior executive director of administration for Ohio State’s cancer program, according to the memo, signed by William Farrar, interim chief executive of the James, and Raphael Polluck, director of Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“With Jeff’s leadership, the James has had record performance nationally, both from the financial and patient-satisfaction perspectives,” the memo said. “It is largely because of his contributions that Ohio State has one of the nation’s most elite cancer programs.”
At City of Hope, Walker will join Dr. Michael Caligiuri, former chief executive of the James. Caligiuri was appointed president and physician-in-chief at City of Hope in November.
Kris Kipp, executive director of patient services and chief nursing officer, will assume Walker’s role at Wexner going forward. Nancy Single, director of clinical research operations, and Christine Scarcello, director of research operations, will co-lead the cancer center’s administration, the memo said.
Walker made nearly $558,000 in his role at Ohio State, according to recent salary information. Salaries for Kipp, Single and Scarcello were not immediately available.
Other recent medical departures at Ohio State include Dr. John Campo and Rhonda Campo, who have accepted positions at West Virginia University’s medical center, WVU announced this week. Randy Nelson, chairman of the department of neuroscience, and Courtney DeVries, professor of neuroscience, also left Ohio State for WVU late last month. A number of other medical leaders or executives had left Ohio State in previous months.