By SHANNON O. WELLS

Responding to a question about whether Pitt’s search for a new senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and medical school dean is prioritizing candidates with a research background or a clinical/administration/medical education skill set, Chancellor Joan Gabel essentially answered, “yes.”

“All things being equal, we would find a unicorn who has done all of it,” she said. “(Someone) who is an experienced researcher and ideally also an innovator, if not directly with their own scholarship being translated, then they've been in the orbit of it and understand the needs of the researchers who are translating their work, along with the amazing work we do in basic sciences and other areas.”

Although Pitt doesn’t “run the hospital,” Gabel stressed that a candidate’s previous role that provided an “appreciation for what that work is like” would be desirable. “They are the dean of the medical school, so all of the typical attributes that would go into being the dean of the medical school are very important.” 

If a candidate with “combination of all of those things” doesn’t surface, the chancellor said the team would begin prioritizing based on the qualifications available. “But there are people who have progressed in such a way (in their careers) that they bring (this skill set) to the table. That is our expectation.”

Gabel shared such insights during a Sept. 18 listening session focused on Pitt’s search for a senior vice chancellor for Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine. Anantha Shekhar, who arrived at Pitt in June 2020, announced in August that he would step down from his health sciences leadership roles, effective June 30, 2027, or when his successor arrives.

Two online sessions, the second held Sept. 22, featured Gabel and Timothy Billiar, associate senior vice chancellor for clinical academics in the health sciences. The two will co-chair the search committee. 

Also participating in the sessions were representatives of the search firm Isaacson Miller, which assisted on the search that brought Shekhar to the University. Search consultants include Ariannah Mirick, managing partner for the Isaacson Miller executive search firm’s academic medicine and healthcare practice; John Isaacson, chair of the firm; and Katie White, senior associate at Isaacson Miller. 

The participants fielded questions and comments on topics including the specific skill set being sought, the dual-leadership position’s future structure, how the new position could enhance alignment between Pitt and UPMC, and the search timeline. 

The job includes overseeing the six health sciences schools, more than 6,000 faculty and staff, and approximately 5,000 students, all while working closely with UPMC.

Welcoming ideas

As questions rolled in, Mirick said the overriding “first question” is “‘What is currently working well within the health sciences and the School of Medicine broadly?’ The second is, ‘What are the new opportunities, and where is there room for change or for investment or for a slight change of direction?’ We welcome ideas and responses to either of those questions.” 

One participant asked if consideration has been given to separating the senior vice chancellor and School of Medicine dean roles for the new candidates. They noted the potential perception of conflict of interest when the senior vice chancellor serves as dean of one of the six Health Sciences schools. 

“You may not be surprised to hear that I've heard this question a couple of times,” Gabel acknowledged. “We are not considering separating the roles at the moment, and probably not in the foreseeable future. I do think it's fair to call the question on the structures and the checks and balances that are in place.”

In terms of setting a health sciences strategy, however, the expectation of focused leadership in that area, “if anything, in the marketplace, is probably increasing,” she noted. “And then what we need to do … is to ensure that we have the appropriate checks in place to mitigate, if not fully eliminate, the concerns that you raise.”

Responding to a question about the next senior vice chancellor’s role in “creating stronger alignment between Pitt and UPMC and ensuring that our clinical research infrastructure can operate effectively across the institution,” Gabel said the “historic” relationship with UPMC is rapidly evolving “as all of Health Sciences research, particularly on the clinical side, is evolving.

“One of the ways in which we respond to the pressure, the changes in federal funding, the changes in expectations, the changes in the creative interests and enterprises that our scientists and clinicians and scholars want to pursue, is by having a really strong, transparent understanding with our hospital partner to work together to make sure that we're an excellent academic health system.”

Tim Billiar said, “Clearly it takes a gifted leader to manage that relationship. We'll be looking very closely at the experience and mindset, and I think someone who can build the relationships and work within complex situations is going to do well,” he added, “and will actually have a pretty strong voice in how that interaction takes place.”

Striking a balance

Regarding the candidate’s experience with union bargaining-unit effectiveness, Gabel said while that background would be “great” it’s not within the wheelhouse of the role to directly bargain. 

“They certainly are consulted through the bargaining process, but while I don't in any way mean to discount the importance of the bargaining process, most of that expertise sits in other units,” she noted. “I would certainly be interested in the experience of the candidates in this space. I would probably put it at that level.”

Gabel went on to affirm a session participant’s mention of the new leader’s “adaptability” and ability “to evolve.”

“I think we've all had our share of that over these last few years, and it's probably going to continue,” she acknowledged. “A healthy appreciation for finding opportunity amidst challenges would be very well received, I suspect by all of the stakeholders in our community.”

Based on the changes and challenges of recent years, Billiar said he “couldn't agree more.”

“I think everybody realizes we've been through some of the most tumultuous outside impacts on what we do. Certainly flexibility, creativity, engagement are all the key features of somebody who will thrive in this environment that we're in, both internally and externally.”

As far as a candidate’s appreciation for collaboration across Health Sciences, Ariannah Mirick said Pitt Health Sciences Schools’ top 10 ranking is “going to attract a certain group of candidates, and it will inform the group of candidates that we go after. 

“The mission areas are all incredibly important, and the successful person has to have not only a deep understanding and appreciation, but also track record in all of those areas,” she noted. “(This) usually also leads to an ability to collaborate and work interdisciplinarily across mission areas. That includes, I would say, health sciences.”

Recalling the search that led to Shekhar’s hire seven years ago, Mirick noted that the structure of the senior vice chancellor role, to which other deans report, usually is attractive to people who have worked in similar systems.

“There is not going to be any candidate who is perfect by every stretch, but there will be candidates who are excellent in every dimension,” she added. “I often think what's important is that it's a mature enough leader that they know what they don't know and how they need to bolster their own skill set. And everyone needs bolstering in some way. 

“Maybe they're an exceptionally strong researcher and clinician and understand the clinical operations, but they haven't done as much on education. Maybe they need some kind of special or kind of beefed-up vice dean for education role … Those are things that the search committee will be listening for … 

“It will be very important that we find a candidate that can really satisfy all those very important mission areas.”

Addressing the question of whether finalists for the position will be shared with the public, Gabel said this is not likely. 

“That's how we've done searches on the campus, certainly for as long as I've been here, and as I understand historically. But we do have a wide net of input groups and stakeholders that finalists will meet with in order to strike the balance between making sure that we're hearing from all members of our community, and also ensuring that candidates who are highly desirable … 

“It's a very difficult balance to strike,” she noted. “I fully appreciate the advantages for the community of a wide-open search. But then there are tradeoffs, and so we strike the balance on the tradeoffs by ensuring that their campus visits are robust.”

Moving forward

As far as timing and where the search team is in the process, with Gabel and Billiar as committee chairs and an executive search partner identified, “in that regard, that means the search is underway,” Gabel said during the Sept. 22 listening session, noting the “robust bylaws” and shared governance guidelines behind the search committee’s empanelment. 

“For a certain number of seats, there are Senate-managed elections for those seats, and processes for student representation and a few other stakeholders. Those processes are underway,” she noted. “There will also be people appointed to the search committee in partnership with those who are elected.”

Gabel said she expects the committee to be empaneled, charged and working together as a group by the first week of October. 

“That doesn't mean we aren't already working,” she said, noting previous listening sessions across stakeholder groups and an online survey where people can and provide their name if they want a response or provide their feedback anonymously. “I encourage you to take advantage of that if you are more comfortable providing feedback or asking questions in that way.”

When the search committee convenes as a group, “we should be able to have a draft of the position profile, a good pulse check of where the pool of candidates is … and be in a position to charge the committee accordingly, with the hope that we would begin vetting candidates shortly thereafter,” Gabel said. 

The goal is to decide who goes through a first-round interview before the end of the calendar year and second-round interviews early in 2027, with an aim to identify Anantha Shekhar’s successor in the early spring of 2027. The start date would be determined “based on their circumstances.”

She added that Shekhar has “very graciously” agreed to serve until his successor is identified, saying “We are very comfortable with the smoothness of the transition that's being set up. A lot of work is going into that as well.”

Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.

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