Skip to main content

Department Chairs

2023 - present John W. Barrett, MD (Interim) [ Profile ]
2017 - 2023 Kolawole S. Okuyemi, MD, MPH [ Profile ]
1995 - 2017 Michael K. Magill, MD [ Profile ]
2016 John R. Hoidal, MD (Interim) [ Profile ]
1994 Michael A. Rigdon, PhD (Interim) [ Profile ]
1984 - 1994 F. Marian Bishop, PhD, MSPH [ d.2003 ]
1970 - 1983 Charles Hilmon Castle, MD [ d.2016 ]

Department Chiefs & Directors

    Division Chiefs of Family & Community Medicine

  2023 - present Bernadette (Bern) Kiraly, MD [ Profile ]
  2008 - 2023 Jennifer (Jenny) Leiser, MD [ Retirement ]
  1997 - 2008 Division structure dissolved
  1994 - 1997 Stephen (Steve) Ratcliffe, MD, MSPH [ Profile ]
  1989 - 1994 Joseph (Joe) Hess, MD
  1984 - 1989 Larry Lutz, MD  (later became Chair of the Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory University)
  1982 - 1984 Thomas (Tom) Schwenk, MD [ Profile ] (later became Chair of the Dept. of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan)
  1970s John Tudor, MD [ Profile ] (later became President of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1993)
  1970s Elbert Leigh, MD [ d.2015 ]
  1973 Dave Feigal, MD [ d.1998 ]
  1971 - 1972 John Geyman, MD [ Profile ] (later became Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington, 1976-1990)

    Residency Directors of Family & Community Medicine

  2016 - present Kirsten Stoesser, MD [ Profile ]
  2005 - 2015 Sonja Van Hala, MD [ Profile ]
  2002 - 2005 Osman Sanyer, MD  [ Retrospective ]
  1998 - 2002 Stephen (Steve) Ratcliffe, MD, MSPH [ Profile ]
  1994 - 1998 Ita Killeen, MD [ Profile ]
  1989 - 1994 Roslyn (Roz) Taylor, MD (d.2019)
  1983 - 1989 Barbara Reed, MD [ Profile ]
  1980 - 1982 Charles (Chuck) Payton, MD
  1978 - 1980 John Tudor, MD (d.2023)
  1976 - 1978 David Sundwall, MD  [ Profile ]
  Early 1970s Elbert Leigh, MD (d.2015)

    Division Chiefs & Program Directors: Public Health

  2023 - present James (Jim) VanDerslice, PhD [ Profile ]
  2020 - 2023 Steven Lacey, PhD [ Profile ]
  2019 James (Jim) VanDerslice, PhD (Interim) [ Profile ]
  2008 - 2018 Stephen C. Alder, PhD [ Profile ]
  2007 - 2008 A. Peter Catinella, MD, MPH (Interim) [ Profile ]
  1999 - 2007 George L. White, Jr., PA-C, PhD, MSPH
  1997 - 1999 F. Marian Bishop, PhD, MSPH (Interim) (d.2003)
  1979 - 1997 Charles C. Hughes, PhD (d.1997)
  1978 James O. Mason, MD, DrPH (d.2019) (later became Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and then Deputy Surgeon General of the United States)
  1997 - 1998 Donna L. Olsen, PhD (Interim)
  1974 - 1977 Robert L. Kane, MD (d.2019) (later became Dean of School of Public Health, University of Minnesota)

    Division Chiefs: Physician Assistant Studies

  2024 The Division of Physician Assistant Studies leaves the Department to become a free-standing division in the School of Medicine
  2022 - 2024 A. Leigh Elrod, PA-C, PhD [ Profile ]
  2020 - 2022 Virginia Valentin, PA-C, DrPH [ Profile ]
  2018 - 2020 Trent Honda, PA-C, PhD [ Profile ]
  2011 - 2017 John Houchins, MD [ Profile ]
  2010 - 2011 Don Pedersen, PA-C, PhD [ Profile ]

    Program Directors: Physician Assistant Program (earlier: MedEx Program)

  2024 The Division of Physician Assistant Studies leaves the Department to become a free-standing division in the School of Medicine
  2018 - 2024 Jared Spackman, PA-C, MPAS  [ Profile ]
  2014 - 2018 Karen Mulitalo, PA-C, MPAS [ Profile ]
  2010 - 2014 Dan Crouse, PA-C, MPAS [ Profile ]
  1988 - 2010 Don Pedersen, PA-C, PhD [ Profile ]
  1971 - 1988 William (Bill) Wilson, PhD (d.2010)

    Directors of Rocky Mountain Center Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) and
    Division Chiefs: Occupational Environmental Health

  2024 RMCOEH and Division of Occupational and Environmental Health leaves the Department to become a free-standing division in the School of Medicine. 
  2021 - 2024 Jeremy Biggs, MD  [ Profile ] Division Chief
  2003 Kurt Hegmann, MD [ Profile ] Division Chief 2003-2021; RMCOEH Director 2003-2024
  1987 - 2003 Royce Moser, MD (d.2022) RMCOEH Director
  1986 - 1987 Mario Botticelli, MD (Pulmonary)
  1983 - 1986 Jeff Lee, PhD (d.1996)
  1977 - 1983 William (Bill) Rom, MD [ Profile ] Division Chief and RMCOEH Director

    Residency Directors: Occupational Environmental Medicine

  2024 The Division of Occupational and Environmental Health leaves the Department to become a free-standing division in the School of Medicine
  2006 - 2024 Eric Wood, MD [ Profile ]
  2004 - 2006 Edward (Ed) Holmes, MD [ Profile ]
  2001 - 2004 Kurt Hegmann, MD [ Profile ]
  1994 - 2001 Anthony (Tony) Suruda, MD [ Profile ]
  1990 - 1993 Pat Barrier, MD [ Profile ]
  1986 - 1990 Richard (Dick) Johns, MD (d.2010)
  1977 - 1986 James Lockey, MD [ Profile ]

    Directors of the Industrial Hygiene Program

  2024 The Division of Occupational and Environmental Health leaves the Department to become a free-standing division in the School of Medicine
  2022 - 2024 Darrah Sleeth [ Profile ]
  2019 - 2022 Rachael Jones
  2017 - 2019 Rod Handy [ Profile ]
  2015 - 2017 Rodney Larsen [ Profile ]
  2004 - 2014 Dean Lilquist
  1990s Jeff Lee (d.1996)