Dr. Robert A. Cherry appointed associate vice president for clinical affairs and chief health officer for UC Health
David Rubin, executive vice president of University of California Health, sent the following message to the UC community on May 2, 2025:
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to share that Robert A. Cherry, M.D., M.S., FACS, FACHE, has been selected as the UC Health associate vice president for clinical affairs and chief health officer, following a competitive national search. In addition to his leadership role at UC Health, Dr. Cherry will remain chief medical and quality officer for UCLA Health.
Effective May 1, Dr. Cherry will lead the Clinical Affairs department (formerly known as Clinical Strategy and Operations), continuing the work he has led since stepping into this role on an interim basis in May 2024.
As UC Health sets forth on our strategic plan, his team will provide important assistance to medical center leaders in their shared improvement goals for quality and safety, ambulatory access, patient and family experience, and population health management during a period in which UC Health locations are serving growing numbers of patients across the state.
Dr. Cherry will work with the vice chancellors, CEOs, and other leaders to ensure that the new Clinical Affairs department is positioned in a way that supports and compliments their local priorities and efforts. This may require leveraging important external partnerships, including public health, community advocacy groups, health plans, and state and federal agencies, to optimize success.
As a national leader in patient experience, Dr. Cherry brings unique expertise to facilitating systemwide collaborations for quality and safety, population health, and ambulatory operations that are integral to advancing UC Health’s strategic plan. These systemwide workgroups will accelerate workflows for proactive care that address barriers to access experienced unevenly by our patients and families. A key focus for Dr. Cherry and team will be to advance new clinical integration methods that strengthen the coordination of complex care across disciplines and settings—and directly with patients—through the digital exchange of information. He will also continue to lead the health security partnership with the California Department of Public Health to ensure our collective readiness for public health emergencies.
In addition to his clinical and operational leadership, Dr. Cherry is a dedicated public servant and thought leader who was recently recognized by Press Ganey as Physician of the Year. He serves on multiple national and state boards, including the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, California Health Facilities Finance Authority, the California Community Foundation and the California Green Dot Public Schools. He also holds board positions with multi-state health systems in California and Florida. He is the past chair of the Chief Medical Officers Group of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
I am grateful for Dr. Cherry’s continued commitment to the University of California. His strong relationships across the system and unwavering focus on improving care aligns perfectly with our mission to create healthier communities and for the benefit of all Californians. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Cherry on his appointment.
Sincerely,
David Rubin, M.D., MSCE
Executive Vice President
University of California Health