David Russell has been appointed as chief strategy officer for Emory Healthcare and Woodruff Health Sciences, effective October 1, 2025. He will oversee enterprise strategy, business development, and strategic partnerships at the organization.
Joon S. Lee, MD, executive vice president for health affairs of Emory University and CEO of Emory Healthcare, said, “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.”
Russell joins Emory after serving as chief business development officer and executive vice president of organizational transformation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. In that role, he supported the system’s expansion and innovation efforts. Before his time at Vanderbilt, Russell spent 15 years at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in leadership roles including director and then vice president of strategic planning. Earlier in his career he was administrative director at University of California, San Francisco Children’s Hospital.
“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,” said Russell. “I look forward to collaborating with team members to advance the goals and missions of the enterprise.”
Russell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.
