On Nov 1st, Governor Tina Kotek and the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Board of Directors announced the board’s intent to appoint Steve Stadum, J.D., interim president. If appointed, Stadum would hold the interim president role while a national search for a permanent president is completed.

The Governor’s Executive Appointments team, who work year-round recruiting and vetting service-oriented individuals to serve on state boards and commissions, will help OHSU put together the search committee that will lead the recruitment process for a permanent president. If the Board approves a resolution to appoint Stadum at its public meeting Monday, November 4, Dr. Danny Jacobs’ term as OHSU president would end Monday, November 4, and interim president Steve Stadum would begin his term on Tuesday, November 5.

“OHSU is a critical institution to our state, as a major health care provider, employer, and leader in scientific and academic innovation,” Governor Kotek said. “A strong, collaborative, leader is imperative to OHSU’s success, and I commend the Board for embarking on a national recruitment for the next long-term president. I am grateful to Dr. Jacobs for his years of service and would like to thank Mr. Stadum for agreeing to serve while the search is underway.”

“We appreciate the governor’s support as we recruit the next president of Oregon’s academic health center,” Chad Paulson, J.D., Chair of the OHSU Board of Directors said. “Mr. Stadum understands OHSU’s unique role in Oregon, educating the next generation of our health care workforce, developing and providing lifesaving therapies for the most vulnerable Oregonians, and supporting nationally and internationally accomplished research and health care professionals. He has the practical knowledge and skills to lead teams, improve processes and implement strategy within the complex world of health care, research and education delivery, and as interim president will help ensure critical initiatives remain on track.”

Stadum is a former OHSU leader with 20-plus years' experience leading mission-focused organizations at the intersection of health care, education, research and business. After joining OHSU in 1999, he served in several leadership roles, including general counsel, chief administration officer and corporate secretary, executive vice president and, finally, chief operating officer for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, where he co-led the successful campaign to raise $1 billion for cancer research within two years, helping to equip the institute’s scientists, healers, teachers and learners with the resources needed to best serve the people of Oregon and beyond, and end cancer as we know it.

In 2016, Stadum moved to Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, where he held the positions of executive vice president and chief operating officer, chief integration officer and, lastly, special adviser to the director, until his retirement in September 2024. During his tenure at Fred Hutch, he was responsible for long-term clinical planning and strategic growth initiatives, including leading a team in a multi-year restructuring of cancer programs among Fred Hutch, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children’s and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, with a goal of decreasing the time between discovery and delivery of the most advanced treatments for patients.