Chair of Neurology

The University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine (CU School of Medicine) seeks an accomplished, collaborative, and entrepreneurial leader to serve as the next Chair of the Department of Neurology. This is a consequential opportunity to lead the preeminent academic neurology program in the Rocky Mountain West at an institution that has set an explicit ambition of “Top 10 in 10”, has identified the neurosciences as central to achieving that goal, and has the resources and will to invest accordingly.

The Department of Neurology is a large and comprehensive academic enterprise. Comprising 14 subspecialty sections, 97 physicians and doctoral scientists, 37 advanced practice providers, 98 research staff, and 36 administrative staff, along with 80 residents, fellows, postdoctoral trainees, and students, the Department delivers care across the full spectrum of neurological disease to a referral region spanning eight states. The Department trains 40 residents, offers fellowships in 14 subspecialties — several of which are found at only a handful of institutions nationally — and operates one of the largest clinical research programs in the School of Medicine.

Over the past 16 years, under the leadership of Kenneth Tyler, MD, the Department grew across virtually every measure of clinical activity while building durable financial strength, an exceptional clinical research infrastructure, and nationally recognized programs in emerging subspecialties, including neurohospitalist medicine, neuro-infectious disease, neuropalliative care, and autoimmune neurology. It achieved accreditation as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and a Level 4 epilepsy center, established Centers of Excellence across eight disease areas, and delivers quality outcomes that rank among the best of any clinical department in the School. The next Chair inherits a department of unusual breadth, talent, and momentum.

The next Chair joins at a defining moment. Under Dean John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, who also serves as Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, the School of Medicine is pursuing a “Top 10 in 10” vision and has recently achieved its strongest NIH funding position in 20 years, ranking eighth among public medical schools nationally. The School is investing in the neurosciences, building the data infrastructure and analytics capability that will inform how resources are allocated, and redesigning clinical funds flow, effort definitions, and compensation in ways that give an incoming Chair tools and leverage that predecessors did not enjoy. Neurology is positioned to be a clinical and academic anchor of the campus neuroscience enterprise, and the Department's faculty is ready for the vision, advocacy, and investment that will get it there.

Reporting to Dean Sampson, the next Chair will lead a collaborative and highly capable faculty whose ambition currently outpaces its infrastructure. The department is facing more clinical demand than it can schedule, more scientific talent than its laboratory space can accommodate, and more distinctive programs than its national visibility reflects. The successful candidate will be an accomplished academic neurologist and a proven organizational leader: someone with the financial and operational fluency to run a complex enterprise, the credibility to effectively build relationships within the School and the health system, and the interpersonal judgment to build trust across a large and decentralized department. To be successful, the Chair will build on the Department's considerable strengths while addressing key opportunities and challenges. A fuller description of those priorities, along with the desired qualifications and characteristics, is included later in this document.

The anticipated compensation range for this position is $450,000 to $650,000 annually, commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications, experience, academic rank, clinical specialty, and other relevant factors. In addition to base compensation, the successful candidate will be eligible to participate in the School of Medicine Chair Incentive Program, which provides an opportunity to earn an annual incentive payment of up to 20% of eligible compensation associated with the Chair appointment, subject to the terms and performance criteria of the program.

The University of Colorado has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this recruitment. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the search process is complete. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below.

Natalie Leonhard is leading this search with Cam Patterson, Katie White, and Amanda Leslie.

The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.