Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University's board of directors have voted to appoint Steve Stadum interim president, effective Nov. 5.
The vote follows an October announcement that OHSU President Danny Jacobs, MD, decided to step down.
The board said it would consider appointing OHSU School of Medicine Dean and Mario and Edith Campagna Chair of Pediatric Neurological Surgery Nate Selden, MD, PhD, the next president of OHSU. However, the board tabled a motion Oct. 25 to appoint a new OHSU president, and it instead said it would launch a search for a new leader.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek urged the OHSU board to postpone the appointment of a permanent replacement for Dr. Jacobs, according to The Oregonian. Under Dr. Jacobs’ leadership, OSHU entered a definitive agreement to merge with Portland, Ore.-based Legacy Health, which has yet to be finalized.
"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," Ms. Kotek said in a news release. "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."
Mr. Stadum, a former OHSU leader, joined the health system in 1999.
During his tenure, he served in various leadership roles, including general counsel, chief administration officer and corporate secretary, executive vice president and, lastly, COO for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, according to the release.
Additionally, he previously served at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, where he held the roles of executive vice president and COO, chief integration officer and special adviser to the director. He retired from Fred Hutch in September.