LITTLE ROCK (Monday, Sept. 8, 2025) – The national search to find the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has formally begun as the university today released a leadership profile and began accepting inquiries about the post, which leads the state’s only academic medical center.
A search advisory committee, formed in July, is assisting University of Arkansas System President Jay B. Silveria in the process to identify candidates for the position. The committee is chaired by William J. Steinbach, M.D., UAMS chair of pediatrics and associate dean of child health, and purposefully includes broad, multi-disciplinary representatives from the UAMS campus community, the UA Board of Trustees, and statewide supporters of the institution.
The UAMS Chancellor Leadership Profile identifies key attributes desired in the next chancellor, including strong leadership, strategic growth experience, financial acumen and superb communication skills. The profile will be utilized to recruit potential candidates by WittKieffer, a premier executive search and leadership advisory firm that is assisting UAMS and the UA System in the search process.
“I appreciate the diligent work of the advisory committee and our search team to identify the qualities and qualifications we are looking for in our next UAMS Chancellor,” Silveria said. “It goes without saying how critical this position is for the UA System and the state, as we seek a leader who can build on the excellent foundation laid by our faculty, staff, students and senior leaders. We are looking for someone who can take UAMS to the next level in each of its core mission areas of education, patient care and research, and who can help build a high-quality health care system for Arkansans in every corner of the state.”
The search process now enters a recruitment phase that may take several months, Steinbach said. He said the goal of the advisory committee is to develop a competitive pool of candidates to assist Silveria, who is tasked with recommending a finalist to the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for approving chancellor appointments.
“UAMS is at a critical inflection point where we have the unique opportunity to identify candidates who can help shape a new trajectory for both this institution and for health care across our entire state,” Steinbach said. “We will take the time necessary to cast a broad net across the country to find superb candidates for this position who can transform this medical university for the next decade. I believe there will be great interest in this role because of the opportunity it provides to truly make a broad impact on people’s lives through providing care, educating health professionals and conducting critical research to improve patient outcomes. There are few positions across the country that offer the breadth of impact you can make on a state as Chancellor at UAMS.”
More information about the open chancellor position — including how to inquire and apply — can be found at a site created to keep campus, the public and potential applicants informed about the search.
The UAMS Chancellor Search Advisory Committee includes:
William Steinbach, M.D., Chair of Pediatrics, UAMS College of Medicine (chair)
Ahmed Abuabdou, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer, UAMS Medical Center
Ryan Cork, MSHA, Vice Chancellor, UAMS Northwest Region
Andy Davis, MSCE, Vice Chancellor for Government Relations
John Erck, MA, Vice Chancellor for Advancement
Molly Gathright, M.D., Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, UAMS College of Medicine
Laura James, M.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research
Lester Matlock, Jr., Chair, UAMS Board of Advisors
Dana Metcalf, Chair, UAMS House of Delegates
Claude Pirtle, M.D., MBA, President, Heartland Whole Health Institute
Natalie Rockefeller, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Board of Advisors
Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D., Dean, UAMS College of Pharmacy
Christopher Walter, PT, DPT, Ph.D., President, UAMS Academic Senate
Jeremy Wilson, UA Board of Trustees
Ben Beaumont, UA System | staff support (ex-officio)
Former UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., announced last June he was stepping down from his role for personal and medical reasons and returning to faculty. UA System President Jay B. Silveria then named Lowry Barnes, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UAMS, interim chancellor, a role he began July 11.