We are pleased to announce that Debby Chambers, MBA, has been appointed Vice Chair of Administration in the Departments of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, the Institute for the Medical Humanities, and the Sealy Center for Environmental Health and Medicine, effective July 9. Debby previously work at UTMB and served as Administrator and Director of Program Development in the Department of PMCH and Administrator in the Office of Biostatistics at UTMB from 1996-2005. She will succeed Judy DiMarco, PhD, who has accepted the position of Associate Dean, Administrative Affairs and Chief of Staff for the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson and will begin her new role on June 4, 2012. Debby will work in a part-time capacity as she transitions out of her position as Administrator in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Methodist Hospital Physician Organization in Houston. During this transition period before her permanent appointment in July, Ty Calvin, Senior Finance Manager, will be the contact person for the administrative functions in these areas. In addition, Judy has agreed to maintain a PBL appointment through this transition period to ensure administrative and operational stability for the above entities.
Debby brings a plethora of skills to this position. She has over 25 years of experience as an administrative leader within an academic setting and in the private sector. This includes clinical operations, revenue cycle, financial management, reporting, human resources, space allocation, capital equipment, international services/visas, and compliance. During her tenure at UTMB, she played a key role in a number of accomplishments, which included major contracts with NASA and Wyle Laboratories. She supported a ten year, $12 million Bioastronautics Contract with Wyle Laboratories that included the recruitment, hiring and management of physicians for medical operations, advanced projects and medical monitoring for support of the International Space Station Project in Star City, Russia, mission control, and bed rest and anti-gravity studies conducted at UTMB and NASA.
Debby earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Administration at UTMB and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston at Clear Lake.
Please join us in welcoming Debby back to UTMB and supporting her in her new role. I also ask that you join us in thanking Judy for her many contributions to UTMB, and wishing her continued success at the University of Arizona.