Wendy Horton

Wendy Horton, MBA, PharmD, FACHE, is the Senior Vice President and President of Adult Services at UCSF Health, one of the nation’s top 10 hospitals. A nationally recognized healthcare leader, she has dedicated her career to advancing operational excellence, driving strategic growth, and delivering patient-centered care, all while maintaining a strong commitment to community health and service.

She focuses on improving healthcare quality and innovation by strengthening care delivery systems and integrating new technologies that keep patients and care teams at the center of the healthcare experience. With a background in clinical pharmacy and broad leadership experience in major academic medical centers, she combines clinical expertise, organizational strategy, and operational discipline to drive safety, quality, and performance.

Before joining UCSF Health, she served as CEO of UVA Health University Medical Center and System COO of UVA Health, a $4.5 billion health system with over 17,000 team members and 1,200 faculty members in Charlottesville, Virginia. Over the course of five years, she led statewide expansion efforts through strategic partnerships and acquisitions that advanced patient access and care coordination. Under her leadership, the system doubled in size, improved integration across clinical and financial areas, and launched workforce initiatives, including an earn-while-you-learn program. She also championed community health programs, enhanced staff engagement through town halls and listening sessions, and reduced reliance on travel nurses by more than 75%. Her leadership fostered transparency, collaboration, and psychological safety within the organization.

Previously, she served as Chief Administrative Officer at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, part of a $4 billion academic health system. She improved faculty and student diversity, reduced physician recruitment time by 81%, implemented a $340 million compensation plan, and increased research funding by 28.4% to $269.4 million. Earlier, she spent 12 years at the University of Wisconsin, serving as Vice President of Operations, where she oversaw the completion of a new hospital and managed business and support services.

Recognized by Modern Healthcare as a 2023 Top Women Leader in Healthcare, Wendy Horton continues to lead with purpose, advancing healthcare access, safety, and innovation for patients and communities.