Wendy Horton

Senior Vice President and President of Adult Services at UCSF Health

Wendy Horton, MBA, PharmD, FACHE, is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with extensive experience across leading academic medical centers. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and President of Adult Services at UCSF Health, one of the nation's top 10 hospitals. Throughout her career, she has focused on advancing operational excellence, driving strategic growth, and delivering patient-centered care, while maintaining a deep commitment to improving community health.

A strong advocate for healthcare quality and innovation, she is dedicated to improving systems, streamlining care delivery, and using technology to enhance both patient outcomes and team efficiency.

Her distinctive combination of clinical pharmacy expertise and leadership at high-performing healthcare institutions has produced measurable results in safety, access, and performance, establishing her as one of the most respected leaders in the healthcare field.

Professional Career

UVA Health

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. During her five-year tenure, she played a central role in statewide expansion by establishing strategic partnerships and acquisitions, including UVA Community Health, Riverside Health System, the Virginia Congenital Cardiac Consortium, and the Sentara Martha Jefferson stroke partnership. She also advanced pediatric behavioral health initiatives and enhanced systemwide integration across clinical, operational, and financial functions to create a unified and sustainable model of care.

Under her leadership, UVA Health doubled in size, expanding access and impact across Virginia. She implemented innovative workforce development programs, including an "earn-while-you-learn" initiative, and supported population health and care coordination strategies to improve outcomes and address the social determinants of health.

Wendy also championed a strong culture of safety and transparency. By promoting adequate staffing, leadership visibility, and open communication, she fostered an environment of trust and engagement. She introduced bi-directional communication platforms, including Be Heard Breakfasts, Ask Me Anything sessions, listening forums, town halls, weekly blogs, and clinical rounds. She established the Center for Advanced Practice, providing a professional home for more than 700 Advanced Practice Providers to enhance patient access and professional development. Her efforts reduced the organization’s reliance on travel nurses by more than 75%.

The Ohio State University

Wendy served for three years as Chief Administrative Officer at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, part of a $4 billion academic health system comprising seven hospitals and 20 research institutes. She led the onboarding of 13 department chairs and 16 division leaders, enhanced faculty engagement, and improved organizational culture. She also promoted diversity among faculty and students and improved recruitment efficiency by reducing physician hiring time from 76 days to fewer than 14 days, an 81% improvement.

Wendy developed and implemented a $340 million physician compensation plan impacting 1,200 physicians across 18 departments. Within her first 90 days, she modernized administrative operations, directed capital planning for two campus buildings, and increased research funding to $269.4 million—a 28.4% growth. She also helped secure the $65.9 million HEALing Communities Grant, the largest in the university’s history.

University of Wisconsin

Wendy spent 12 years at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, serving the final three years as Vice President of Operations. In this role, she combined her clinical and operational expertise to oversee the completion and commissioning of a new hospital. She managed professional, hospitality, business development, and support services while ensuring consistent operational alignment and organizational excellence.

Accomplishments

Her leadership has been recognized nationally for driving excellence in healthcare. In 2023, she was named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top Women Leaders in Healthcare. Under her direction, UVA Health was repeatedly ranked the #1 hospital in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek, maintaining this position through the pandemic and other significant challenges.

The organization was also recognized by Forbes in 2025 as one of America’s Best Employers for Women and received the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Her work led to consistent “A” safety ratings across all UVA Health Medical Centers and earned the highest national trauma care award. The organization also received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest distinction in nursing excellence, achieved by only 9% of U.S. hospitals.

Wendy was featured in the article “How 2 Pharmacy Leaders Became Hospital CEOs,” highlighting her professional journey from pharmacy to executive leadership. She also received recognition for her innovative “Earn While You Learn” workforce program and her contributions to pharmacy leadership and advancement.

Board Positions and Memberships

She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Vizient AMC CEO Executive Advisory Council, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Foundation.

Education

Wendy holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Utah, and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from Oregon State University. She is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), and a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. She maintains active pharmacist licenses in Wisconsin and Utah.

Wendy Horton continues to lead with purpose and vision, advancing healthcare through operational excellence, strategic innovation, and an unwavering commitment to patients, care teams, and the communities she serves.