U.Va. Medical Center, UVA Health hire new execs

University of Virginia Medical Center has appointed Min Y. Lee as its next chief operations officer.

Lee, who is vice president of operations at Reading Hospital in Reading, Pennsylvania, will oversee the Charlottesville-based medical center’s day-to-day operations. Her first day will be June 27, according to a news release.

Lee succeeds Wendy Horton, who joined the medical center as COO in April 2020 and was promoted to CEO in November of that year. A search committee was involved in the COO hiring process, said U.Va. spokesperson Eric Swenson.

Lee’s current role involves oversight of Reading Hospital’s cancer services, imaging, laboratory and pharmacy services, as well as emergency management and security, clinical engineering, transport and construction management. She previously served as vice president of operations for Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare at Emory University Hospital Midtown, an academic medical center.

“Min is a strong, engaged leader with a tremendous background as a health care leader,”  Horton said in a statement. “Her knowledge and skills make her an ideal fit to serve as the medical center’s next chief operations officer, and I’m excited to have her join our team.”

Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia and master’s degrees in business administration and health care administration from Georgia State University. She is also certified in health care operations leadership and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

“I am honored to join the UVA Health team during such a pivotal time in our industry,” she said. “I appreciate the magnitude of this role and responsibility, and I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and working alongside UVA Health’s extraordinary team members in service of our community and those who entrust us with their health.”

In addition to Lee’s hire, Ross Snare, who has served as chief operating officer of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, is joining UVA Health as its associate chief external affairs officer as of May 31.

UVA Health encompasses the Charlottesville-based medical center, which includes a cancer center and level 1 trauma center, as well as the university’s nursing and medical schools and an integrated network of primary and specialty care clinics throughout the state.

Snare joined the chamber, which has 1,200 members, as director of government affairs in 2018. His work included advocating for incentive packages for semiconductor manufacturer Micron and e-tailer Amazon during the 2019 General Assembly session as well as an effort to pass a $355 million county infrastructure package, which included $200 million for the Route 28 Bypass near Manassas.

Snare, who previously also worked for Prince William County government, said he’s most proud of the work he did for the chamber to become an information hub during the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of the business community. That included consolidating and sharing news about grants and loans, unemployment benefits and more.

“Probably my biggest accomplishment, or the thing that I’m the most proud of, is working to make sure that our business has stayed afloat through – I hate to use the word unprecedented times – but through an unprecedented time,” Snare told Virginia Business.