Johns Hopkins University on Friday announced the appointment of Dr. Theodore L. DeWeese as CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and dean of Hopkins’ medical school.
DeWeese has been interim dean and CEO since 2022, when JHU president Ron Daniels and the JHM board of trustees appointed him following the retirement of Paul B. Rothman.
“As dean of the School of Medicine, DeWeese is responsible for leading a globally renowned center for research and academic medicine, with faculty, staff, learners, and trainees who are all poised to shape the future of health care globally,” reads the press release announcing the appointment. “As chief executive officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine, an institution that employs more than 40,000 people, DeWeese—in partnership with Kevin Sowers, executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine and president of the Johns Hopkins Health System—steers a world-acclaimed network of six hospitals, 39 outpatient primary health care sites, and multiple suburban health care and surgery centers across three states and the District of Columbia.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine has global reach that includes numerous hospital management, consulting, and clinical education services which operate in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
“I am honored and humbled to be entrusted with this role,” DeWeese said in a statement. “Every day, I am inspired by the talent, dedication, and heart demonstrated by members of the Johns Hopkins Medicine community. Each of us supports our mission in thousands of unique ways, and we are all united in a common goal: to advance health care and to change lives.”
JHM will continue to serve the health care needs of communities in the Baltimore area and across the world, DeWeese said.
“We are dedicated to improving health outcomes not only on a global scale but also bettering the lives of Hopkins’ neighbors in Baltimore and all the communities we are a part of,” he said. “We are intent on cultivating diverse perspectives and engaging those who have been underrepresented in medicine and science, so that we can achieve health equity for the most vulnerable populations. Johns Hopkins Medicine is a beacon globally, nationally, and locally for medical and biomedical discovery, outstanding patient care, and innovative medical education, and it is thrilling to be given the opportunity and responsibility of leading such a revered and impactful institution.”
DeWeese’s priorities include renewing and modernizing Johns Hopkins Medicine’s facilities to stay current with cutting-edge research and the educational needs of faculty, staff, and students. Central to that effort is an interdivisional ecosystem for basic biomedical research, called the Life Sciences Corridor.
“This new effort is complementary to the ongoing development of a 12-story research tower at the site of the former Johns Hopkins Hospital Children’s Medical and Surgical Center, which will house the Health Sciences, including basic science, translation, and computational biology labs. The first wing of the new Health Sciences Building is slated to open in 2024,” reads the press release.
“Ted embodies the ideal of a servant leader,” said Daniels, the university’s president. “For nearly thirty years, from his residency onward, Ted has served Johns Hopkins with high standards, bold vision, deep understanding of medicine, a joy in discovery, and a palpable love of this place and the exceptional people who make this institution. He is as capable of navigating difficult business challenges as he is pursuing pathbreaking research and caring for patients, their families, and his colleagues. He brings an unwavering belief in the transformative power of Johns Hopkins Medicine to all he does. We could not ask for a better leader for Johns Hopkins Medicine at this moment, and I am thrilled that someone of Ted’s profound excellence and decency will be shaping the future as dean/CEO.”
“Ted has the experience needed for the scale and complexity of this job. No one else has his breadth,” said Mayo Shattuck, chair of the Johns Hopkins Medicine board of trustees. “He knows that the academic medical center model needs a paradigm shift, as does health care more globally. From evolving Johns Hopkins Medicine to cross disciplinary boundaries and to find new methods of collaborative work, to driving AI adoption and improving and advancing patient care, Ted has a vision for the future of the institution—and of medicine—that is unparalleled.”
Johns Hopkins University Provost Ray Jayawardhana co-led the search for the next dean of the School of Medicine and CEO of JHM. He described DeWeese as “by the far the strongest candidate all around.”
“In addition to his tremendous institutional knowledge and a deep commitment to seeing the essential transformation through to success, Ted combines savvy implementation with a willingness to pursue bold moves to sustain Johns Hopkins Medicine’s preeminence,” Jayawardhana said in a statement.
DeWeese grew up in public housing in Denver, and never expected to go to college, let alone lead an academic institution of the caliber of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “It was certainly against all odds, but that’s part of the magic of this place,” DeWeese said. “Johns Hopkins inspires us to contribute more than we dreamed possible.”
Reflecting his desire to focus on community-forward leadership, DeWeese will conduct a listening tour in the coming months to develop multiyear strategic priorities in collaboration with the faculty, staff, students, patients, and members of the communities served by Johns Hopkins Medicine, in Baltimore and beyond.
“What sets Johns Hopkins Medicine apart is our people: We are a global community of researchers, clinicians, staff, and students dedicated to providing exceptional care and pushing the boundaries of science and medicine,” DeWeese said. “It is my honor to help sustain and grow Johns Hopkins as a leading voice for human health. And I am thoroughly confident we will achieve that goal.”
