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This edition of The CEO’s List recognizes several of our team members who have been highlighted on national and international stages for their vast expertise in clinical care, research, and as educators. We are privileged that UVA Health comprises incredibly talented individuals who have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of patients and advancing innovation and excellence in all that they do. Please join me in celebrating their successes.

With gratitude,
K. Craig Kent, MD
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health

Craig Thomas, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, ACNS-BC, CHFN

I am excited to share that Craig Thomas, a nurse practitioner at UVA Health, has become the president of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN), a specialty organization dedicated to advancing nursing education, clinical practice, and research to improve heart failure patient outcomes. Craig has been a heart failure nurse since 2001, working as a bedside nurse, nurse manager, and currently as both an acute care NP in the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Center and a clinical instructor in the UVA School of Nursing. He is also the supervisor of UVA Health’s cardiology home visit program, one of the first programs of its kind in the country. For the last 25 years at UVA Health, Craig has dedicated his expertise toward heart failure readmission reduction strategies, remote monitoring, and transitional care strategies. He is the perfect choice to lead the AAHFN. Thank you, Craig, for your commitment to lead nationally in setting the standards for heart failure nursing care! 

Debra Perina, MD, FACEP

UVA Health emeritus professor of emergency medicine Dr. Debra Perina has received a prestigious national award given to just one member of the American College of Emergency Physicians each year. The John G. Wiegenstein Leadership Award  is named for the ACEP’s founder and first president and is presented after a national review of a person’s career, commitment, impact, and leadership. After joining UVA Health as a founding faculty member of the Department of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Perina committed more than 26 years to serving the greater Charlottesville community, seeing over 100,000 patients in her clinical practice before achieving emeritus status in 2021. She was instrumental in the formation of our UVA Ground Transport Program, which extends critical care to the most ill and injured patients throughout Virginia. Dr. Perina is also a founding member of the modern EMS examination process used to board certify EMS physicians. Her impact on the field of medicine has been incredible!

Noreen Crain, MD
Joy Miller, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, CHPPN

I am pleased to share the latest success from UVA Health’s Pediatric Palliative Care team, which includes Dr. Noreen Crain, a pediatric critical care physician and the team’s medical director; Joy Miller, a pediatric nurse practitioner; and Maggie Koval, a registered nurse care coordinator. Dr. Crain and Joy are regional and national experts in palliative care for children and have built our program at UVA Health Children's to its current strength. I am proud to see their recent publication, “Palliative Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” included in the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Advanced Critical Care’s symposium issue. Their review includes educational case studies and highlights important ethical considerations and their impact on decision-making with children and their families. Providing care for our most medically fragile and complex children — many of whom struggle with life-limiting illnesses — is integral to UVA Health’s mission and values. I celebrate these incredible clinicians who have improved the lives of countless patients and now share their unique knowledge with colleagues across the world.

W. Gerald Teague, MD

I am excited to recognize Dr. Gerald Teague, a pediatric pulmonologist within the UVA School of Medicine, whose research into a previously unknown cause of wheezing in children has been highlighted in more than 100 national news outlets, including U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Teague led a research team that published findings in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showing that nearly a quarter of children and teens with severe wheezing have undetected lung infections. This news could be life-changing for children whose symptoms have previously been treated with steroids but should instead be treated with antivirals. Dr. Teague has devoted decades to caring for children with respiratory disorders and is particularly focused on identifying new treatments. His efforts truly exemplify our mission to transform health and inspire hope amongst our patients. Congratulations, Dr. Teague!

Alan Matsumoto, MD

Dr. Alan Matsumoto, a vascular and interventional radiologist, has recently received much-deserved national and international recognition for his career-long impact as a physician and educator. In April, Dr. Matsumoto was named chair of the American College of Radiology’s Board of Chancellors — a professional medical society that represents more than 40,000 physicians. As chair, he will have immense influence in leading the radiology profession into the future. Also, this year Dr. Matsumoto received the ATLAS award from the VIVA Foundation. Given annually to just one physician in the nation, ATLAS  stands for “A Teacher, Leader, And Scholar” and celebrates the career and impact of leaders in various vascular fields. As chair of the UVA Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging from 2009 to 2023, Dr. Matsumoto pioneered multiple novel, innovative, and minimally invasive image-guided procedures, many of which have been incorporated into practice across the country. We all admire Dr. Matsumoto’s amazing professional career!

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