Julia Puchtler named executive vice president and chief financial officer of UPHS
The financial leader will continue guiding Penn Medicine’s long-term strategy and investments across patient care, research, and education.
Julia Puchtler has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS). Puchtler, who has served as chief financial officer of UPHS since 2024, will continue leading the health system’s financial strategy and operations while taking on an expanded role helping to shape Penn Medicine’s long-term direction and enterprise priorities.
“Julia has been an exceptional leader and trusted advisor during a period of extraordinary change and complexity across health care,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, chief executive officer of UPHS. “Her strategic vision, sound judgment, and deep commitment to our mission have strengthened Penn Medicine's position and helped ensure that we can continue investing in our people and the patient care, research, and education that define our organization.”
“Julia Puchtler’s leadership has helped strengthen Penn Medicine’s ability to advance our integrated missions of patient care, research, and education,” said Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine. “She combines exceptional financial expertise with a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing academic medicine. Her leadership has been instrumental in ensuring that Penn Medicine can continue making strategic investments that support both the clinical enterprise and our research and education missions.”
A growing leadership impact
Puchtler provides executive leadership for the revenue cycle, corporate finance, financial operations and budgeting, billing compliance, and supply chain and procurement functions across UPHS. Her stewardship has helped support Penn Medicine’s steady growth and financial strength amid evolving market dynamics, regulatory pressures, and industry-wide financial headwinds.
Earlier this year, Moody’s Ratings and S&P Global Ratings reaffirmed UPHS’s top-tier credit ratings with stable outlooks, recognizing Penn Medicine’s market leadership, strong reputation, broad patient reach, and enduring financial strength. The ratings reflect the work of teams across Penn Medicine, supported by Puchtler’s leadership and the expertise of the health system’s finance organization.
“It is a privilege to work alongside colleagues who are deeply committed to Penn Medicine’s mission and the communities we serve,” Puchtler said. “I look forward to continuing our work to steward our resources responsibly, navigate the challenges ahead, and create the financial foundation that allows our teams to advance care, discovery, and education.”
Puchtler has spent a career specializing in and focused on healthcare finance. She joined Penn Medicine in 2015 as vice president for financial operations and budgeting and was named chief financial officer of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in 2019, In that role, she oversaw the financial management for the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Penn Medicine Radnor, Penn Medicine Valley Forge, and the Interventional Support Center. She played key roles in planning for the Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs, including leading revenue and expense plans for its inpatient, procedural, and emergency department expansions.
Before joining Penn Medicine, Puchtler held senior financial positions at Trinity Health and Catholic Health East. She began her career at Ernst & Young in health care assurance and advisory business services. A certified public accountant, she earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in accountancy from the University of Virginia.
Media contact
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