PHILADELPHIA – Regina Cunningham, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), effective in April.
“Regina’s ability to lead across many areas and her deep understanding of hospital operations, especially the role of nursing, were key factors in this appointment,” said University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) CEO Ralph W. Muller. “As we embark on greater integration of service lines across the hospitals and physician practices, and continuously focus on quality, we are confident that Regina’s thoughtful leadership, collaborative style, and expertise in administrative matters will serve the Health System well.”
Cunningham leaves her current position as Chief Nursing Executive of UPHS to assume the new role.
Cunningham began her tenure at Penn Medicine as associate chief nursing officer of Cancer Services at the Abramson Cancer Center in September 2011, a role followed two years later by time as chief administrative officer of the cancer service line in the ACC, before she assumed her current position later in 2013. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing since April 2012.
Prior to Penn, Cunningham held nursing leadership posts at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, where she served as both senior director of oncology and nursing research. Cunningham earned a bachelor of science in nursing from College of Mount Saint Vincent, a master of arts in nursing from New York University, and a doctorate in nursing from University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Yale University.
Following her numerous previous studies published in nursing and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journals, Cunningham is currently principal investigator of an NIH-funded multi-site study aimed at developing knowledge and skills to support implementation of clinical trials.
Cunningham was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in 2014, and is Board certified as in Advanced Nursing Administration Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Corporation. Cunningham is a member of the American Nurses Association, New Jersey State Nurses Association, and she was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Nurse Executive Fellow in 2006.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $9.9 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $546 million awarded in the 2021 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities include: the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center—which are recognized as one of the nation’s top “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report—Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; and Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is powered by a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 47,000 people. The organization also has alliances with top community health systems across both Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, creating more options for patients no matter where they live.
Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2021, Penn Medicine provided more than $619 million to benefit our community.