Leadership Transition in Surgery at the Jacobs School

Dear friends and colleagues,

Steven D. Schwaitzberg, MD, who has led the Department of Surgery for more than a decade, will be stepping down from his role as chair effective June 20, 2026. His many years of leadership and service to the department and to our clinical partners are deeply appreciated.

During his tenure, Dr. Schwaitzberg strengthened our work across Western New York through his leadership in surgical program initiatives at Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center. He also stepped into interim leadership roles in the Departments of Urology, Neurology and Otolaryngology when needed, providing stability and continuity during essential moments. His steadfast support of our students, residents, faculty, and clinical partners has had a meaningful and lasting impact.

A SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and recipient of both the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service and the Buffalo Business First Excellence in Health Care Award, Dr. Schwaitzberg has consistently championed our missions in education, clinical care, and diversity in medicine.

His expertise in minimally invasive surgery, coupled with his engagement in national professional organizations, has advanced our efforts to deliver high-quality, contemporary surgical training for our learners.

Dr. Schwaitzberg joined UB in 2015 after serving as a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and as chief of surgery at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he led the surgical service from 2005 to 2015. He has also held senior surgical leadership roles at Tufts Medical Center, served on an FDA advisory panel, and served in the United States Army as chief of surgery for the 365th Evacuation Hospital during Operation Desert Storm.

A national leader in surgery, Dr. Schwaitzberg has served as a governor of the American College of Surgeons, an examiner for the American Board of Surgery, and president of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. In 2020, he was inducted into the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. His scholarship has focused on human factors in surgery, digital technology, and improving patient outcomes through enhanced surgical skills and clinical innovation.

Throughout his years as chair at the Jacobs School, Dr. Schwaitzberg worked closely with faculty and staff to strengthen community engagement. Initiatives such as the Beyond the Knife endowed lecture reflect a shared commitment to broadening access and advancing inclusion—efforts that will continue to shape both the Department of Surgery and the Jacobs School well into the future. Over the past decade, the department has also built a strong research legacy, with particular strengths in surgical outcomes, human factors, clinical transplantation and artificial intelligence.

As the department enters this transition in June, Jeffrey J. Brewer, MD, has agreed to serve as interim chair of the Department of Surgery while longer-term leadership is determined. A clinical associate professor of surgery and vice chair in the department, Dr. Brewer brings broad experience in education, clinical operations, and surgical training. He currently serves as chief of service for the Department of Surgery at Erie County Medical Center and has expertise in trauma, laparoscopic, and general surgery.

Dr. Brewer has been a valued member of our faculty for 17 years, contributing significantly to clinical operations across multiple sites. His deep familiarity with our programs and clinical teams positions him well to provide stability and continuity during this transition. I am confident he will lead the department with steadiness and dedication.

To support ongoing clinical operations during this transition, Linda M. Harris, MD, program director of vascular surgery and professor of surgery in the Jacobs School, will serve as chief of service for Kaleida Health.

Please join me in expressing our sincere appreciation to Dr. Schwaitzberg for his leadership and in supporting Dr. Brewer and Dr. Harris as they assume their new roles.

Sincerely, 

Allison Brashear, MD, MBA
Dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Vice President for Health Sciences
President and CEO, UBMD Physicians' Group