Search Committee and Call for Nominations: Chair, Department of Surgery

Published May 27, 2026

Dear colleagues,

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is launching a national search for the next chair of the Department of Surgery. The department has gained significant momentum in recent years, expanding its research portfolio, advancing innovation in surgical outcomes, human factors, transplantation and artificial intelligence, and strengthening its surgical education programs.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Steven Schwaitzberg, MD, for his dedicated service and leadership as chair. We are also grateful to Jeffrey Brewer, MD, for his ongoing stewardship of the department as interim chair during this transition.

Consistent with our commitment to collaboration and regional impact, we have been purposeful in assembling a search committee that reflects the strength of our partnerships across the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and our affiliated health systems. The inclusion of leaders from our hospital partners will be critical to identifying a chair who can successfully lead across our integrated academic and clinical enterprise.

The search committee will be co-chaired by:

  • Gregory Cherr, MD – Professor of surgery; senior associate dean for graduate medical education
  • Beth A. Smith, MD ’00 – Professor and chair, Department of Psychiatry

Search Committee Members:

  • Timothy M. Adams, MD - Clinical assistant professor of Surgery at the Jacobs School; colorectal surgeon at UBMD Surgery, Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center
  • Ermelinda Bonaccio, MD, FACR – Clinical assistant professor of radiology, Jacobs School; director of breast imaging; chair, diagnostic and interventional radiology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Clarice A. Cooper, MD ’09 – clinical assistant professor of surgery; program director, general surgery residency, Jacobs School
  • Kelly Corbi, MBA – Executive vice president and chief operating officer, Kaleida Health
  • Samuel Cloud, DO – Assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine, Jacobs School; chief medical officer, Erie County Medical Center
  • Jason Davies, MD, PhD – Associate professor of neurosurgery and biomedical informatics
  • Julia B. Faller, DO – Assistant professor of anesthesiology; director, Anesthesiology Simulation Program, Jacobs School; chief medical officer, anesthesiology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Michael H. Farkas, PhD ’09 – Associate professor of ophthalmology, Jacobs School
  • Linda M. Harris, MD – Professor of surgery; program director, vascular surgery residency and fellowship, Jacobs School; chief of surgery, Kaleida Health
  • Peter C. Kim, MD – Professor of surgery, vice chair for research and innovation, Jacobs School
  • Alysia Kwiatkowski, DO – Assistant professor of medicine; assistant dean for medical curriculum, Jacobs School
  • Michael J. Mineo, MD ’04 – Clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine; Executive vice president and chief medical officer, Kaleida Health
  • Molly E. Moore, MD ’06 – Clinical assistant professor of surgery, Jacobs School; medical staff president, Kaleida Health
  • Jill Szczesek, PhD – Associate vice president, health sciences research administration and finance, Jacobs School
  • Jeffrey J. Visco, MD ’88 – Assistant professor of surgery, assistant program director for fellowship colon and rectal surgery, Jacobs School; site director of surgery, Kaleida Health

We are confident that this distinguished and multidisciplinary committee will help identify a visionary leader with a strong record of academic excellence, clinical leadership and a commitment to innovation and partnership.

The search will formally commence in June with support from WittKieffer, a nationally recognized executive search firm.

We invite nominations and expressions of interest. Please submit recommendations to Sarah Augustynek, JD, associate vice president and chief of staff to the vice president for health sciences and dean of Jacobs School, who will serve as the administrative contact for the search and coordinate materials with WittKieffer.

Thank you for your engagement and support in this important process as we shape the future of surgery at the Jacobs School and across our health system partners.

Warm regards,

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