After a national search, Kathleen (Kathy) McCollum has been named president and CEO of the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UM BWMC), effective April 5. She replaces Dr. Neel Vibhakar, served as UM BWMC’s interim president and CEO following the retirement of Karen Olscamp in January, while continuing his duties as chief medical officer.
Being named to her new position is the culmination of McCollum’s long career with the organization. She joined the University of Maryland Medical System in 1992 as an administrative resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center and transitioned to UM BWMC in 2001 as vice president and executive director of the Tate Cancer Center, an affiliate of the UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.
She was promoted in 2013 to chief operating officer and senior vice president for clinical integration, with oversight for operations, nursing, local human resources and strategic planning.
A resident of Anne Arundel County, McCollum is active in the community, having served on boards or volunteered for several community organizations, including Hospice of the Chesapeake, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. and Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
Some of McCollum’s major achievements include the opening of the Pascal Women’s Center in 2009 and significant surgical suite expansions. Her leadership was instrumental in the vision, planning and creation of UM BWMC new five-story medical office building, scheduled to open in late 2021, that will house a community wellness center and expanded outpatient practices for diabetes, vascular, neurosciences and orthopaedics.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kathy served as hospital incident commander, providing leadership as UM BWMC treated a disproportionate share of COVID-19 patients within UMMS, while expanding COVID-19 vaccinations to thousands of community members over the past two months.
McCollum holds a bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Health Science degree in Health Finance and Management from The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.