Since 2021, Melina Kibbe, MD, has been the Dean of the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine, the James Carroll Flippin Professor of Medical Science, and the Chief Health Affairs Officer at UVA Health. In these roles, Dr. Kibbe has been dedicated to advancing medical education, research, and patient care. She has focused on fostering collaboration and innovation, ensuring UVA remains a leader in medical research while providing world-class education to students and healthcare professionals.

In addition to her leadership at UVA, Dr. Kibbe is the Editor-in-Chief of JAMA Surgery, a highly influential surgical journal. Under her direction, JAMA Surgery has continued to thrive and maintain its position as one of the leading publications in the surgical field. Her substantial contributions to medicine were recognized when she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in healthcare. Dr. Kibbe has also earned 24 awards for teaching excellence, reflecting her strong commitment to medical education and mentoring the next generation of doctors.

Dr. Kibbe is also the co-founder of VesselTek BioMedical, LLC, a company focused on developing medical devices to treat vascular diseases. While no longer practices clinically, she leads a research lab on developing drug-eluting therapies for vascular conditions. Her research has been continuously funded by several prominent external organizations, underscoring her impact on advancing treatments for vascular diseases.

As Dean of the UVA School of Medicine, Dr. Kibbe has overseen impressive growth in faculty and funding. Under her leadership, the school has increased its research funding to $274 million and expanded its endowment to $1.7 billion. She has also helped recruit 550 new faculty members, which has enhanced the institution's clinical services and research capabilities. These efforts have contributed to improving patient care while strengthening UVA's overall reputation as a medical education and healthcare leader.

Before joining UVA, Dr. Kibbe served as Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of North Carolina (UNC), where she became the first woman to hold the position. At UNC, she successfully expanded research funding and residency programs. Before her work at UNC, Dr. Kibbe was on faculty at Northwestern University, receiving numerous honors, including the Tripartite Legacy Faculty Prize for excellence in research, teaching, and leadership.

Dr. Kibbe’s ongoing research focuses on vascular diseases, particularly drug-eluting therapies. She continues to be a leading figure in the field, with funding from the National Institutes of Health and other major organizations. Her work has a lasting impact on surgery and vascular medicine, shaping the future of medical research and patient care.