California Lutheran University Taps Pandemic Response Leader as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer

Laureen Hill, M.D., MBA, combined her business and medical acumen to lead the organizational critical care response for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital System during the COVID-19 pandemic. She brings these tested leadership skills to California Lutheran University as the chief strategy and growth officer. In the newly created position, Hill will lead the Enrollment Management, Marketing and University Advancement departments. She will also foster collaboration and help the university grow through student recruitment, business development and high-impact philanthropic fundraising.

“One of the most precious gems of California Lutheran University is our reputation,” John Nunes, president of Cal Lutheran, said. “It’s a gift bequeathed to us by our founders and by those who have stewarded this mission for decades. Dr. Hill’s remarkable, God-given gifts shine at the intersection of highbrow strategizing and everyday operations. This is as rare as it is necessary in this complex academic environment.”

In joining Cal Lutheran, Hill comes full circle as an alum and former member of the Board of Regents. In her role, she will be a senior advisor to Nunes and the Board of Regents and will spearhead services that promote student success, from admission to graduation. Hill will partner with the leadership team to build and strengthen meaningful partnerships with the alumni, business and donor communities, enhancing the university’s programs and offerings for students, faculty and staff.

“I am energized by this opportunity to lead the teams that will help the university grow and thrive as a distinctive place of learning and formation,” Hill said. “I know firsthand the impact of a Cal Lutheran education in preparing students for resilient and purposeful lives, and I believe that this mission is more relevant now than ever.”

As the group senior vice president and chief operating officer-Columbia division at NewYork-Presbyterian, she oversaw the operations of four hospitals with a budget of $4.5 billion. Hill launched initiatives that improved leadership, resources and processes to improve patient care, quality, services accessibility, workforce engagement and financial performance.

During her exemplary career, Hill also served as the chair of anesthesiology and chief of Anesthesia Services at Emory University School of Medicine/Emory Healthcare and taught at prestigious medical schools.

Hill received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis, and completed post-graduate training at Stanford University School of Medicine. In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Cal Lutheran, she holds an MBA from Washington University.

“With Dr. Hill’s leadership, I have expectations for us to coalesce our strengths in advancement and enrollment,” Nunes said. “I will look to her as we reinforce the best of our Lutheran identity, untangle our strategic challenges and transform our operations to reinvigorate the university’s growth trajectory.”