Program Leadership
Eric D. Hess, MBA, CPA
Program Director
Eric D. Hess, MBA, CPA, is the Chief Operating Officer for University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. Eric’s responsibilities include setting and executing the overall strategy and overseeing business and service operations for the service line, representing heart and vascular services at 18 affiliated hospitals and over 30 outpatient locations, over 1,300 employees, 300 providers, and 18 centers of excellence. Prior to coming to University Hospitals in 2017, Eric held executive leadership roles at Children’s Hospital of Michigan (Chief Operating Officer) and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (Vice President, Operations). Eric started his career at Deloitte, spending 5 years in the Accounting & Auditing division and the next 7 years in healthcare consulting. Eric has his undergraduate accounting degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and his MBA from Central Michigan University.
Jason Theadore
Preceptor
Jason Theadore is the Vice President of Radiology and Pathology for University Hospitals. Jason is responsible for executing strategic initiatives and operational results for both departments. His team of over 2,000 caregivers provides more than 15 million tests per year in a variety of healthcare settings. Prior to joining UH in 2021, Jason held various healthcare executive positions. Those responsibilities have included service line development, joint venture development, physician services, deal sourcing, negotiation, structuring and transitioning to operations, strategic planning, business development, ambulatory and acute care operations and mergers and acquisitions. Jason has also been responsible for the development of key strategic partnerships in those roles. Immediately prior to joining UH, Jason served as the Chief Executive Officer for a multi-state startup medical imaging company.
Jason received both his undergraduate and graduate degree from Grand Canyon University. He is a certified radiology administrator and has received the Fellow designation from the AHRA for his significant contributions to the industry and the association for medical imaging management. He is actively involved on the National Imaging Innovation Council and, locally, on the board of trustees for The City Mission.
George Ata, MBA, FACHE
Preceptor
George Ata, MBA, FACHE is the Vice President of Operations for University Hospitals. George’s primary responsibilities include leading the implementation of UH Systems of Care, a new clinical operations infrastructure that transforms our operating model from siloed departments to systems of care. This includes guiding the adaptation, evolution and development of supporting structures, processes and tools to deliver patient focused, coordinated, agile, and optimized care. In addition, George is also responsible for providing executive oversight of our physician practice operations for University Hospitals Physician Services, which includes over 2,000 employed providers ranging from community based primary care to academically oriented specialty care. George joined UH in 2006 and has served in various capacities within Finance, Physician Practice Management, Clinical Institutes, and the Department of Surgery. George received his MBA in Health Care Administration from Cleveland State University in 2006 and is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives. Outside of work, George enjoys spending time with his wife Natalie and two children Jimmy and Maya, as well as staying active with outdoor activities.