UChicago Medicine names Gina Cronin as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

The University of Chicago Medicine has named Gina M. Cronin, MHA, FACHE, as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective October 19, 2026.

Cronin will lead enterprise-wide human resources operations and strategy across the South Side-based academic health system. Her leadership will support UChicago Medicine’s continued growth across the Chicago region and Northwest Indiana and its clinical, research and educational missions.

“Gina brings a rare combination of enterprise human resources expertise and decades of frontline health system operational experience,” said Tom Jackiewicz, President of the University of Chicago Health System, which operates as UChicago Medicine. “She understands firsthand what it takes to build high-performing teams, develop talent and support clinicians and staff in complex healthcare environments. Her experience will be invaluable as UChicago Medicine continues to grow and evolve.”

Cronin joins UChicago Medicine from Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she serves as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, overseeing HR functions supporting the organization's clinical, research and academic areas.

Prior to Children's National, Cronin built much of her career at Cleveland Clinic, where she held senior operational leadership roles for more than two decades before becoming Chief Talent Officer. In that role, she led talent strategies supporting a health system that grew to 80,000 caregivers across a global enterprise. Her operational experience included leadership within the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, giving her a firsthand understanding of clinical operations before transitioning to enterprise HR leadership.

Cronin joins UChicago Medicine at a pivotal period of growth and transformation. The health system is expanding access to care across the region while making significant investments in its clinical infrastructure, including the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, a 575,000-square-foot facility dedicated to cancer care and research that is scheduled to open in April 2027. The freestanding building will bring together advanced cancer care, clinical research and innovative technologies while expanding access to specialized services on Chicago’s South Side.

“An organization’s ability to deliver world-class care and pioneering research relies on the strength, well-being and engagement of its people,” said Cronin. “I am honored to join UChicago Medicine at such an important time and look forward to partnering with leaders, faculty and staff across the health system to support our workforce and advance our shared mission.”

Beyond her extensive HR and operational experience, Cronin is committed to developing the next generation of healthcare leaders through mentorship, career development and experiential learning. Her combination of enterprise HR expertise, frontline clinical operations experience and commitment to developing people will help UChicago Medicine build a high-performing, resilient workforce as the organization enters its next era of growth and regional impact.

Cronin earned her Master of Health Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).