UChicago Medicine names Kimyatta Washington Chief Operating Officer of AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion

UChicago Medicine has appointed Kimyatta Washington as Chief Operating Officer of the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, expanding her leadership responsibilities as the health system prepares to open the 575,000-square-foot facility in April 2027.

Washington will continue to serve as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Cancer Services. Following the pavilion’s opening, she will assume the broader role of Chief Operating Officer of the Hyde Park medical campus, where she will have operational responsibility for the campus while continuing to oversee cancer services and the cancer pavilion.

The pavilion will be the largest freestanding cancer hospital in Illinois and the first of its kind in Chicago. The facility will bring comprehensive cancer care and access to clinical trials together under one roof, expanding UChicago Medicine’s capacity to care for cancer patients and advance oncology.

“Opening a facility of this scale, while continuing to grow and strengthen our cancer services, requires a leader who understands both the power of academic medicine and the operational demands of bringing a major new facility online,” said Krista Curell, JD, RN, President of the University of Chicago Medical Center and System Chief Operating Officer of the University of Chicago Medicine health system.

“Kimyatta’s leadership will be critical as we prepare the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion to welcome its first patients and expand access to world-class cancer care for patients across our community, Chicago and the region.”

In her expanded role, Washington will lead the Pavilion’s activation and operations while continuing to oversee oncology operations across the health system. Her responsibilities include patient access, clinical programs, network development, business development and operational planning. She will work with senior leadership, physicians, facilities and other partners to establish the Pavilion’s operating model and governance structure.

Washington joined UChicago Medicine in 2024 as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Cancer Services. During her tenure, she has helped advance the oncology service line, expand the regional cancer network, strengthen UChicago Medicine’s clinical partnership with AdventHealth and prepare for the opening of the cancer pavilion.

“I see the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion as an opportunity to bring together the full continuum of cancer care with the research and clinical trials that can change what is possible for our patients and community,” Washington said. “Our focus now is on building the operational foundation that will allow our teams to work seamlessly across disciplines and deliver an exceptional experience for patients and their families from the moment they enter our system.”

Before joining UChicago Medicine, Washington held leadership roles at RWJBarnabas Health/Rutgers Cancer Institute, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Duke University Health System. Her experience includes leading oncology programs within complex academic medical centers, as well as facility activation and operational planning.