Nussbaum to step down; Howell to serve as interim

Dr. Julian J. Nussbaum, William S. Hagler Distinguished Chair of Ophthalmology in the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and clinical co-director of the James & Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, will resign his duties as CEO of Augusta University Medical Associates and executive vice president of clinical affairs for Augusta University Medical Center, effective April 25.

“Julian led us through a period of tremendous transition as we worked to align clinical operations under a single health system,” said Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD. “It’s now time that we allow him to fully return to his department and to his passion for patient care, teaching and research.”

Nussbaum will remain in his role as chair and director of the Culver Vision Discovery Institute, which he helped to found in 2008, to foster collaboration between clinical and research faculty. Under his leadership, the institute has become one of the country’s leading vision research programs in federal grant funding and philanthropic support.

“I am excited to return to my department and to our institute at a time of amazing achievements in the creation of new knowledge in vision science,” Nussbaum said. “Every day we are using that knowledge to create new hope for our patients suffering from potentially blinding vision disorders.”

Dr. Charles G. Howell, professor and chair emeritus, will serve as interim CEO of AU Medical Associates and EVP of clinical affairs until a replacement is named. Howell, who retired in July as surgeon-in-chief at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, has served the institution for more than 40 years.

“I thank Dr. Keel for his continuous personal support and for his support of our medical group,” Nussbaum added. “It has been a privilege and honor to have served as CEO of our academic group practice during a time of great change. I believe that our physician group is now well positioned to tackle the challenges facing academic medicine in the coming years.”