MIDDLEBURY — A seasoned health care provider and hospital administrator currently working at a medical center in St. Johnsbury has been hired to lead hospital and supporting medical services in Middlebury.
The UVM Health Network/Porter Medical Center on Tuesday morning announced that Seleem Choudhury will be its new president and chief operating officer as of June 1. Dr. Choudhury will follow Dr. Fred Kniffin, who has led Porter since March of 2016. Dr. Kniffin will return to practice in the Porter Emergency Department where he has served Porter since 1990. As Porter’s president for three years, Kniffin led the organization through the process of becoming an affiliate of the UVM Health Network in April of 2017.
Over three decades in health care Choudhury has earned a number of professional degrees, including DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice), MBA (Master of Business Administration), RN (Registered Nurse), CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) and FAEN (Fellow, Academy of Emergency Nursing).
“After an exhaustive search and reviewing many qualified candidates, we are very pleased to be welcoming Seleem to our Porter community and we are confident that he will build upon the incredible reputation that our organization has in providing essential health care services to the people of our region since 1925,” said Porter board chair Sivan Cotel through a press release. “We also are looking forward to honoring Dr. Fred Kniffin with a gathering of staff, providers and community members at the end of May to thank him for leading Porter through both challenging and extremely exciting times over the past three years.”
Choudhury, who began his career as nurse with the National Health Service in England, holds a DNP from the University of Vermont and an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix. His 30-year career in health care includes clinical and administrative roles in various organizations including Ronald Regan Memorial Hospital (UCLA), University of Virginia Medical Center, Parker Adventist Hospital (Colorado), Denver Medical Center and currently at St. Johnsbury’s Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital as its vice president for Professional Services. He also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Vermont teaching both nursing and non-nursing students leadership, management theory and management of complex organizations and other health care related topics.
“I am truly honored to have been selected to lead the UVM Health Network/Porter Medical Center and I am very much looking forward to getting to know the staff, providers and community in the months and years ahead, as well as to work with a strong team of senior leaders and managers to advance the mission of Porter and the UVM Health Network,” Choudhury said. “My family and I could not be more excited to be joining this wonderful community.”
John Brumsted, MD, president and CEO of UVMHN, welcomed Choudhury to Porter.
“Dr. Choudhury’s deep experience in health care, knowledge of Vermont and UVM, and commitment to community partnerships makes him a perfect fit to help propel the Network’s and the state’s progress in transforming our health care system to one that focuses on addressing all of the barriers to better health that our patients may encounter, instead of just treating illness,” he said. “I’m delighted to welcome him to the network’s leadership team and I know he will be a worthy successor to Fred Kniffin who has been an incredibly dedicated and effective partner in achieving our mission of working together to improve people’s lives.”
Kniffin, too, said he is looking forward to welcoming Choudhury to the Porter community.
“This is a special place with talented, dedicated and compassionate employees and providers and a community that cares deeply about Porter,” he said. “I know that everyone associated with Porter is going to work hard to support our new leader and to help welcome him and his family to our organization.”
Choudhury has earned many awards during his career including the Emergency Nurses Associate Leadership Award in 2015 and 2017, Denver Health Leader of the Year in 2013 and the Centura Health Leader Award in 2009. He is certified both as an emergency nurse and a Fellow of the Academy of Emergency Nursing. Outside of work, he has been involved in many civic organizations as a volunteer leader and enjoys working as a U.S. Soccer Federation referee in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.