Andrew Agwunobi facts for kids

Andrew Chuma Agwunobi (born in 1965) is an American doctor and leader. He was the top leader (called CEO) for UConn Health from 2014 to 2022. He also became the temporary president of the University of Connecticut starting in May 2021. He was the first person of color to be UConn's president.

In January 2022, Andrew Agwunobi announced he would leave his roles at UConn. He decided to work for a company called Humana. His last day was February 20, 2022. Radenka Maric took over as the temporary president after him.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Agwunobi was born in Scotland in 1965. He grew up in both rural Scotland and Nigeria. His father, Titus Chukwuma Agwunobi, was a surgeon from the Igbo group in Nigeria. His mother, Veronica Marie Stuart Shaw, was a nurse from Scotland. They met when his father was studying medicine. Both of his parents came from wealthy families. However, their marriage led their parents to disown them.

Andrew Agwunobi trained to be a pediatrician, a doctor for children. He earned his medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Jos in 1989. He finished his special training (residency) at the Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.. Later, he earned a business degree (M.B.A.) from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2001.

Career Highlights

Andrew Agwunobi has held many important jobs in healthcare. He was the CEO of Grady Health System in Atlanta. He also led the Tenet South Fulton Hospital in East Point. He worked for the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. He was also the CEO of Providence Healthcare in Spokane. He has practiced medicine at places like Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.

Leading UConn Health

In November 2014, Agwunobi became the temporary CEO at UConn Health. He became the permanent CEO in 2015. In this role, he managed everything at UConn Health. This included the John Dempsey Hospital, medical and dental schools, and research. He also oversaw over 5,000 employees.

During his time, UConn Health's income grew for six years in a row. He also managed $800 million in new building projects. He put in a new system for electronic health records. He also hired more than 180 new teachers and doctors.

Interim President of UConn

The previous UConn president, Thomas C. Katsouleas, left his job. So, UConn's Board of Trustees chose Agwunobi as the temporary president. He officially started on July 1, 2021. However, he began his duties as president earlier, on May 19. He continued to be the CEO of UConn Health while serving as president.

Andrew Agwunobi has received awards for his work. In 2020, the Hartford Business Journal named him one of Hartford's "Power 25 in Healthcare." In 2007, Modern Healthcare called him one of the "50 Most Powerful Physician Executives" in the U.S. The Atlanta Business League named him CEO of the Year in 2005.

Personal Life

Andrew Agwunobi's older brother is John O. Agwunobi. He is also a pediatrician and healthcare leader. John O. Agwunobi is currently the CEO of Herbalife Nutrition. He used to work for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Andrew Agwunobi is married to Elizabeth Nega. She is a doctor from Ethiopia. They met when he was doing his medical training. They have two teenage daughters, Hannah and Rebekah. Andrew Agwunobi enjoys reading classic books, learning about archaeology, and writing.