Currall named UTSW’s first Vice President for Global Advancement

Dr. Cheyenne Currall
Dr. Cheyenne Currall

Dr. Cheyenne Currall believes UT Southwestern is a research giant with near-unlimited growth potential. Now, it’s her job to introduce the Medical Center to giants in potential resources – international markets.

“UT Southwestern is truly a world-class institution. It has every element needed to be a distinguished leader in health care and biomedical innovation,” said Dr. Currall, who joined UT Southwestern on Sept. 11 as Vice President and Executive Advisor for Global Advancement, a new position.

 With more than 30 years of global experience, she will focus on building UT Southwestern’s visibility and attracting international donors, investors, and strategic collaborators. The key to success, Dr. Currall said, is to build worldwide recognition, combined with compelling narratives and backed up by enthusiastic networks of internal and global supporters.

Her goal is to develop a comprehensive international philanthropy program and to position UT Southwestern as a foremost destination for global health services, medical research, and innovation, especially among strategic world partners. She reports to Dr. Marc A. Nivet, Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

“Dr. Currall will work closely with the President’s Office and with the Institutional Advancement leadership team to identify partnership opportunities with health, educational, research, and philanthropic organizations globally, with the goal of advancing UT Southwestern’s mission,” said Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, President of UT Southwestern. “She will create business strategies to attract domestic and international philanthropy, investment, and other funding resources.”

“With Nobel Laureates as faculty members, industry-leading medical research, and fantastic health care services, we have much to offer to the research and clinical communities. UT Southwestern’s vision and accomplishments will get people around the world excited,” Dr. Currall said.

Dr. Currall has worked as CEO for University College London (UCL) International Medical Services; Executive Director of International Patients Services and Business Development at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston; and Executive Director of International Business Development at UC Davis Health System. She also served as an executive recruiter for life sciences and health care industries at Heidrick & Struggles, a top global executive search firm.

Among her other accomplishments, she recently served as President of Cognoscere, a cross-border mergers and acquisition (M&A) advisory group; helped co‐found the cross‐border M&A integration practice at Arthur Andersen, a global consulting firm; and served as a corporate psychologist at YSC in London, providing psychological profiling and coaching to top executives across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

At UC Davis, Dr. Currall helped establish a large international donor pipeline, increased the university’s visibility in target markets, mobilized local alumni, and developed strategic relationships with constituencies in various countries. These efforts led to UC Davis’ leadership role in a billion-dollar research grant. Dr. Currall envisions similar avenues and opportunities for UT Southwestern.

Dr. Currall holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Science degree from Cornell University in global business strategy and organizational behaviors and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and foreign literature from Liaoning University in China. She is certified by Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government as an international business conflict mediator. She is married to Dr. Steven C. Currall, who has been the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Southern Methodist University since 2016.

“When we moved to Dallas, I was looking for an institution that inspires me and can leverage all my international experience and skills. UT Southwestern indeed is such an institution. I feel extremely privileged to be part of this truly amazing medical center,” she said.

Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science.