University of Chicago names radiology chair, plus more leadership moves from Cleerly, ASTRO
The University of Chicago on Monday announced the appointment of Steven Montner, MD, as its new radiology chair, one of several recent leadership changes in the imaging industry.
Montner officially took over the title on June 1 after serving as interim chair since October 2023. Before that, he was executive vice chairman for clinical operations in the department, overseeing a team of senior administrators managing daily operations and physician staffing.
“As chair, Montner plans to continue expanding imaging services both in [Chicago’s] Hyde Park [neighborhood] and at facilities throughout the health system,” UChicago said in an announcement uploaded to news wire services on June 30. “This will include an emphasis on breast and lung cancer screening to support the growth of the new AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion and cancer service line, targeting more efficient use to help reduce hospital costs and increase access to imaging services for more patients.”
The thoracic imaging expert first joined UChicago in 1988 and has helped author over 45 peer-reviewed articles while giving numerous presentations internationally. Dr. Montner also is active with the Radiological Society of North America and Society of Thoracic Imaging, serving on committees related to radiology education and physician well-being.
The radiologist filled the role while UChicago conducted a national search for a new department chair, the school said two years ago. He succeeded Aytekin Oto, MD, who announced he was stepping down in August 2023 to take on an expanded leadership role in the university’s Biological Sciences Division.
Cleerly leadership updates
Cleerly, an imaging artificial intelligence vendor focused on cardiovascular disease, announced two key leadership updates on Tuesday.
The Denver-based company is promoting Udo Hoffmann, MD, MPH, to chief medical, science and AI officer. He first joined Cleerly in 2022 as chief scientific officer and now will also oversee the vendor’s affairs relating to medicine, lab work, data science and AI, regulations and quality.
Before joining the company, Dr. Hoffmann was a professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and chief of the division of cardiovascular imaging at Massachusetts General.
Meanwhile, Cleerly also is promoting Amit Relia to chief regulatory officer. He joined the company in 2024 as VP of regulatory affairs and quality assurance and before that oversaw policy concerns at iRhythm Technologies.
"Both Udo and Amit have been instrumental to our success and will drive our next phase of growth," CEO Jim Min, MD, who founded the company in 2017, said in a statement July 1.
ASTRO adds exec
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) on June 18 named Karen Davis as its first VP of business development and marketing.
In the new role, she will lead ASTRO’s business growth strategy while cultivating partnership both in the public and private sectors. Her goal will be to help broaden the society’s impact on cancer care and strengthen its “portfolio of collaborative initiatives.”
Davis brings 30-plus years of leadership experience to the role, most recently as chief development and external affairs officer for the National Council on Aging.
“Karen’s proven record of building high-impact partnerships and mobilizing resources for mission-driven organizations will help ASTRO accelerate initiatives that improve care for patients with cancer worldwide,” ASTRO CEO Vivek S. Kavadi, MD, MBA, said in a statement. “Her appointment also marks a strategic step for the society, as we expand our executive leadership and invest in new capabilities to position ASTRO for sustainable long-term growth.”
Other announcements
A few more announcements of note, in brief:
- The Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons on June 25 named Jasnit Makkar, MD, as its chief of emergency radiology.
- Imaging artificial intelligence vendor Rad AI on June 2 named Demetri Giannikopoulos as its chief growth officer.
- Harrison.ai, another radiology artificial intelligence firm, in May selected Josh Duncan as its chief growth officer, Americas.
- Lane Regional Medical Center, Zachary, Louisiana, in June named David Broussard its new director of diagnostic services after he spent 26 years overseeing the hospital’s labs.
- The American College of Radiology in late May announced its 2025 Hillman Fellows in Scholarly Publishing.
- Modern Healthcare magazine recently recognized Radiology Partners CMO Krishna Nallamshetty, MD, as one of the “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives.”
- And finally, AHRA in May announced its 2025-2026 Board of Directors, including President-Elect Cindy Winter, who is director of radiology and patient transportation for JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.