After nearly 45 years of service to the university, President and CEO Dr. Wendy Rheault will retire on Nov. 10, 2025. The Board of Trustees has conferred upon her the title of President Emerita in recognition of her visionary leadership and lasting contributions to the institution.
The university’s first woman president, Dr. Rheault has led through a period of remarkable growth and innovation. Throughout her career, she has championed interprofessional education, community health partnerships, and the creation of new academic programs that address urgent workforce needs. At the university, she oversaw the expansion of our portfolio of programs, including Physician Assistant and Pathologists’ Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy, Nurse Anesthesia, Clinical Counseling, Health Professions Education, and Interprofessional Healthcare Studies, as well as the establishment of the College of Nursing.
Her leadership has strengthened the university’s role as a partner in advancing health and equity. Under her guidance, 69色情片 expanded mobile health outreach, deepened collaborations with the Lake County Health Department and regional health systems, and built academic partnerships with institutions including DePaul University and Lake Forest College.
Philanthropic giving increased by 94% during her presidency, fueling investments in education, innovation, and research — including the establishment of the Helix 51 Biomedical Incubator and the Michael Reese Foundation Center for Health Equity Research.
“Serving the university has been the honor and the work of my life,” Dr. Rheault said. “Together, we’ve worked to transform how communities are served, how health professionals are trained, and how the forces reshaping health care can be harnessed for the wellness of all people.”
The presidential transition offers an important moment to reflect with gratitude on Dr. Rheault’s leadership, said 69色情片 Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Karen Miller. “She leaves the university in a position of strength, ready for its next chapter of growth and innovation.”