LSU Announces Dr. Steve Nelson as Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans

Mar 7

NEW ORLEANS - Dr. Steve Nelson will serve as Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans, pending a vote by the LSU Board of Supervisors. He has served as Interim Chancellor since the fall of 2021.

As part of his role, Dr. Nelson will oversee completion of the center's 10-year reaccreditation review cycle, a rigorous 18-month process designed to reflect the excellence of the program.

"We are grateful to Dr. Nelson for shepherding the LSU Health Sciences Center through this arduous but critically important process," said William F. Tate IV, LSU President. "His institutional knowledge and dedication to the center will no doubt lead to a positive outcome."

Dr. Nelson’s career spans decades of progressively more senior academic medical leadership positions while consistently maintaining significant National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, caring for critically ill patients, training hundreds of future healthcare professionals, and advancing healthcare policy to ensure optimal care for citizens across Louisiana.

After graduating with honors from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Dr. Nelson earned his medical degree as a University Scholar at McGill University. At the Johns Hopkins Hospital, he completed his residency in Internal Medicine along with a Clinical Fellowship in Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine and a Research Fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine.

Dr. Nelson joined the faculty in 1984 and rapidly rose through the ranks, becoming Professor of Medicine in 1994 and the John H. Seabury Professor of Medicine in 1995. He served as Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine and in 2005 was named Chief of the Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Nelson was appointed Dean of the Medical School in 2007 and President of the LSU Healthcare Network in 2009.

Dr. Nelson has been a National Science Foundation/National Institutes of Health funded investigator his entire academic career with more than $45 million in extramural funding. He has authored or co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed journal papers, seven books/monographs and 30 book chapters.

Dr. Nelson's honors include membership in Alpha Omega Alpha (the medical honor society) and Delta Omega (the public health honor society) along with inclusion in multiple volumes of Best Doctors in America, Guide to America's Top Physicians, and New Orleans Magazine's Top Doctors. He was recognized in 2006 by the American College of Chest Physicians with its annual Edward C. Rosenow, Ill Honor Lecture Award for outstanding contributions to mentorship and training of chest physicians. In 2019, Dr. Nelson received the prestigious Spirit of Charity Award in recognition of his significant medical contributions and compassionate care cultivated through years of practice at Charity Hospital. He is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American Board of Internal Medicine in Pulmonary Disease.

"Throughout my years at LSU, I have focused on educating the future healthcare professionals who will practice and serve in Louisiana, promoting the health of our citizens, and facilitating the translation of scientific discovery to the bedside. I am grateful that President Tate has entrusted me with the opportunity to continue to build on the successes of this exceptional institution."

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About LSU Health New Orleans
LSU Health New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's health sciences university leader, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine with campuses in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty take care of patients in hospitals and clinics throughout the region. In the vanguard of biosciences research, the LSU Health New Orleans research enterprise generates jobs and enormous annual economic impact. LSU Health New Orleans faculty have made lifesaving discoveries and continue to work to prevent, advance treatmand cure disease.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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