University Health Services Appoints Susan Hochman as New Executive Director

Published: November 21, 2024

In October, Associate Vice President of Health and Well-being, Dr. Chris Brownson, announced the appointment of Susan Hochman as Executive Director of University Health Services.

Hochman’s passion for college health began more than 20 years ago when she was an undergraduate student employee for Watkins Health Services, the student health center at the University of Kansas, where she first discovered her commitment to improving health and well-being for college students. She maintained her involvement in student health while pursuing her Master of Public Health degree at Emory University. Since that time, she has continued to develop her career as a college health professional.

Hochman came to The University of Texas at Austin and University Health Services from Columbia University in 2010 as the manager of the Health Promotion Resource Center, which is now the Longhorn Wellness Center. In this role, Hochman was instrumental in reshaping the department’s approach to health promotion, strategic planning for priority programs and re-envisioned and chaired the UT Wellness Network, a campus-wide coalition focused on the health and wellness needs of faculty, staff and students.

In 2012, Hochman transitioned to Assistant Director of University Health Services where she played a vital role on the UHS leadership team and oversaw assessment and evaluation, provided administrative oversight to the Health Promotion Resource Center, led strategic communication plans and brand development, and oversaw Nutrition Services.

Hochman’s leadership expanded further in 2018, when she became Director for Strategic Initiatives for the Healthyhorns portfolio, which includes University Health Services, the Counseling and Mental Health Center, and the Longhorn Wellness Center. In this capacity, she provided strategic leadership for the Health Information Technology and Clinical Data Informatics and Research teams, optimizing data to inform departmental decisions and advance the field of college health. She also led the Healthyhorns Public Information Team, guiding the team in strategic communications, marketing and brand efforts. During the pandemic, Hochman played a key role as the point person for COVID-19 related health messaging for UT. She was named Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives in March of 2024 as she supported the conceptualization of the University’s strategic initiative related to health and well-being.

In 2018, Hochman won the Texas Parents Staff Merit Award, an award that annually recognizes select employees within Division of Student Affairs who contribute to a culture of excellence. Hochman has also received the Eyes of Texas Excellence Award which is given to faculty, administration, or staff members at the University of Texas at Austin for their outstanding contributions to student life.

Beyond her work at UT Austin, Hochman is also a fellow of the American College Health Association where she has held numerous leadership positions, including: serving as the association’s Vice President, playing a vital role in the Guidelines Taskforce where she was on the writing team for the Framework for a Comprehensive College Health Program and chairing the ACHA Data Strategy and Research Committee presently.

In her new role as Executive Director of University Health Services, Hochman will lead the broader administrative and strategic initiatives within UHS.

“University Health Services has a rich history of providing high quality, excellent, student-centered care and being a vital part of the public health landscape at the University,” Hochman said. In her new role, she will prioritize maintaining that legacy.

Hochman said she has always loved her work in the world of college health and is excited to see how she can continue her impact in this field and at UT Austin.

“I am excited to continue putting our students first,” Hochman said, “and taking excellent care of our talented providers and staff.”

Dr. Brownson said he is confident that Hochman is the right person for this role.

“Susan is such a great fit for the role of Executive Director,” Brownson said. “She is such a strong administrator who is communicative, strategic and extremely passionate about student healthcare. She cares deeply about University Health Services and the important work they do.”