Departing UMass Head O’Brien To Teach At Clark

John G. O’Brien, who retires next week from his position leading UMass Memorial Health Care (UMMHC), has been appointed to a distinguished professorship at Clark University, the school announced.

Starting in August, O’Brien — who has been president and CEO of UMMHC for a decade — will be Clark’s Jane and William Mosakowski Distinguished Professor of Higher Education.

The mission of the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise is to improve the effectiveness of government and other institutions in addressing social concerns through mobilizing university research.

O’Brien will “play a leadership role in helping to strengthen and catalyze the institute’s work around issues of health and well-being for individuals and communities,” Clark said in a statement.

“John is nationally respected for the work he has done at UMass Memorial, and anyone who has dealt with him during his years in Worcester can see why,” said David P. Angel, president of Clark.

O’Brien called the appointment “an incredible honor.”

“It is truly the most perfect and fitting next step in my professional career,” O’Brien said.

Though he will officially cede his position to successor Dr. Eric W. Dickson on Feb. 25, O’Brien will stay on for several weeks at UMass through the transition.

Before taking the helm at UMMHC, O’Brien led Cambridge Health Alliance and served as health commissioner for the city of Cambridge. He is a Harvard University graduate and received his MBA in health care administration from Boston University.

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