Leonel Vela, MD, MPH

Biography

Dr. Leonel Vela is the Division Chief for Population Health within the Primary and Community Care Integrated Service Unit (ISU), and holds the faculty appointment of Professor with Tenure in Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)-School of Medicine (SOM). During the formative years of the UTRGV-SOM, Dr. Vela was the founding Senior Associate Dean for Education and Academic Affairs, founding Chair of the Department of Medical Education, and Faculty Lead for the Preliminary LCME Accreditation of the new medical school. He previously served as Chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Chair of the Department of Population Health and Biostatistics, and Senior Associate Dean for Educational Resources. Dr. Vela was the Founding Dean of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC), a campus of the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio (UTHSCSA), which was the forerunner campus for the development of the UTRGV School of Medicine. In that capacity, Dr. Vela directed the medical education and biomedical research components of the RAHC, and he also held the appointment of Professor with Tenure in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. As its first Regional Dean, he provided leadership in the development and establishment of the RAHC campuses during their formative years. Prior to joining UT, Dr. Vela was at Texas Tech University Health Science Center (TTUHSC) where he was Vice President for Rural and Community Health, first holder of the Marie Hall Endowed Chair in Rural Health, Medical Director of Telemedicine/Telehealth, and Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Vela received undergraduate degrees from Stanford University and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed post-graduate studies at Harvard where he received a Master of Public Health Degree and was a Kellogg Fellow in Health Policy and Management. He completed post-graduate training in Preventive Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. His publications, professional presentations and committees have included medical education, tuberculosis, diabetes, migrant health, border health and telemedicine. He previously chaired the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health for the U.S. Secretary of Health and received the Plate of Bounty Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Migrant Head Start Branch. Dr. Vela was honored by TTUHSC as recipient of the Rural Health Visionary Award and is a UTRGV School of Medicine inaugural member of the UT System Kenneth I. Shine M.D. Academy of Health Science Education. The Dr. Leonel Vela Medical School Endowed Scholarship was established at the UTRGV School of Medicine.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Division Chief for Population Health

• Provides leadership in guiding the strategic direction of the Division
• Works collaboratively with Division faculty and appropriate stakeholders within and external to the Integrated Service Unit (ISU) to advance the Division’s goals and objectives
• Provides leadership that supports and promotes the School of Medicine’s vision and mission
• Works collaborative with the ISU leadership and staff to coordinate budgetary and administrative activities