Meet the 2025 Ira Alpert Service Awardee

2025 Ira Alpert Service Awardee
Leah J. Vriesman PhD, MHA, MBA;
Dr. Leah Vriesman is Associate Dean, Academic & Faculty Affairs for UCLA Extension, the nation’s largest and oldest Division of Continuing and Professional Education. She is also a 20-year
Professor in Health Policy & Management, in UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health. She previously led the Executive Master of Public Health for 11 years and created a new online Master of Healthcare Administration, the first MHA in the UC system of 10 campuses.
Dr. Vriesman teaches Healthcare Strategy, International Health Policy, and speaks often on
health technology and innovation. Dr. Vriesman consults and specializes in innovative leadership development for provider organizations and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. She created and was the Co-Director of the UCLA Center for Healthcare Management. Dr. Vriesman received her PhD in Medical Sociology from UCLA (2001) and her MHA and MBA in Strategy and Finance from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis (1991).
In addition to her various commitments of leadership and committee service to the School
and Department, as well as mentorship to graduate students, new faculty, and staff, Leah actively works in her community where the gift of time and creativity is crucial. She served for 7 years on the Board of Directors for Angel Flight West, a volunteer pilot organization and medical transportation service based at the Santa Monica airport. While serving on the board and as a proud member of the Westwood Rotary, she started an adjacent ground transportation service of volunteers that would pick up patients and family and drive them to and from their appointments after their flight. She is also a Regent for her alma mater, Luther College, in
Decorah, Iowa.
Dr. Vriesman was chosen as the inaugural 2018 National Faculty of the Year from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA.org). As a 2010-2011 U.S. Senior Fulbright grant recipient and German Scholar Exchange award winner, Dr. Vriesman spent a year in NeuUlm, Bavaria, Germany. She was at the University of Applied Sciences teaching International Healthcare Management and Strategic Marketing to German
physicians studying for their Healthcare MBA. She travels frequently to give keynotes for international audiences (East Africa, Asia, Europe) on healthcare innovation and transforming healthcare delivery systems.