Coming home, looking forward: Patriarca and UTHealth Houston's future

Michael Patriarca, MBA, MS (Photo by UTHealth Houston)

When President John F. Kennedy toured NASA in the early 1960s, he stopped to speak with a custodian sweeping the hallway. When Kennedy asked what he was doing, the custodian replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

For Michael Patriarca, MBA, MS, UTHealth Houston’s new executive vice president and chief business affairs and strategy officer, that story captures the heart of why strategy matters.

“A clear mission, vision, and set of values give everyone broad strokes to work with and connect to,” he says. “It helps every person see how their work contributes to something bigger.”

As he steps into his new role, Patriarca is focused on helping students, trainees, faculty, and staff see themselves in the future the university is building, a future that will come into focus as UTHealth Houston launches its 10-year strategic planning process.

A Texas homecoming

Patriarca’s arrival marks a homecoming in several ways. Originally from the Rio Grande Valley, with family still there and in Houston, he returns to the state that shaped him. He is also coming back to The University of Texas System, where he built formative relationships and developed a deep appreciation for the collaboration that connects its institutions.

“Texas has a lot of momentum going, and Houston is a big contributor to that,” he says. “It’s a great time to be coming home.”

His return aligns with an important period for UTHealth Houston. Early in her presidency, Melina R. Kibbe, MD, identified a critical need: The university lacked a chief strategy officer to guide long-range planning and connect and integrate the university’s mission areas. Recognizing the urgency, she moved quickly to recruit a leader with expertise and vision to match the university’s trajectory.

“A strong strategic plan is essential for aligning our missions and accelerating our impact,” Kibbe said. “Michael understands how to bring people together, listen deeply, and translate ideas into action.”

A leader with a family focus

Spend a few minutes with Patriarca, and it becomes clear that family is at the center of his life. He and his wife are raising two young boys, and much of their time outside of work is spent enjoying family activities, youth sports, and making memories together. Their 10-year-old German shepherd, affectionately known as the family’s “firstborn,” completes the household.

He stays active on his Peloton and is planning to join Team UTHealth Houston for the half marathon and 10K this fall. He also enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends, whether fishing, exploring new places, or simply finding opportunities to unplug and recharge.

A lifelong sports fan, he is especially excited about the World Cup coming to North America.

He also enjoys true crime podcasts and documentaries, and he follows trends in technology and personal finance, often through the “All In” podcast. These interests reflect a curiosity and energy that carry into his professional life.

Years of experience in strategy and operations

Patriarca brings more than two decades of experience in academic medicine and health system leadership that will guide his work at UTHealth Houston.

Most recently, he served as vice president and chief business officer for Tulane Medicine, where he led a comprehensive five-year strategic planning process. In that role, he strengthened financial and operational alignment, advanced digital and data initiatives, and supported complex health system partnerships.

Before his time in Louisiana, he held key leadership positions at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health). These experiences gave him a deep understanding of the operational demands of large mission-driven institutions and the power of strategy to bring people together.

Over the course of his career, he has helped organizations navigate growth, transformation, and change while remaining focused on the people and missions they serve.

Active, accessible, and data driven

Patriarca describes himself as an active leader, someone who is accessible, engaged, and willing to look at challenges from different perspectives. He values staying connected to the people and work that drive the mission forward and believes that leadership starts with leading by example.

“I like to be involved at all levels of the organization,” he says. “The best ideas often come from the people closest to work. It’s important to spend time listening, learning, and understanding their perspective.”

At the center of his approach is a commitment to service. He believes every administrative and operational function exists to support the university’s missions and the people who advance them every day. Whether serving students, trainees, faculty, staff, researchers, or patients, he focuses on creating solutions that improve experiences and enable success.

He leads with data, using it to guide strategy and illuminate progress along the way.

“You can’t manage it if you can't measure it,” he says.

At the heart of his leadership philosophy is a commitment to teamwork and partnership. He prioritizes partnerships to create an environment that supports those on the front lines of education, research, and clinical care.

“It's all about the team for me,” he says. “It’s important to take the time to listen to where the opportunities lie, build trust, and learn how I can support the community.”

A strategic plan that belongs to everyone

As UTHealth Houston begins its 10-year strategic planning process, Patriarca sees an opportunity to bring together voices from across the university.

“This will be a highly collaborative effort with high engagement,” he says. “We want broad input. We want buy in. We want people to see themselves in the plan.”

He emphasizes that the plan will be a living, breathing roadmap, one that remains flexible and responsive to the needs of a rapidly evolving institution.

The university is already moving quickly, he notes, with real momentum. There are pockets of strategy happening across schools and units, and he wants to lift and connect those efforts rather than reinvent the wheel.

Fast track initiatives will focus on digital transformation and digital empowerment, areas where he sees significant potential to strengthen operations and enhance the experience of students, trainees, faculty, staff, and patients.

He also believes in agile project management and steady communication to help teams stay aligned, avoid surprises, and move forward together.

What success looks like

A year from now, Patriarca envisions a university well along the path of stakeholder engagement, with broad components of the strategic plan in place. He wants every part of the institution to be able to link its work and resources to the plan.

He plans to create a framework to monitor progress and ensure the plan remains active and relevant.

“This strategic plan will not be an idle framework,” he says. “It will serve as a roadmap that guides our decisions, challenges us to think boldly, and helps us move confidently into the future.”

Most importantly, he hopes people feel connected to a shared purpose.

“My hope is that every person at UTHealth Houston understands that they matter, and that their role is important to our mission,” he says. “Whether you’re caring for patients, educating students, conducting research, maintaining facilities, or supporting operations, we’re all contributing to something larger than ourselves.”

Looking ahead

What does the future state of UTHealth Houston look like?

Patriarca says the answer starts with ambition.

“The institutions that make the greatest impact are the ones willing to think boldly,” he says. “UTHealth Houston already has incredible momentum. Our opportunity is to bring people together around a shared vision, set ambitious goals, and continue building on the remarkable work happening across the university.”

Just as the NASA custodian understood his role in a mission larger than himself, Patriarca hopes every member of the UTHealth Houston community sees how they contribute to the university’s future.

“The opportunities in front of us are extraordinary,” he says. “I believe our best days are ahead.”