Julia A. Haller, MD, will assume the role of chief executive officer of Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia on July 18, the organization has announced.

Dr. Haller, who has served as ophthalmologist-in-chief since 2007, will retain that position while taking on expanded leadership responsibilities. As CEO, she will oversee all aspects of the nonprofit hospital’s operations, including patient care, strategy, financial performance, and philanthropy. She succeeds Joseph P. Bilson, who is retiring after more than 4 decades with the institution.
Dr. Haller will lead both the hospital’s flagship facility in downtown Philadelphia and its network of physician practices, ambulatory surgery centers, and optical shops throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Wills Eye sees more than 350,000 patients annually.
“Julia is a trailblazing retina surgeon, internationally renowned ophthalmologist, and remarkable individual. The next era of Wills Eye is in excellent hands with her,” said Michael A. Nutter, former mayor of Philadelphia and president of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, which administers the James Wills Trust that operates the hospital. “She brings a unique level of continuity and deep understanding of Wills Eye Hospital’s influence on global ophthalmology to this role. On behalf of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, it is my pleasure to welcome her to this next chapter.”
A graduate of Princeton and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Haller is internationally recognized for her work in retinal disease and innovation. She is also professor and chair of ophthalmology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. “After serving as ophthalmologist-in-chief for nearly 20 years, it is an honor to become yet more deeply embedded in this venerable institution,” said Dr. Haller. “I look forward to growing our impact locally, regionally, and internationally, serving as a champion for the hundreds of thousands of patients who walk through our doors each year, and continuing to elevate the Wills Eye name as a relentless force for excellence and innovation, shaping the future of ophthalmology across the globe.”
Dr. Haller is also a member of the Retinal Physician editorial advisory board. RP