Jeffrey Tolstad, MD, MMM, has been appointed to the new role of senior associate dean for organizational development at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, effective Nov. 1. He also has an appointment in the Department of Medical Education as a clinical associate professor of medical education.

“He is known for his ability to bring diverse groups of people together in commonality, and has led teams of dedicated, talented individuals from project initiation to completion in health care, retail business and creative arts,” Keck School Dean Laura Mosqueda, MD, said in a memo announcing the appointment.

In his new role as senior associate dean, Tolstad will work with department chairs, administrators, and other members of the dean’s leadership staff on special projects and initiatives at the Keck School, particularly those that relate to culture and values, recruitment strategies and funds flow development.

After receiving his medical degree from George Washington University, Tolstad was appointed as assistant clinical professor and director of pediatric anesthesia at the University of California, Irvine and Irvine Medical Center. After this, he joined the medical staff at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire, serving as the medical director at the ambulatory surgery center and as chief of anesthesia at the hospital. He has contributed administrative expertise to charitable endeavors as well, serving as medical director of the not-for-profit Vision International Missions in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he worked to ensure essential drugs and medical supplies were procured and delivered to areas of need in the U.S., Haiti and Honduras. He also currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors for the Solheim Senior Community, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Los Angeles. There, he lobbies California state legislators on issues of concern for senior communities.

In his administrative roles, Tolstad has managed staff, introduced programs and instituted changes that increased efficiency and quality of service. At UC Irvine, he created a Neonatal Anesthesia Team that significantly improved quality and safety for Level 3 NICU patients. As medical director of the Elliot ambulatory center, he led a team that improved and enlarged the scope of care, quality and safety to a rapidly growing and ethnically diverse patient population. And as chief of anesthesia at Elliot Hospital, he headed a team that developed a comprehensive pediatric pain management system and led the creation of a satellite pharmacy inside the operating room center that virtually eliminated drug error and inventory loss.

Throughout his career, Tolstad has continued to further his education to complement his work experience and allow him to be a more effective administrator. In 2017, he became a Certified Physician Executive. Earlier this year, he earned a Master in Medical Management from the USC Marshall School of Business and also completed a Senior Living Community Administrative Fellowship at the Solheim Senior Community in Los Angeles.

In addition to his medical career, Tolstad has held a variety of entrepreneurial roles. He is part of a four-person owners’ group that refurbished and revitalized the historic Hotel Kenney in Jones Falls, Ontario, Canada, that has been in continuous operation since 1877. The hotel has hosted British royalty and an American president, and was designated a UNICEF World Heritage Site. He also was co-owner from 2006 to 2015 of the Dave’s Cosmic Subs franchise, headquartered in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He oversaw online marketing and customer relations, helping to quadruple the number of stores during his time with the franchise.