Josué Zapata, MD, MBA, named assistant chair for leadership development

Josué Zapata, MD, MBA, associate professor in our Department of Medicine and associate chief of the medical service at the San Francisco VA (SFVA), has been appointed assistant chair for leadership development in the Department of Medicine, effective January 1, 2026.

Josué graduated from New York University with a degree in biology, received his MD from Harvard Medical School, and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School with a focus on healthcare leadership. He came to UCSF in 2012 for residency training, served as chief resident in quality & safety, then joined the SFVA faculty in 2016, based in the Division of Hospital Medicine.

At the SFVA, Josué has demonstrated exceptional leadership, serving as assistant and then associate chief of medical service since 2017. In these roles, he has helped oversee clinical operations across 12 divisions, advanced quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, established metrics for faculty compensation, and led major efforts in faculty development and operational efficiency. From 2021 to 2024, he also served as the SFVA’s associate chief of staff for quality, safety, and value.

Josué brings deep experience to leadership development. At the SFVA, he created and led a leadership program for division chiefs, service line leaders, and non-physician administrators. More recently, he co-led the UCSF School of Medicine’s Connected Leadership Program, which promotes well-being-centered leadership among departmental and divisional leaders. He also leads the health systems leadership pathway for our internal medicine residents.

Josué is also a respected educator and mentor. A member of the UCSF Academy of Medical Educators, he has received multiple teaching awards, including the Cooke Award for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and the UCSF Class of 2019 Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching. Over the past eight years, he has served as a dedicated Bridges coach and mentor to dozens of students, residents, and fellows.

In his new role as assistant chair, Josué will design, implement, and oversee leadership programs for early- and mid-career faculty, while working closely with Lekshmi Santhosh, DOM associate chair for people development and mentorship. He will advise departmental leadership on faculty development, culture, and engagement, and represent the department in institutional and national discussions on leadership. To make room for this new appointment, he will step down from his role as a Bridges coach but will remain a member of the SFVA Medical Service leadership group as Deputy Chief.

We look forward to his vision, energy, and commitment to building an even stronger culture of leadership and mentorship across our department.