11/25/2025
PITTSBURGH — UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the University of Pittsburgh announce the appointment of Kathryn Schmitz, Ph.D., MPH, and José P. Zevallos, M.D., MPH, as deputy directors of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
Both served in interim leadership roles from January through November 1, 2025, when John Byrd, M.D. was named director of UPMC Hillman.
“Their strong leadership kept the transformative cancer research and compassionate clinical care thriving,” said Byrd. “I am confident that working together, we will continue to strengthen and support the important work at UPMC Hillman.”
Schmitz, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, is an internationally recognized leader in exercise oncology and former associate director of population sciences at UPMC Hillman.
In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership in research, education and program development and will oversee population sciences integration. She has over 350 peer-reviewed publications, and her work has been cited over 44,000 times placing her in the top 1% of scientists worldwide.
Zevallos, chair of otolaryngology at UPMC and the Dr. Eugene N. Myers Professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Pitt School of Medicine, is a surgeon-scientist specializing in head and neck cancer. He is co-principal investigator of the SPORE grant in head and neck cancer and has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles.
As deputy director, Dr. Zevallos will focus on clinical and departmental affairs, strengthen cancer center network relationships and advance translational research and surgical innovation.
Photos (click image for high-resolution version)
First Photo
Caption: Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, UPMC Hillman Deputy Director
Credit: UPMC
Second Photo: Dr. Jose Zevallos, UPMC Hillman Deputy Director
Credit: UPMC
