Title: Chief Medical Officer
Company: UnityPoint Health
Location: Urbandale, Iowa, United States
Gregory D. Kennedy, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at UnityPoint Health, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Doctors for dedication, achievements and leadership in Colorectal Cancer and Gastrointestinal Surgery.
Dr. Kennedy’s distinguished career in medicine is marked by a series of progressive leadership roles and clinical accomplishments. Since 2026, he has served as the chief medical officer for the cancer service line at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines, Iowa. In this capacity, Dr. Kennedy oversees cancer programs across seven regional cancer centers within a 40-hospital network. His responsibilities include building integrated cancer care programs that encompass surgical, medical and radiation oncology services. Dr. Kennedy works closely with market presidents to develop tumor boards and comprehensive cancer programs while establishing hub-and-spoke models to ensure statewide access to high-quality care. He also maintains full budgetary control over cancer services and continues limited clinical practice in colonoscopy one day per week. Additionally, Dr. Kennedy has served as a staff colorectal surgeon at UnityPoint Health, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, since 2026.
Before his current roles, Dr. Kennedy worked as a staff surgeon at Birmingham VA Medical Center from 2016 to 2019. He also held several prominent positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. From 2016 to 2021, he excelled as the director of the colorectal cancer service line at the Comprehensive Cancer Center on campus. Between 2016 and 2023, Dr. Kennedy was the director of gastrointestinal surgery. From 2016 to 2026, he taught as a professor of surgery with tenure at the Heersink School of Medicine, where he contributed significantly to academic medicine and surgical education. During that same time frame, he maintained the title of John H. Blue chair of general surgery. Among other roles at the University of Alabama, Dr. Kennedy served as the director of the O’Neal Cancer Center between 2021 and 2026 and, from 2023 to 2025, was the executive vice chair of the department of surgery.
During his tenure at the University of Alabama, Dr. Kennedy expanded the gastrointestinal surgery program from just over five surgeons to more than 20 without any departures from the team. He grew the program’s reach from operating in one hospital and clinic to seven hospitals and multiple clinics across Alabama, increasing its value from approximately $2 million to over $10 million.
Before being recruited to work in Alabama, Dr. Kennedy was affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Hired by the university in 2007, he held various positions for nearly a decade, including assistant professor and associate professor of surgery, chief of the division of colon and rectal surgery and regional services, associate chief of colon and rectal surgery and vice chair of quality for the department of surgery.
Dr. Kennedy’s educational background began with a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences from Montana State University in 1992, followed by a Doctor of Medicine from UW Medicine, the University of Washington, in 1996, and a Doctor of Philosophy in cancer biology from the department of oncology at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003. He also completed residency training and was appointed as the chief resident in general surgery at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority before obtaining a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2024. Dr. Kennedy is board-certified in surgery by the American Board of Surgery Inc., board-certified in colorectal surgery by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, and licensed in medicine and surgery across multiple states, including Iowa, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and, among others, Tennessee.
Committed to professional development, Dr. Kennedy maintains active involvement in major industry organizations. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery and the American Surgical Association. He is also affiliated with the Southern Surgical Association, the Society of Clinical Surgery and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Earlier, Dr. Kennedy held the title of president of both the Society of University Surgeons and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.
A prolific contributor to academic literature, Dr. Kennedy has sat on the editorial boards for the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery since 2015 and the Annals of Surgery since 2019. He has also served as an associate editor for GI surgery at the American Journal of Surgery since 2020. Dr. Kennedy previously held an editorial appointment with the Journal of Surgical Research and maintained board membership with Diseases of the Colon and Rectum for over five years. Furthermore, Dr. Kennedy has authored or co-authored over 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 50 book chapters, edited a basic science textbook, contributed to leadership textbooks, and delivered presentations at local, regional, national and international forums.
In addition to his professional commitments, Dr. Kennedy has volunteered with the Wildwood Hills Ranch Retreat Center in Iowa since 2026. The organization aims to transform lives and strengthen communities by providing healing and hope to children and at-risk youth.
Dr. Kennedy’s expertise in colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal surgery is widely acknowledged by his peers and reflected in his numerous professional achievements. He holds five patents, including one pending since January 2017. Dr. Kennedy’s career has also been marked by numerous honors, including a University of Wisconsin Basic Science Research Award in 2002 and multiple Madison Top Doctors Awards by Madison Magazine between 2010 and 2014. He also received grants and awards from various institutions during his medical tenure.
Throughout his professional journey, Dr. Kennedy has demonstrated a strategic mindset and strong work ethic that distinguish him among peers in his field. He is recognized for inspiring compelling visions for team-based care delivery and building effective teams capable of executing those visions. Looking ahead, Dr. Kennedy remains focused on UnityPoint Health’s expansive system-wide mission for cancer care excellence across Iowa’s urban centers as well as rural communities. He seeks not only superior patient outcomes but also equitable access regardless of geography, setting standards that other healthcare systems aspire to while prioritizing teamwork above personal recognition.
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