Neeli Bendapudi was born in Visakhapatnam, India, and came to the United States in 1986 to pursue her doctorate in Marketing at the University of Kansas. After earning her PhD, she went on to teach at Texas A&M University and The Ohio State University before returning to the University of Kansas in 2011 as the School of Business dean and Professor of Business. While there, she was promoted to Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor.

Bendapudi moved to Louisville in 2018 to take on the role of president at UofL, the first permanent female president and person of color to hold the position.

Her research has been published in top tier journals including the Journal of Academic Medicine, Harvard Business Review and Journal of Marketing, and featured by media outlets including the New York Times, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, WebMD and Fox News Network. She has experience on public and private boards and served as EVP and Chief Customer Officer of Huntington National Bank.

Bendapudi has sat on publicly held and non-profit boards and is a former Leadership Foundation Fellow of the International Women鈥檚 Forum, selected as one of 27 women representing 18 countries for this prestigious honor.

In her career, she has fought for equity and inclusion and in her time at UofL, has transformed the university鈥檚 culture, infusing a renewed passion in the city and community. The JFCS recognizes Bendapudi’s continued call to the university community and the Louisville community at large to celebrate diversity and foster equity in order to achieve inclusion.

“Like Neeli, JFCS respects the undeniable humanity of each person. This sentiment is one of our guiding values, called Kavod. Every day our staff serve clients and their families with Kavod because we believe that to truly serve all in Greater Louisville, we must first understand their strength and their story,” the organization stated in a blog post.聽

She is one of five total recipients of this year’s award. Others include:

• Di Tran (Vietnam), a a business owner who launched the Louisville Beauty Academy in 2016. Tran received his master’s degree from UofL.聽
• Berta Weyenberg (Cuba), who is the English as a Second Language Intake Center coordinator at JCPC.聽
• Kaveh Zamanian (Iran), who was a clinical psychologist and certified psychoanalyst for 20 years before becoming founder, CEO and whiskey maker of Rabbit Hole Distillery in 2012.聽
• Bapion Ziba (Burkina Faso), owner of Ziba’s Bistro in the Logan Street Market.聽

Benadapudi and the rest of the MOSAIC Award winners will be recognized at a virtual event May 27 at noon on the JFCS social media channels, @jfcslouisville and website, jfcslouisville.org.聽

The community health grant for $9,450 to the Cardinal Success program will be used to purchase Chromebooks that patients can borrow to access mental telehealth services. The telehealth services have become crucial to the program since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted in-person appointments.

Cardinal Success has offered no-cost mental health services to the West End community for more than six years. It is part of UofL鈥檚 Signature Partnership Initiative, which works toward eliminating educational, health, economic and social disparities that exist in the nine urban neighborhoods that make up the region.聽

鈥淲e want to assure underserved residents of the West End that we are still available to help them cope,鈥� said Patrick P枚ssel, professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development, who runs the program. 鈥淲hile our center at Shawnee Academy is temporarily closed, our services through the Nia Center (2900 W. Broadway) remain open with virtual appointments to help maintain social and emotional health.鈥�

To assist clients who do not have access to the hardware needed for a telehealth appointment, P枚ssel applied for the JHFE grant to purchase 30 Chromebooks to lend to patients. P枚ssel is also searching for a donor to help purchase mobile hotspots that can help telehealth patients access the internet.

The Cardinal Success Program offers individual, group and family counseling and psychological assessment services. It serves adults and children.聽

The mental health services are given by UofL students completing practicum and internships. They are enrolled in master鈥檚 and doctoral programs in CEHD, the Kent School of Social Work and the School of Nursing.

Among the most immediately visible changes will be modified names and signage to reflect the new ownership under UofL Health, the historical legacy of the communities that surround the hospitals and medical centers and the traditions of the faith organizations that were the foundation of many of the facilities.

鈥淚 want to thank the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the Louisville Archdiocese, the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and our larger Catholic and Jewish communities,鈥� said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. 鈥淗ealth care in Louisville has grown because of the commitment made by these organizations to improve the health of patients throughout the greater Louisville community and the passion they have to serve with excellence and compassion.

鈥淭he University of Louisville and UofL Health will build on this foundation, to improve wellness for our community, by building a regional academic health care system based on treatment innovations, leading-edge research and patient-centered care.鈥澛�

Because the hospitals will no longer be operated as Catholic facilities, the Archdiocese requested that the names of Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital and Our Lady of Peace be changed to no longer reflect a Catholic affiliation. Upon the closing date, they will become UofL Health 鈥� Mary & Elizabeth Hospital and UofL Health 鈥� Peace Hospital. Crosses adorning the outside of the buildings will be removed, but the hospitals will maintain their chapels, including the iconic Sky Chapel at Mary & Elizabeth, and many other artifacts that reflect the legacy of the Catholic faith and the rich heritage of the hospitals.聽聽

As is the case at UofL Hospital, people of all faiths are encouraged to use the chapels as they choose. Chaplains are on staff to support and honor the many different faiths and traditions observed by patients and employees.

鈥淚 am encouraged that University of Louisville Health desires to continue to honor the spirit of the Church鈥檚 healing ministry as it acquires these former Catholic facilities. I once again want to extend my gratitude to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth for their long legacy of care and compassion, beginning with the founding of Sts. Mary & Elizabeth and Our Lady of Peace Hospitals. I appreciate the University of Louisville鈥檚 stated intention to respect the history of the Sisters鈥� health care ministry, and I am pleased that the University will seek to maintain health care for underserved areas of the city, serve the poor and vulnerable and preserve employment for many loyal employees,鈥� said the Most Rev. Joseph E. Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville.

UofL Hospital – Jewish Campus

Jewish Hospital and UofL Hospital will become one united hospital with two locations.聽The two locations will have a unified leadership team and direction to better support and restore the services, research, employees, physicians and programs at Jewish Hospital.聽In addition, it will further strengthen UofL Hospital and the teaching and research programs of the UofL School of Medicine located at both locations. The newly unified hospitals will be highlighted through the new name, UofL Hospital – Jewish Campus. The name respects Jewish Hospital鈥檚 history as a leader in cardiovascular services, neurosciences and transplantation while also preserving its legacy of serving the community.聽UofL Hospital鈥檚 name will not change.

鈥淲e appreciate the care that everyone at the University of Louisville and UofL Health has shown in working with the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Board of Trustees to make this transition,鈥� said Jeff Polson, JHFE executive director. 鈥淲e are certain that the traditions, culture and history of Jewish Hospital will continue to be honored at the new UofL Hospital – Jewish Campus alongside our legacy of excellence in health care.鈥�

鈥淲e worked with leaders across the system and with the Archdiocese and JHFE to develop the new names for the hospitals,鈥� UofL Health CEO Tom Miller said. 鈥淭he hospitals have a rich culture and a time-honored heritage associated with many traditions. UofL Health is committed to honor this rich history and to support the hospitals, their employees, physicians and communities in keeping the traditions that make them unique and special.鈥�

The rest of the KentuckyOne Health system

Throughout the rest of the former KentuckyOne Health system, names will be modified as follows:

• UofL Health – Frazier Rehab Institute
• UofL Health – Rudd Heart and Lung Center
• UofL Health – Shelbyville Hospital
• UofL Health – Medical Center Southwest
• UofL Health – Medical Center South (Shepherdsville)
• UofL Health – Medical Center East
• UofL Health – Medical Center Northeast

Physician practices, currently part of the KentuckyOne Medical Group, also will be renamed under UofL Physicians brand to reflect new alignment with UofL Health.

鈥淯ofL Health welcomes the teams from all these locations and, most importantly, we welcome the patients and families served,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淲e are excited to bring this larger system together, share best practices and extend The Power of U to more communities.鈥�

Sign changes will begin this week, but will be a gradual process over the next several weeks and months.聽 UofL Health will assume ownership of the facilities on Nov. 1. While these changes are being implemented, there should be no interruption or delay in care.

The has previously operated under the shared ownership of UofL and the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence. JHFE has relinquished its ownership and real estate interest, valued at more than $16 million.

The university took the opportunity to mark the occasion by recognizing and thanking JHFE for its support.

鈥淪ince 2006, the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute has provided world-class resources for UofL faculty researchers and physicians to study the myriad of causes of cardiovascular disease and develop ways to treat and ultimately cure it,鈥� said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. 鈥淲e thank the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence for being our worthy partner in this effort and promise that we will continue this important work for the health of current and future generations to come.鈥�

The move to UofL鈥檚 sole ownership has been planned for some time and coincided with JHFE鈥檚 continued evolution into a purely grant-making organization.聽

鈥淲e are proud to have been a part of the CII and its mission to improve lives through world-class cardiovascular research, scientific discovery and new enterprise creation,鈥� said Linda Schuster, JHFE Board of Trustees chair. 鈥淲e look forward to seeing amazing discoveries from the CII in the years and decades ahead.鈥�

Since its opening in 2006, the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute has been engaged in leading edge research for the development, testing, regulatory approval and clinical evaluation of game-changing technologies. The institute employs a multidisciplinary team of investigators to address the complete spectrum of causes and treatments for cardiovascular disease.

鈥淚n Kentucky alone, cardiovascular-related diseases account for close to 75 percent of all deaths,鈥� said Toni Ganzel, dean of the UofL School of Medicine. 鈥淭he CII conducts basic, clinical, translational and population research in cardiovascular disease as it affects individuals throughout their entire lifespan.鈥�

The team has led and secured nearly $39 million in external grants and contracts, with $28 million focused toward innovative cardiovascular-assist devices. These technologies have ranged from the exploration of new cell-based platforms for the revascularization of cardiovascular and neural tissues, to the creation of chambers for surgery in outer space and battlefield environments, to the investigation of novel mechanical devices to aid a patient鈥檚 heart in circulating blood throughout the body. All of these technologies were created with the sole intent of improving the quality of life of heart failure patients.聽

Initial funding to construct the facility and to support research was provided by Jewish Hospital & St. Mary鈥檚 Healthcare, KentuckyOne Health鈥檚 predecessor, along with UofL, Kosair Charities, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Department of Commercialization and Innovation and the Gheens Foundation. Federal appropriations were secured through the efforts of Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Laman Gray, MD, Jewish Hospital Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery at UofL, is executive and medical director of the CII. An internationally-recognized leader in the fields of cardiac surgery and development of artificial hearts and circulatory support systems, Gray鈥檚 accomplishments include performing the first heart transplant in Kentucky in 1984 and the first bridge to heart transplant after the use of a Thoratec Bi-Ventricular Assist Device in the United States in 1985. He also performed the first clinical use of ABIOMED鈥檚 SupraCor intra-aortic balloon pump and was one of the four primary clinical investigators that brought ABIOMED鈥檚 BVS 5000 temporary cardiac support system to clinical approval by the FDA. In 2001 Gray and his surgical team implanted the first artificial heart into Robert Tools, who lived five additional months on the device.

Video from the news conference is available below:聽

As part of the new agreement, UofL will pay $10 million to acquire the assets from KentuckyOne鈥檚 parent company, CommonSpirit Health, while CommonSpirit will forgive $19.7 million in outstanding promissory notes from University Medical Center Inc. Additionally, UofL will assume more than $76 million in accounts receivable from KentuckyOne, providing an immediate source of capital.

To help secure the purchase, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Vivek Sarin have promised to support a $50 million, 20-year loan 鈥� half of which will be forgiven if the university meets certain criteria in areas of employment or service to underserved areas of the community and commonwealth. Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers and Speaker of the House David Osborne also expressed support for the loan.

Further, the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and the Jewish Hospital and St. Mary鈥檚 Foundation, are investing in the facilities, contributing $10 million and $40 million respectively, to be paid throughout four years.

These outside investments are vital to the agreement, as they help offset the significant financial risk such a purchase poses to the university, according to UofL President Neeli Bendapudi.

While acknowledging the risk, she stressed the upside of the acquisitions, noting the additional medical facilities will strengthen UofL鈥檚 academic medical center, providing more opportunity for residents and students at the university鈥檚 Health Sciences Center. The additional facilities and resources also will provide venues in which to conduct leading-edge research and entice more clinical trials, external funding and renowned faculty to the university.

鈥淭hese medical facilities and the thousands of professionals who work there have for decades provided outstanding and important medical care to patients throughout our community and beyond,鈥� said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. 鈥淲e are proud to protect that legacy and to ensure the continuation of that care as we acquire and enhance these facilities.鈥�

Bevin added that the preservation of these healthcare programs, services and jobs are vital to UofL, the UofL Medical School, Metro Louisville and the entire Commonwealth.聽

“UofL’s acquisition of the KentuckyOne facilities will maintain more than 5,000 jobs in the healthcare sector and ensure that our healthcare delivery system in Metro Louisville is preserved,” he said. “I am confident that this acquisition will further the incredible medical research occurring at these facilities, while simultaneously meeting the growing demand for quality, cutting-edge health care services.”聽

The purchase includes:

• Jewish Hospital, including the Outpatient Center, Rudd Heart and Lung Center, offices and parking garages
• Frazier Rehab Institute
• Mary and Elizabeth Hospital
• Our Lady of Peace
• Jewish Hospital Shelbyville
• Jewish Medical Centers East, Northeast, South and Southwest
• Physicians groups affiliated with KentuckyOne

Services provided by UofL physicians at Jewish Hospital include organ transplantation, cardiovascular medicine and neurological surgery. The hospital is home to the only solid organ transplant facility in the region, and UofL鈥檚 renowned clinical care and research in cardiovascular medicine and spinal cord injury are conducted at Jewish and Frazier Rehab.

Approved by the UofL Board of Trustees at its meeting this morning, the sale is expected to close Nov. 1 pending regulatory approvals and the consent of the Catholic Church, which must approve the sale of Sts. Mary and Elizabeth and Our Lady of Peace. As part of the agreement, the facilities will be branded under the UofL Health umbrella.

Once the deal is closed, UofL will assume management of the facilities.

鈥淭his has been an arduous process, and it took an outstanding team and hard work to get us to this point,鈥� Bendapudi said. 鈥淚 want to thank our governmental leaders, our trustees, the foundations and, of course, our team led by Tom Miller, CEO of UofL Health, University Counsel Tom Hoy and Dan Durbin, UofL CFO, for their dogged efforts to make this happen. Tom Miller鈥檚 remarkable work in restoring the financial standing of UofL Hospital in less than a year gives us confidence that we can have similar success in turning around these assets.鈥�

Check out the press conference announcing the deal below:聽

With a grant provided by the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence and in partnership with the Fund for the Arts, the institute will launch 鈥渆ngAGE Arts鈥� at the Speed Art Museum on UofL鈥檚 Belknap campus.

鈥淎s the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence continues to work to improve the overall health of our community, we recognize that the arts have a vital role to play in achieving our goals,鈥� said Jeff Polson, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence executive director.

EngAGE Arts will enroll 128 participants in arts experiences, measuring the impact of the programming on the participants鈥� health and well-being. The study will draw from two populations: older adults, including veterans, and high school-aged youth. They will be recruited from local aging care facilities and veterans鈥� groups, as well as from Central High School.

鈥淲e are dedicated to bringing about a new vision of aging where individuals and society are able to approach aging as an opportunity, not as a disease,鈥� said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the institute. 鈥淭he arts are an untapped resource for promoting health that demand to be explored further.鈥�

Staff from Frazier History Museum, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Kentucky Shakespeare and KMAC Museum (Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft) will lead the participants in arts activities. Project goals include addressing the needs of older adults and youth in the Greater Louisville community through advancing the policy, practice and quality use of the arts as tools for improved health and wellness, raising visibility, understanding and support of the use of the arts in the promotion of health and demonstrating the use of the arts as a tool for health.

Past research has shown that creative engagement has positive effects on general health, age-related cognitive functioning, balance, mental health, use of medications and overall well-being in older adults and on academic and social-emotional development in youth. Additionally, programs focused on connecting youth and older adults in meaningful relationships have been shown to help break down generational stereotypes and create rewarding experiences for both younger and older generations.

鈥淭his is new territory for our community with a transformative grant program that partners an arts nonprofit, private foundation and leading university research center to measure the impact of the arts on participants鈥� health and well-being,鈥� said Kat Abner, Fund for the Arts Impact Officer.

For information about the study, contact the institute at 502-852-5629.