Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA
Chief Innovation Officer, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Innovation and AI & Professor and Chair of Neurological Surgery
UC San Diego
HITAC Member Terms:
Term 1: 7/2026 – 12/2027
Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA serves as Chief Innovation Officer and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Innovation and AI at UC San Diego. In these dual enterprise roles, he leads strategy for digital transformation, advanced technology adoption, and artificial intelligence integration across clinical, operational, and academic missions. Working closely with leaders across UC San Diego, along with a breadth of strategic partners, he focuses on improving care delivery while strengthening the institution’s national reputation for patient-centered innovation.
Dr. Khalessi is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in complex cranial surgery, endovascular neurosurgery, and neurosurgical oncology. He serves as Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery, a nationally ranked program performing more than 5,000 major cases annually and supporting comprehensive system designations including dual comprehensive stroke centers, level 1 trauma, level 4 epilepsy, comprehensive cancer, and advanced spine services.
A dedicated academic physician-leader, Dr. Khalessi is Professor of Neurological Surgery, Radiology, and Neurosciences and holds the Don and Karen Cohn Chancellor’s Endowed Chair in Neurosurgery. He has authored nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications, delivered over 275 scientific abstracts and presentations, and served as principal or co-investigator on more than 25 clinical trials. His innovation portfolio includes multiple issued patents and leadership in national efforts to advance device development, regulatory science, and health technology evaluation.
Internationally recognized in neurosurgery, health policy, and medical innovation, Dr. Khalessi chairs both the AANS/CNS Washington Committee and the Neurosurgery Advisory Council for the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He has been appointed to the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. He serves on National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) study sections for translational device (NSD-C) and small business (SBIR/STTR) mechanisms. He is also Past President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).
A committed educator, Dr. Khalessi is a member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committee for Neurological Surgery. He has directed national and international training courses, including the intermediate resident course for the Society of Neurological Surgeons. He has served on the editorial board for the Journal of Graduate Medical Education and contributed to the authorship of the ACGME Neurosurgery and Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology Milestone Projects.
Dr. Khalessi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and a Master of Science in Health Services Research from Stanford University. He completed his MD at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, neurosurgical residency at the University of Southern California, and received his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.