Jeffrey Upperman, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatric Surgery for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, has been selected to Leadership Tennessee’s Signature Program Class XIII.
Upperman, who joined Vanderbilt in 2019, is one of 52 individuals from business, government, education, medical and nonprofit sectors across the state to make up the 2026-2027 cohort.
According to Leadership Tennessee, its flagship Signature Program is a 10-month, seven-session study for the state’s most influential leaders from every region and varying professional industries. The program aims to continue building a statewide network of proven leaders and change agents who participate in collaborative conversations and develop concrete plans to sustain dialogue and action beyond the yearlong commitment.
Upperman is one of 15 people selected from Davidson County to join the cohort.
“It is such an honor to represent Davidson County, Tennessee, in this very important statewide leadership program,” Upperman said. “I believe child health is critical to our future, and being able to understand the different regions of the state and their unique child health needs will be paramount in my journey to better understand and serve the broader Tennessee community.”
Past Vanderbilt Health leaders who are also Leadership Tennessee alumni include: C. Wright Pinson, MD, President of the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network, and Alex Jahangir, MD, MMHC, Professor and Vice Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery.
For Upperman, Leadership Tennessee adds to a growing list of accomplishments and professional activities that encompass his passionate advocacy for children’s health and trauma prevention. In 2024, he was selected to the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. That same year, he was inducted into the prestigious American Pediatric Society. He currently serves as a governor of the American College of Surgeons and as a director of the American Board of Surgery’s Pediatric Surgery Board. He also serves as an adviser on the Scientific Advisory Council for the American Red Cross Training Services Division. He served as the past president of the Surgical Infection Society, and he has served on the Department of Health and Human Services National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters. Among his many other professional service activities, he served as secretary of the Pediatric Trauma Society. Beyond medicine, Upperman is also a trustee of Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre, reflecting his engagement with the Nashville community.
