New Role Reflects Systemwide Growth and Prioritization in Strategic Investment
West Orange, NJ, November 20, 2023 — RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, has appointed Kathleen Jacobs as Chief Investment Officer, effective January 9, 2024. In her new role, Ms. Jacobs will direct the investment strategy for the $8 billion health system.
Reporting to Mr. Frank Pipas, RWJBarnabas Health Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Jacobs will be dedicated to formulating and articulating a strategic vision for RWJBarnabas Health’s investment portfolios that is aligned with the system’s mission, goals, and risk tolerance.
“As RWJBarnabas Health continues to grow and establish its ever-increasing role as an anchor institution in New Jersey, Kathleen will help us ensure our longevity and ability to continue increasing access to excellent health care,” said Mr. Pipas. “Her background and expertise are uniquely suited to fulfill the needs of this new position, which will evolve over time as our system continues to expand.”
Ms. Jacobs’ purview includes RWJBarnabas Health’s Long Term Investment Portfolio, Short Term Capital Reserve Portfolio, Foundation Portfolios and Endowments as well as the system’s ERISA Plan Assets, which include employee retirement plans.
An esteemed investment professional, Ms. Jacobs has a proven track record of success, most recently as Chief Investment Officer of New York University, where she led the Investment Office and oversaw all aspects of the University’s endowments for eight years. While at NYU, Ms. Jacobs transformed and institutionalized the University endowment and generated strong investment returns significantly exceeding benchmarks. Ms. Jacobs also served on the Investment Committee for the NYU and NYU Langone Medical Center retirement plans.
Prior to her role at NYU, Ms. Jacobs was a Managing Director in the Office of Investments at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where, beginning in 2008, she helped build the hospital’s first investment office and maintained a leading role in asset allocation and the selection of fund managers across asset classes. Previous to NewYork-Presbyterian, Ms. Jacobs was Senior Investor for the Juilliard School’s endowment. For the decade before that, she held investment roles of increasing responsibility at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan.
Ms. Jacobs graduated magna cum laude from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She serves on the boards of a number of investment-oriented institutions and associations, and has received numerous investment-related accolades.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering eight counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, three acute care children’s hospitals, Children’s Specialized Hospital with a network of outpatient pediatric rehabilitation centers, a freestanding 100-bed behavioral health center, two trauma centers, a satellite emergency department, ambulatory care centers, geriatric centers, the state’s largest behavioral health network, comprehensive home care and hospice programs, fitness and wellness centers, retail pharmacy services, affiliated medical groups, multi-site imaging centers and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers – with more than 38,000 employees and 9,000 physicians– and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health launched an affiliation with Rutgers University to create New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers' education, research and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org