Wills Eye Hospital names Julia A. Haller, MD, as new chief executive officer

Julia A. Haller, MD, has been named chief executive officer of Wills Eye Hospital, where she will lead strategic planning, clinical operations, financial oversight, and advancement efforts across the organization. (Photo courtesy of Wills Eye Hospital)

Julia A. Haller, MD, will assume the role of chief executive officer (CEO) at Wills Eye Hospital, expanding her responsibilities beyond her current position as ophthalmologist-in-chief, a post she has held since 2007. She succeeds Joseph P. Bilson, who is retiring after more than 4 decades with the institution.¹

As CEO, Haller will oversee patient care, strategic planning, financial performance, and philanthropic efforts across Wills Eye Hospital’s regional network in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which serves more than 350,000 patients annually. She will continue in her role as ophthalmologist-in-chief.

“Julia is a trailblazing retina surgeon, internationally renowned ophthalmologist, and remarkable individual. The next era of Wills Eye is in excellent hands with her,” said Hon Michael A. Nutter, president of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, which administers the James Wills Trust that operates the hospital. “She brings a unique level of continuity and deep understanding of Wills Eye Hospital’s influence on global ophthalmology to this role.”

Haller emphasized her commitment to furthering the institution’s legacy: “After serving as ophthalmologist-in-chief for nearly 20 years, it is an honor to become yet more deeply embedded in this venerable institution,” she said. “I look forward to growing our impact locally, regionally, and internationally…and continuing to elevate the Wills Eye name as a relentless force for excellence and innovation.”

Bilson praised his successor: “I saw first-hand that she is an enormously talented professional who is uniquely prepared to take Wills to the next level. I know she’ll be great, and I wish her every success.”

Haller is also professor and chair of ophthalmology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and a consultant for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She graduated from Princeton University in New Jersey; Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts; and Wilmer Eye Institute at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Haller also serves as an officer of the Ophthalmology Foundation, a prominent nonprofit committed to improving eye care worldwide by supporting ophthalmic education and reaching underserved communities.²

In light of this leadership transition, the Eye Care Network caught up with Haller to discuss her vision for Wills Eye Hospital, her strategic priorities as CEO, and what this new chapter means for the future of ophthalmology.

After nearly 20 years as Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, what does stepping into the CEO role mean to you personally and professionally?

Haller: This expansion of my role at Wills Eye Hospital is a tremendous honor for me, as well as an exciting opportunity to become even more deeply embedded in this remarkable, venerable institution. I am enthusiastic about bringing the perspective of a practicing surgeon to the CEO role, and working with our faculty, staff, and supporters to ensure that Wills Eye Hospital continues to deliver the best eye care in the world. Two decades of experience as Ophthalmologist-in-Chief allow me to approach the role of CEO with a well-informed understanding of clinical standards, research priorities, and physician needs. In partnership with our world-class team, expanding my oversight to include strategic planning, financial management, and fundraising has the advantage of allowing synergistic new cross-fertilization between all these critical elements of success.

What are your strategic priorities as you take the helm as CEO—particularly around patient care, innovation, and expansion?

Haller: My priorities all revolve around the North Star of excellence in patient care. That is the absolute sine qua non of our strategic plan. In order to stay in the vanguard clinically, we also need to prioritize our other areas of famed strength, including education and mentorship for the next generation of the best and the brightest, building on our groundbreaking portfolio of innovations in the diagnosis and therapy of ocular disease, and finding ever new ways to ensure that our staff not only flourishes, but lives out their professional dreams.

What excites you most about the future of Wills Eye Hospital, and how do you plan to build on its legacy while adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare and vision science?

Haller: The future of Wills Eye Hospital is one of unlimited potential, with our pre-eminent place in ophthalmology positioning us in leadership roles, even as tremendous advances in vision research and innovation continue to keep our specialty at the “tip of the spear” of medical breakthroughs. I look forward to deepening our impact locally, regionally, and internationally, serving as a champion for the hundreds of thousands of patients who walk through our doors each year, and continuing to elevate the Wills Eye name as a relentless force for excellence and innovation, shaping the future of ophthalmology across the globe.

References

1. Julia A. Haller, MD, named CEO of Wills Eye Hospital. News release. Wills Eye Hospital. July 17, 2025. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.willseye.org/press-release/julia-a-haller-md-named-ceo-of-wills-eye-hospital/

2. Ophthalmology Foundation elects new board members and officers to advance eye care worldwide. News release. Newswire.com. March 18, 2024. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.newswire.com/news/ophthalmology-foundation-elects-new-board-members-and-officers-to-22268350