The University of Utah has hired Robin Burr, executive director of capital projects at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, as the school’s chief design and construction officer, effective Feb. 21.
In addition to many current critical projects, Burr is charged with oversight of proposed projects totaling over $400 million that are planned to replace the 640,000-square-foot School of Medicine facilities.
Burr is a licensed architect with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University. For the past 18 years, Burr has worked for Kaiser Permanente. Before that she was a principal in a small architecture firm that focused on health care and higher education projects.
“We enthusiastically welcome Robin to our team. She brings decades of experience in master planning, facility design and construction, as well as strong leadership capabilities,” said University of Utah President David W. Pershing. “Her passion for building and maintaining physical facilities and creating strong relationships within the community will bring additional strength to this area of the university.”
After the former associate vice president for facilities left the university, the decision was made to modify the position to focus on planning, design and construction of university facilities with the new position reporting directly to the university president.
During her career, Burr has managed large and small design and construction projects, and led capital teams and programs in Northern California and across the United States. Her projects at Kaiser Permanente included replacement of a hospital and rehabilitation center campus, new medical office buildings, the Center for Total Health in Washington, D.C., utility plant and infrastructure upgrades and administrative and clinical services master planning.
“I began my career first as a builder, then as a designer. As I have grown into leadership roles, I have focused on being an inclusive leader with an open-door policy,” said Burr. “I enjoy challenge and problem-solving, and believe that teamwork makes truly innovative solutions possible. I look forward to joining the University of Utah and the Salt Lake City community.”