BU Board of Trustees Welcomes New Members
Rod F. Hochman (CAMED’79, CAS’79) and Kamal Bahamdan (ENG’94) join the board this semester
Rod F. Hochman (CAMED’79, CAS’79) (left) and Kamal Bahamdan (ENG’94), both described as exceptional leaders in their fields, have joined the BU Board of Trustees this fall. Photos courtesy of Hochman and Bahamdan
BU Board of Trustees Welcomes New Members
Rod F. Hochman (CAMED’79, CAS’79) and Kamal Bahamdan (ENG’94) join the board this semester
Boston University’s Board of Trustees elected two new members this fall, adding to its deep well of individuals with experience in business, education, and healthcare. Rod F. Hochman (CAMED’79, CAS’79) and Kamal Bahamdan (ENG’94) both joined the board this semester.
Ahmass Fakahany (Questrom’79), chair of the Board of Trustees, describes Hochman and Bahamdan as “exceptional leaders in their fields,” adding that they will bring “critical insights in support of Boston University’s global strategic vision during its next stage of transformation and distinction. We welcome their contribution to the University’s long tradition of excellence.”
“We’re very pleased that Rod Hochman and Kamal Bahamdan will join the board,” Melissa Gilliam, president of Boston University, says in welcoming them. “They each bring a wealth of experience in a wide range of areas, and I look forward to working together as we continue to distinguish Boston University as a higher education leader.”
Hochman, whose medical background is in rheumatology and internal medicine, is the former president and CEO—and current CEO emeritus—of Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital, based in Renton, Wash. Providence, a Catholic not-for-profit health system, operates in seven states and is the parent organization for 100,000 caregivers. Prior to leading Providence St. Joseph’s, Hochman held senior roles at Swedish Health Services, Sentara Healthcare, the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, and the Guthrie Health System. In 2025, he received the American Hospital Association Distinguished Service Award.
In 2020, Hochman helped form Truveta, a privately held health data collective backed by a number of major health systems and venture funding. It uses machine learning to structure clinical data into a model for faster insights.
In 2019, Hochman and his wife, Nancy J. Hochman (Sargent’77,’83), established the Rod Hochman Family Scholarship Fund at BU’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Income from the fund provides annual scholarship awards based on financial need to one or more students at the school.
This year, the Hochmans donated $10 million to build and operate a cutting-edge center for clinical skills development at the BU medical school. Scheduled to open later this year, the Rod Hochman Family Clinical Skills & Simulation Center (CSSC) will feature state-of-the-art technology and expanded spaces for MD, physician assistant, mental health, and genetic counseling students to learn communication skills, physical examination, medical procedures, and team-based care.
Bahamdan is a seasoned entrepreneur, business builder, and elite athlete. He founded and is CEO of Safanad, a global holding company based in New York, and is vice chairman of the Bahamdan Group, a family-owned global investment group with a 70-year history of investing in the Middle East and global markets. Prior to Safanad, he was CEO of the Bahamdan Group.
Bahamdan is also a five-time Olympic equestrian—he won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympic games, held in London. He remains an active competitor on the international show jumping circuit.
In 2006, he was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. In 2022, he established the Bahamdan Endowed Professorship for Early Childhood Well-Being at the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. It marked a significant milestone in Boston University’s effort to support greater understanding of early childhood development and care.
The Board of Trustees also elected outgoing trustees Sandra Frazier (COM’01), Maurice Ferré (CGS’81, CAMED’92, SPH’92), Alicia Mullen (CAS’83), and S.D. Shibulal (MET’88) as Trustees Emeriti, Fakahany says, in recognition of their “outstanding service and contributions” to the University.