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Faculty Spotlight: Welcoming Dr. Kaveh Houshmand Azad

Faculty Spotlight graphic for UCLA Fielding School of Public Health featuring a headshot of Dr. Kaveh Houshmand Azad on a blue background. Headline reads: "Faculty Spotlight: Welcoming Dr. Kaveh Houshmand Azad." Subtext reads: "Healthcare operations expert Dr. Kaveh Houshmand Azad joins our faculty to lead HPM 416: Improving Systems, for first year EMPH students." Bottom left displays the UCLA Executive Programs in Health Policy & Management logo.

31 Aug Faculty Spotlight: Welcoming Dr. Kaveh Houshmand Azad

Posted at 15:58h in News by

We are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our faculty, Kaveh Houshmand Azad, Ed.D.!

This fall quarter, Dr. Houshmand Azad leads first-year Executive MPH (EMPH) students through HPM 416: Improving Systems, taught during the Saturday afternoon session from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the UCLA campus.

Dr. Houshmand Azad brings more than 25 years of experience driving system improvements across complex healthcare organizations. He currently serves as the Associate Administrator of the Keck Operating System and Continuous Improvement at Keck Medicine of USC. In this executive role, he collaborates with top-tier clinical teams and administrative leaders to continuously elevate patient care standards throughout Southern California and beyond.

His expertise spans the depth of Continuous Improvement and performance excellence frameworks. Notably, Dr. Houshmand Azad has served on the prestigious Baldrige Board of Examiners and regularly presents at national and international conferences, sharing critical insights on organizational transformation.

Dr. Houshmand Azad’s academic foundation bridges engineering precision with human-centered leadership. After earning a degree in Industrial Engineering, he completed his doctorate in Organizational Change Management at the University of Southern California (USC).

His work focuses on what makes organizational frameworks stick long-term—examining knowledge systems, employee motivation, and the internal dynamics that drive sustainable performance. EMPH students in HPM 416 will benefit directly from his dual perspective as both an academic researcher and an active executive practitioner.

A resident of Los Angeles, Dr. Houshmand Azad enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughter. Outside of healthcare leadership and teaching, he is an avid history enthusiast, an enthusiastic soccer fan, and loves taking in the natural beauty and vibrant culture of Southern California.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Houshmand Azad as he empowers our incoming students to become the next generation of healthcare system innovators.