Senior Leadership

Prior to his current role, Friedman was head of the Department of Pediatrics, holding the Ruben-Bentson Chair since his arrival to the Medical School in 2008.

“The University of Minnesota has a long history of leadership across the health sciences,” Friedman said. “There is a remarkable amount of talent and resources here, at both a faculty and staff level – and even at a facilities level. This University has a wonderful track record and a great legacy, and I look forward to helping this institution ensure that both continue in the years ahead.”

A pediatric nephrologist and dedicated educator, Friedman conducts research on pediatric kidney disease. He examines treatments aimed at preventing kidney failure in children with certain forms of kidney disease at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. The University’s children’s hospital is a leader in pediatric kidney transplantation in the world and has one of the best infant kidney transplant success rates in the world.

In addition to his role within the Medical School, Friedman was pediatrician-in-chief at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital, a role he previously held at the Hasbro Children’s Hospital/Rhode Island Hospital.

Outside of the University, Friedman is a member of the board of directors of the American Board of Pediatrics, serving as chair in 2008, and is active in the American Academy of Pediatrics. His research and scholarly work have centered on amino acid transport and factors influencing growth in chronic renal failure, and he serves as chair of a steering committee for an NIH-sponsored clinical trial in pediatric nephrology.

He is the 2010 recipient of the Henry Barnett Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics nephrology section for his contributions to children with kidney disease and to the pediatric nephrology community.

Before arriving at the University of Minnesota, Friedman was chair of the departments of pediatrics at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island (2004-2008) and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1996-2004). While at Wisconsin, Friedman also chaired the University Committee, the primary all-university faculty governance committee.

Contact information:
alfried@umn.edu
(612) 624-3113
410 Children's Rehabilitation Center
426 Church Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Listed in Best Doctors in America by Best Doctors, Inc. since 1996, Paller is also a professor of medicine and a practicing physician. His best days are “when he’s helping people heal,” he says.

Paller sees patients in the Nephrology Clinic of the Transplant Center and as an Attending Nephrologist at University of Minnesota Medical Center.

His research interests are in acute kidney injury, hypertension, and kidney disease in pregnancy.

Paller was a founding co-director of the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics and regularly lectures to medical students, residents and fellows.

Contact information:
palle001@umn.edu
(612) 626-4949
MMC 293 Mayo Building
420 Delaware Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455

LeBein is a professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. A recognized authority in human lymphocyte (blood-cell) development, he’s a former scholar of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America. He currently holds the Apogee Enterprises Chair in Cancer Research.

“Biomedical and health care research is a core mission at the University of Minnesota,” LeBien said. “It’s a privilege to advocate for faculty and their research interests across the Academic Health Center and the Medical School.”

Contact information: 
lebie001@umn.edu
(612) 626-1422
MMC 501 Mayo Building
420 Delaware Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455

She works closely with our partners, including Fairview Health System, to extend the benefits of academic medicine throughout the region.

According to Daniels, her priorities center directly on patient care.

“I put a lot of emphasis on improving the quality of care and services for patients and our referring physicians,” she said. “Our patient satisfaction results have soared and for referring physicians, results have put us significantly ahead of other academic centers.”

Contact information:
danie003@umn.edu
(612) 625-8623
MMC 293 Mayo Building
420 Delaware Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455

In addition, he serves as the associate director of the Center for Rural Mental Health Studies, an associate member of graduate faculty of the University, and a diplomat and fellow in psychopharmacology and serious mental illness.

Under Davis’s leadership, the Duluth campus was recently ranked first in the nation for graduating rural MDs. “We are proud that our campus has been achieving its mission to graduate physicians who will practice in these underserved areas,” he said.

Contact information:
gdavis1@d.umn.edu
(218) 726-7572
117 SMed
1035 University Dr
Duluth, MN 55812

She’s also responsible for Medical School planning related to space and renovations, a role critical to a growing University.

By supporting the business functions and human resources management of the University’s clinical and academic departments, Schwind ensures continuous and stable staffing to areas across the University critical to our student body and our patients.

She is an alumna of the Carlson School of Business and the School of Public Health’s MHA program. She has a certificate in accountancy.

Schwind has chaired numerous committees for the American Association of Medical Colleges and has been a faculty member in AAMC education programs. 

Contact information:
schwind@umn.edu
(612) 625-6033
MMC 293 Mayo Building
420 Delaware Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Pete received his Bachelors degree in Accounting at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a CPA (Inactive), who spent 12 years in public accounting as an Audit Manager prior to his employment at the University of Minnesota. He has been employed by the Medical School since 1990, originally as the Administrator for the Department of Medicine. He's worked in the Dean's Office for the last 16 years.

Contact Information:
mitsc001@umn.edu
(612) 626-3172
MMC 293 Mayo Building
420 Delaware Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55455