Deirdre Flynn Named Associate Vice President for Risk Management

The University of Rochester’s Office of Counsel has appointed Deirdre M. Flynn, Esq., as Associate Vice President for Risk Management, following her interim service in the role over the past year.

Flynn brings more than two decades of experience providing legal counsel and risk management leadership across UR Medicine hospitals, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, as well as the University’s physicians, and health care professionals. She has been a longstanding member of the University of Rochester Medical Center Risk Team and has played a central role in managing the University’s medical malpractice and general liability programs, including oversight of claims, litigation, and insurance coverage.

“Deirdre is a trusted leader whose deep expertise, sound judgment, and collaborative approach have been invaluable to URMC for many years,” said Donna Gooden Payne, general counsel for the University. “Her steady leadership during the past year demonstrated her ability to guide complex risk and liability matters while partnering closely with clinical and operational leaders across the organization.”

In her role, Flynn oversees the University’s insurance programs and risk management functions including medical malpractice and general liability, works closely with URMC leadership to mitigate risk, and supports the institution’s commitment to patient safety, quality care, and regulatory compliance. She also serves on management committees for the University’s captive insurance company.

“Effective risk management is foundational to delivering safe, high-quality care in a complex academic medical center,” said David Linehan, M.D., CEO of URMC and Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “Deirdre’s experience, institutional knowledge, and credibility across our system make her exceptionally well suited for this role, and I’m confident she will continue to strengthen URMC’s approach to risk, safety, and accountability.”

Flynn succeeds Spencer L. Studwell, Esq., who retired from the role in December 2024 after more than 20 years of service. As associate vice president for risk management, Studwell led an exemplary team and provided trusted counsel through a period of significant growth for URMC, guiding the organization on healthcare risk management, liability, insurance, patient safety, and regulatory matters.

Before joining the University of Rochester, Flynn served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of New York, where she prosecuted federal criminal cases, focusing on white-collar crime, and also participating in drug and gun trials. She began her legal career in private practice here in Rochester, focusing on civil litigation, including medical malpractice defense.

Flynn earned her Juris Doctor from Columbia University’s School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Columbia College. She is a Rochester native and a proud alumnus of the Rochester City School District, having graduated from East High School.