The Leon Hess Professorship of Internal Medicine

Established in 2006 by Constance H. Williams and her husband Sankey V. Williams, MD, the chair honors Mrs. Williams’s father, Leon Hess (1914–1999).

Starting with one oil truck in the 1930s, Mr. Hess built the Hess Corporation into one of the most successful integrated oil companies in the United States. In addition, for more than a generation, he was the pioneering owner of the Jets, the professional football team. Using vision and determination, Mr. Hess worked for decades to build these ventures into icons of business and sports.

Mr. Hess was also known for his philanthropy and his devotion to family. The Professorship carries on these traditions by supporting a faculty member in the Division of Internal Medicine, which affects so many lives and which was headed by Mr. Hess’s son-in-law Sankey V. Williams, MD from 1992 to 2008. Dr. Williams currently serves on the faculty as a Professor of General Internal Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine and Professor of Health Care Management at Wharton.

Constance H. Williams, a former state senator (2001–2009) and representative (1997–2001), has been recognized many times for her public service. She is a philanthropic leader for the arts, health, and education in the Philadelphia region. She earned her MBA from Wharton and served on the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women for many years. At Penn Medicine, the Williams have endowed not only the Professorship but also a fund to support fellows in the Division of Internal Medicine as they embark on their careers.

Current Chairholder

Judy A. Shea, PhD

Judy A. Shea, PhD is the Leon Hess Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine. She co-directs the University’s Master of Science in Health Policy Research Program and is Director of Faculty Development for the Division of General Internal Medicine. From 2004 to 2021, she was the Associate Dean of Medical Education Research and Director of the Office of Evaluation and Assessment in the Academic Programs Office at the University’s Perelman School of Medicine.  

Much of Dr. Shea’s work focuses on evaluating the psychometric properties of curriculum evaluation tools and developing measures to assess components of health such as health literacy, patient satisfaction, and health-related quality of life. She has methodological expertise with multiple qualitative methods, including focus groups and interviews as well as survey research. She teaches and mentors trainees regularly on methodology and measurement principles. She has published over 350 peer-reviewed articles, many with junior colleagues.   

Previous Chairholder

• J. Sanford Schwartz, MD 2006-2021