Erin DeLaney, M.D., associate professor and vice chair of clinical affairs and quality for the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been announced as the inaugural holder of the Neil E. Christopher, M.D., Endowed Chair in Family and Community Medicine.
DeLaney earned a Bachelor of Science from Spring Hill College and her Doctor of Medicine from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, where she practiced before returning to Alabama.
Since arriving at UAB in 2013, she has been committed to providing high-quality primary care, earning multiple UAB Patient Experience Excellence Awards as well as UAB Medicine’s awards for top communicators in 2019 and 2020. DeLaney has diligently served her patients and the institution, holding key leadership roles including ambulatory quality officer, former clinic medical director at the UAB Highlands Family Medicine Clinic, and the 2025 Clinical Faculty Council. Deeply committed to achieving the Quadruple Aim of health care through practice transformation, DeLaney also sits on the Primary Care Service Line Access, Recruitment and Quality Councils, along with the Academics and Innovation Committee. She is also an active advocate in family medicine and a mentor to undergraduate, professional, and graduate students seeking careers in family medicine.
Under DeLaney’s leadership, UAB Family and Community Medicine has consistently grown its primary care clinical footprint and adapted to meet the needs of patients across the state. This includes the establishment of two additional family medicine sites, including one dedicated to UAB employees.
“I like to help people reach their full potential with whole-person care,” DeLaney said. “Getting to know people and building that relationship is a privilege. I strive to create a safe space where people can be transparent with me, and I can help them achieve what they want. I believe this type of care will help create a healthier state.”
The endowed chair position was created to honor Christopher, who spent more than 40 years as a rural family physician, primary care advocate, and state health care leader. He served as chairman of the Alabama Academy of Family Physicians, earning Family Doctor of the Year in 1993, and was the founding chairman of the Alabama Family Practice Rural Health Board. Additionally, Christopher was awarded the Samuel Buford Humanitarian Award from the Medical Association of Alabama for his contributions to quality care for all Alabamians.