The Many Faces of UTHealth Houston: Naga Krishna Kadiyala
What began as a leap of faith became a story of innovation, adaptation, and a firm belief in the power of human connection for UTHealth Houston’s Naga Krishna Kadiyala.
When leaving India at the age of 19 for a master’s in environmental engineering, he had no idea his path would eventually lead him to transform human resources at UTHealth Houston.
A pivot rooted in people
Though his early career began in environmental engineering where he monitored hazardous work environments and ensured safety compliance, Kadiyala soon realized his professional strengths weren’t just technical, they were relational.
“I was not just successful because of my technical skills, but because I could connect with people,” he said. “It was about observing behavior and building trust. My career journey is all about improving personal and collective strengths.”
This focus on human connection pivoted his career interests into the world of human resources and information technology. He went on to earn a master’s in business administration degree at the University of Connecticut to enhance his qualifications.
Working in financial services and higher education industries like The Hartford, PeopleSoft, and Deloitte, he helped implement large-scale systems that supported HR transformation at a national level, eventually leading to a global project in Switzerland for a major bank. That experience, he said, opened his eyes to the nuances of multicultural collaboration.
“It was important to learn to understand different regional and geographical cultures and perspectives,” he said. “Cultures vary, but we needed to work together with the shared goal of transforming services.”
A family decision sparks a new chapter
In 2012, family life steered Kadiyala’s career to Houston. His wife, a urogynecologist, started her practice in Lake Jackson, Texas, and according to Kadiyala, she was ready for him to stop traveling for work.
“You’ve got to settle down,” he recalled her saying.
He soon accepted a role at UTHealth Houston as the manager of HR technology. But he didn’t just accept the job — he reimagined it.
It wasn’t long before Kadiyala began transforming the hiring process. He led the charge in digitizing the then-cumbersome pre-employment process, which required prospective employees to take time off and physically travel to campus to complete paperwork.
Kadiyala’s solution allowed future hires to complete employee onboarding from their own computer, a game-changing hiring process update for the university.
Building human-centered solutions
Over the next 13 years, Kadiyala rose through the ranks to become the associate vice president of HR innovation, analytics, and technology. He credits this accomplishment to taking on broader duties as they arose while leading innovations and implementing new technologies in HR services.
“I always aimed to take on more responsibilities and be ready for the next role,” he said. “Promotions should feel like a natural next step.”
A significant initiative was the digital transformation of the performance review process. Previously an un-trackable paper-based and inconsistent process, it now ensures that over 7,000 employees receive annual reviews.
“Now, almost every classified employee has a documented review,” he said. “It’s something we take for granted, but you can’t improve what you can’t measure.”
His leadership also extends into areas such as compensation, compliance, and artificial intelligence. His team started building and experimenting with AI solutions like Hoop Genie, a knowledge bot that answers policy-related questions for HR staff. Their goal is to define AI as an augmented intelligence to enhance knowledge and transform employee life-cycle processes.
Kadiyala has nurtured trusted partnerships and professional relationships within the university. He recently earned the President’s Award for Leadership: Outstanding Management/Administrative Professional at the 2025 STAR Awards Luncheon.
The creative side of life
Kadiyala credits UTHealth Houston’s mission, culture and flexibility as key reasons for his long tenure. He finds his ability to pick up and drop off his daughter at school, which he’s done for the past three years, to be one of the most meaningful moments of each workday.
“That bonding time is priceless,” he said. “I cherish those moments. Nothing beats it.”
Outside of the office, Kadiyala enjoys long walks, moments of self-reflection, and pursuing a lifelong dream of scriptwriting.
With a passion for drama that’s centered on current affairs and character-driven storytelling, he shares his scripts with his family over dinner, where they lovingly tease yet support his creative endeavors. “They laugh, but they get it,” he said with a smile.
“I hope to produce a short film one day,” he continued. “Once my daughter heads to college, I’ll have more time to explore that.”
A philosophy of connection
If there is a theme running through Kadiyala’s story, it’s the importance of human connection. From convincing field workers to wear protective gear to leading global teams and innovating HR processes, his success stems not just from implementing systems, but from sincerity and caring for others.
“Nothing else really matters except human relationships and connection,” he said. “That’s what drives everything that I do.”