The Carle Health System has named Kayla Banks the first executive director of the Carle-Illinois College of Medicine. Banks, 31, began her new role Monday.

She will be responsible for supervising Carle’s role in the planning, accreditation and establishment of the new college. Banks will work alongside a yet to be named University executive.

Dr. Matthew Gibb, executive vice president and system chief medical officer of Carle, said the hospital is “thrilled” to have Banks leading the establishment of the college.

Banks said her first focus will be getting “her ducks in a row” to ensure the college receives accreditation.

The University and Carle hope to have the first medical class enrolled by 2017. Once the college is running, Banks will be responsible for overseeing all ongoing operations. Banks has worked at Carle for nearly five years as, most recently, the director of clinical outcomes.

Banks is a registered nurse who received her master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of Illinois at Chicago. During her time at Carle, Banks created a new department that focused on ensuring the best practices are used in all of Carle’s clinical areas.

She said she hopes to institute similar practices in the new college.

“I think just generally the vision being that Carle and the University of Illinois really can build and groom clinicians who are focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in order to improve patient outcome and to improve inpatient care delivery,” Banks said.

The University is expected to raise an additional $135 million for equipment and faculty and student support. Carle pledged $100 million over 10 years to fund the creation and maintenance of the new engineering-based college.

“We envisioned a marriage of medicine and engineering,” Gibb said.