Lisa Cuddy is the hospital administrator at Princeton-Plainsboro in much of House, M.D.
Cuddy is a physician and medical administrator who supervises House and repeatedly tries to contain the professional risks created by his methods. She values his diagnostic skill but must also manage budgets, hospital policy, staff complaints, and patient safety.
Lisa Edelstein played Cuddy throughout the first seven seasons. The character’s authority creates an ongoing tension with House, while their complicated personal relationship adds another layer to their workplace conflicts.
Cuddy is not the head of House’s diagnostic department; House holds that medical role. She is also distinct from Wilson, who leads oncology, and Foreman, who later takes on administrative responsibilities. The exact scope of Cuddy’s title changes in dialogue, but hospital administrator is her defining position.