Greetings and welcome to the fall edition of Academic Matters, the quarterly newsletter of the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

In July, the UF Health community was devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Leon L. Haley Jr., M.D., MHSA, who had served as our college’s dean since 2017 and CEO of UF Health Jacksonville since 2018. The pain and void from his death remain omnipresent. We continue to mourn while also celebrating his incredible life and contributions. Dr. Haley made a profound impact on our enterprise and beyond, and we are committed to keeping his memory and legacy alive.

In the wake of Dr. Haley’s passing, I feel humbled and honored to have been chosen to serve as dean of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. Thank you to David R. Nelson, M.D., president of UF Health, and others for entrusting me with the duties of leading and guiding our college during such an unprecedented and challenging time.

I have spent my entire medical career working on this campus, most recently as senior associate dean for educational affairs. The position, which I held for eight years, involves overseeing the college’s residency and fellowship training programs. I’ve also had the pleasure of serving as associate chair of medicine, chief of internal medicine and medical director of the program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

However, I am excited about this new phase. My aims are to champion innovation, discovery and excellent patient care; support our faculty and staff; and ensure trainees and students experience the best environment possible in which to learn and grow their skills. I look forward to working with all of you. My heart is here and I am grateful to serve.

Join me in congratulating three key faculty members on their recent appointments: Elisa Zenni, M.D.; Carol Ann Diachun, M.D., M.S.Ed.; and Colleen Kalynych, Ed.D.

Dr. Zenni is the new interim senior associate dean for educational affairs, as well as the new Designated Institutional Official. The latter position entails overseeing all of our college’s training programs on behalf of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Zenni, who had served as associate dean for educational affairs since 2011, is dedicated to ensuring our residents and fellows receive an exceptional education and that our faculty have the tools they need to be excellent clinician educators.

Dr. Diachun is the new acting associate dean for educational affairs. In that role, she helps provide oversight of the accreditation process for the college’s residency and fellowship training programs. She also oversees the college’s quality and safety learning initiatives and serves as an educational liaison to UF Health Jacksonville’s Center for Healthy Minds and Practice and Employee Wellness offices.

In addition, Dr. Diachun continues to serve as associate chair for education and director of faculty development for the department of anesthesiology, as well as program director of the anesthesiology residency program.

Dr. Kalynych is the new assistant dean for medical education, a role centered on fostering greater educational alignment. This includes enhancing training and learning resources and programs for faculty members, trainees and staff on the UF Health Jacksonville campus while working closely with UF colleagues in Gainesville at the College of Medicine and various departments to access additional resources.

She continues to serve as director of educational development and research in the Office of Educational Affairs and senior lecturer in the department of emergency medicine at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

Our college’s research ecosystem continues to evolve. In the Research Affairs section of this newsletter, Alexander Parker, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research, and Tina Bottini, M.P.A., assistant dean for research administration and compliance, provide an update on the recently established Clinical Research Office.

Meanwhile, Frank Genuardi, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean for student affairs, shares the latest on the plans to launch a regional medical campus. Other articles in this edition include news on our hospital’s latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, information about the mid-career review process and a spotlight on the department of surgery.

Exciting strides are being made at our college and throughout the UF Health enterprise. As I think fondly of Dr. Haley’s impact, I am reminded of his commitment to collaboration, sustained growth and excellence in all we do. While moving forward, let’s embody those tenets and more as we pursue our shared vision to be the region’s most valued health care asset.