MIAMI – The Jackson Health System health trust board today voted and selected Eneida Roldan, M.D., as the new president and CEO of the almost $2 billion public health system that includes its flagship Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Roldan has been the Interim President and COO since former President Marvin O’Quinn left on Jan.1. She along with two other candidates, Anthony Armada and Mark Chastang had been short listed from an initial group of five candidates.
The three were all interviewed and questioned again today from 8:30 a.m. to past noon and the board voted on a slate of Roldan, Armada, and Chastang and if the trust’s compensation committee cannot strike a deal with Roldan, then Armada would then be approached but that is thought unlikely.
Eneida Roldan, M.D.
Roldan is a homegrown product, is the first woman and Cuban-American to run the over 90-year old public institution that has an over 50-year affiliation with the UM Miller Medical School and more recently with the new FIU medical school that will have its first students this summer.
Roldan’s background is below in a previous Watchdog Report and the 11- board members present along with county Commissioner Dorrin Rolle all ultimately supported her. The group’s belief was she was in place and there would be a smooth transition, she knew the community and its diversity, as well as total familiarity with the medical health system.
Rolle said while Roldan did okay during the first round of interviews, she “thoroughly impressed me the second time” and she is someone “who can get the baton and hit the ground running a little faster than the other two.” Walter James Harvey, the chair of the search committee, said while “she has less management experience.” It will be important for the board “to support her” and the trust needs “to give her all the resources she needs” to be successful and get the job done of “how we position ourselves in the future,” he thought.
The compensation committee will now meet with Roldan and negotiate her contract and when that document is finalized, the health trust board will vote on the final contract. After the meeting ended, Roldan was surrounded by trust staff congratulating her on the appointment and if that reception in the hallway is any indication. The physician will be well received by the 12,000 physicians and employees working at the system. Further, trustees not attending the special board meeting were Diego Mella (in Italy), Georgena D. Ford, RN, and Martin Zilber.
