Florida State University (FSU) has appointed Jeremy Slaga as its inaugural Vice President and Chief Clinical Operations Officer, a move aimed at enhancing FSU Health. This new role, effective January 5, 2026, positions Slaga to shape the university’s health enterprise and extend clinical opportunities across Florida.
Richard McCullough, President of FSU, emphasized the importance of this appointment, stating that Slaga’s extensive experience makes him a valuable asset in advancing healthcare initiatives within the community. Currently serving as Chief Integration Officer at Temple Health, Slaga oversees a network that includes six hospital campuses and over 1,550 healthcare professionals.
In his new role, Slaga will closely collaborate with university administrators and regional healthcare partners. He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to make a significant impact through the FSU Health initiative, which aims to foster partnerships in clinical, research, and educational sectors. “I am thrilled to join FSU and work alongside our colleagues across Florida as we develop a transformative network dedicated to enhancing health and healthcare for our communities,” Slaga stated.
Plans for an Academic Health Center
The concept of establishing an academic health center in partnership with Tallahassee Memorial Health (TMH) has been in discussion for over a decade. The TMH Board of Trustees laid out this vision in its strategic plan back in 2008. Since then, the hospital has initiated various residency programs in specialties such as internal medicine, general surgery, and psychiatry.
In a significant boost to this project, the Florida Legislature and the Governor allocated $125 million in 2022 to support the construction of an academic health research center on the TMH campus. The planned 140,000-square-foot facility is set to open in 2026 and will feature clinical research space, a family residency practice, and laboratory facilities, all aimed at bridging the gap between academic research and patient care.
Additionally, FSU has announced plans for a new hospital in Panama City Beach and has made strides in recruiting talent through partnerships with organizations such as the Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic and the Andrews Institute. Recent initiatives include the launch of the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health (ICON-Health), both designed to address critical healthcare needs in the region.
Slaga’s Background and Experience
With an impressive background spanning 18 years in prominent healthcare organizations such as Emory Healthcare and UPMC, Slaga brings a wealth of knowledge in strategic planning, IT optimization, and value-based care administration. He is a graduate of FSU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2002, and later obtained his law degree from Suffolk University Law School.
As FSU embarks on this pivotal journey to enhance healthcare services through the establishment of its health enterprise, Jeremy Slaga’s leadership is poised to play a crucial role in achieving these ambitious goals. The university stands committed to advancing healthcare not only within its community but also across the state of Florida.