Florida State University (FSU) has appointed Jeremy Slaga as its inaugural Vice President and Chief Clinical Operations Officer. Announced by FSU President Richard McCullough, Slaga is set to begin his new role on January 5, 2026. In this position, he will play a key role in advancing the university’s health enterprise and expanding clinical opportunities across the state of Florida.
Slaga brings extensive experience in healthcare management, currently serving as the Chief Integration Officer at Temple Health, which encompasses six hospital campuses and employs over 1,550 healthcare professionals. As an alumnus of FSU, he expressed excitement about returning to his roots and contributing to the university’s mission to enhance healthcare delivery in the community.
“Florida State University is committed to advancing healthcare in our community and throughout our state,” McCullough stated. “Jeremy is a visionary healthcare leader with a tremendous amount of experience who will be an extraordinary partner in this endeavor, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”
In his new capacity, Slaga will report directly to McCullough and collaborate closely with university administrators and regional healthcare partners. He emphasized the potential of FSU Health to create significant impact through partnerships in clinical research and education. “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 remarked.
The establishment of FSU Health has been a long-standing initiative within the Tallahassee area, dating back over a decade. The vision for an academic health center at Tallahassee Memorial Health (TMH) was first articulated in the hospital’s strategic plan in 2008. Since then, TMH has introduced several residency programs in fields such as internal medicine, general surgery, and psychiatry.
Further supporting this initiative, the state legislature allocated $125 million in 2022 for the construction of an academic health research center on the TMH campus. This 140,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2026, featuring clinical research space, a family residency practice, and laboratory facilities designed to bridge the gap between academic research and patient care.
In addition to the TMH project, FSU has plans to establish a new hospital in Panama City Beach and has enhanced its workforce through strategic hires with organizations like Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic and the Andrews Institute. The university has also launched the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health (ICON-Health), initiatives aimed at addressing critical healthcare needs in Florida.
Slaga’s background in healthcare spans 18 years across various prominent academic institutions, including Emory Healthcare and UPMC. His expertise encompasses strategic planning, information technology optimization, procurement, and the complexities of value-based care administration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from FSU, obtained in 2002, and a law degree from Suffolk University Law School.
With Slaga’s appointment, FSU aims to enhance its clinical operations and strengthen its position as a leader in healthcare education and delivery in Florida. His leadership is seen as pivotal for the future of FSU Health and its initiatives to improve community health outcomes throughout the state.
