Joxel García
Encyclopedia
Joxel García is a Puerto Rican
physician and a former four-star
admiral
in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He served as the thirteenth Assistant Secretary for Health
(ASH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
from March 13, 2008 to January 20, 2009. He currently serves as the President of the Ponce School of Medicine
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
.
. His father was a dairy farmer and his mother a housewife and a teacher. He was the oldest boy of five children. He completed his pre-medical studies at the University of Puerto Rico
(UPR), Mayaguez campus
. He is a graduate from, the Ponce School of Medicine
in Ponce, Puerto Rico
in 1988. He also received Master of Business Administration
degree from the University of Hartford
. He did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, after being trained as an obstetrician and gynecologist at the Ponce School of Medicine.
in Hartford, Connecticut
. Since then, he served in several appointed positions at Mt. Sinai, St. Francis, and the University of Connecticut Health Center. For a while after obtaining his M.D. degree, Dr. García served as Assistant Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
. During that time, he instituted a bioterrorism
preparedness program, launched the national smallpox preparation and vaccination plans, and led Connecticut’s response to the anthrax
attack. He also created urban health initiatives for disease prevention, and managed improvements in health literacy and economic conditions.
(PAHO)/Regional Office Western Hemisphere for the World Health Organization
. As Deputy Director, García was responsible for setting the general direction and strategy of the organization alongside the director and for providing leadership and advice on all policy decisions. He was also responsible for maintaining effective relations between the organization and the governments of the United States
, Canada
, and Puerto Rico
. When appointed to the PAHO position, Secretary of Health Thomas G. Thompson said, "As a leader in his home state of Connecticut and a proud son of Puerto Rico, Dr. Garcia embodies the multilingual, multiethnic face of our hemisphere." The news media reported that "Joxel Garcia, the Puerto Rican physician who won plaudits for his handling of an anthrax scare while serving as state health commissioner in Connecticut, will later this month become deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)."
. García led several programs at MAXIMUS including emergency preparedness and disaster relief.
for the position of Assistant Secretary for Health with the rank of admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in late 2007. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 14, 2008, becoming the first Puerto Rican to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health.
As the Assistant Secretary for Health, García was the primary advisor to the Secretary of Health on matters involving the nation’s public health system and health science. He also oversaw the U.S. Public Health Service
and its Commissioned Corps for the Secretary of Health. In his position, García’s responsibilities included disease prevention, health promotion, public health preparedness, women’s and minority health, reduction of health disparities, fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning, and vaccine preventable diseases. García's experience in public health encompassed health care delivery, bioterrorism preparedness, health policy, and international health affairs.
. On his inaugural speech he said, All the things I have mentioned here are not dreams but things that I am already working on, things that are happening, and will continue to evolve". He feels that Puerto Rico could be a regional medical training center.
, National Dialogue on Cancer, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, and as the president-elect of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
García is said to have seen his role as Assistant Secretary for Health as an opportunity to enhance the Secretary's efforts to further the mission of Health and Human Services and the health of the nation by building, strengthening, and leveraging relationships across the public health community and the US Public Health Service while also improving healthcare for all Americans.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
physician and a former four-star
4 star rank
Four-star rank is a term used to describe a very senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO OF-9 code. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He served as the thirteenth Assistant Secretary for Health
United States Assistant Secretary for Health
The United States Assistant Secretary for Health serves as the Secretary of Health and Human Services's primary advisor on matters involving the nation's public health and, if serving as an active member in the regular corps, is the highest ranking uniformed officer in the Public Health Service...
(ASH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
from March 13, 2008 to January 20, 2009. He currently serves as the President of the Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine is a private medical school located in the city of Ponce in Puerto Rico, U.S. The school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education , and classified as a United States Medical School...
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
.
Early years and medical preparation
García was born and raised in Hatillo, Puerto RicoHatillo, Puerto Rico
Hatillo is a municipality located on Puerto Rico's north coast, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Lares and Utuado to the south, Camuy to the west, and Arecibo to the east. According to the 2000 US Census Hatillo is spread over 9 wards and Hatillo Pueblo...
. His father was a dairy farmer and his mother a housewife and a teacher. He was the oldest boy of five children. He completed his pre-medical studies at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
(UPR), Mayaguez campus
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
. He is a graduate from, the Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine is a private medical school located in the city of Ponce in Puerto Rico, U.S. The school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education , and classified as a United States Medical School...
in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
in 1988. He also received Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree from the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
. He did his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, after being trained as an obstetrician and gynecologist at the Ponce School of Medicine.
Private practice
When he finished his residency, he opened his own practice at St. Francis Hospital & Medical CenterSaint Francis Hospital & Medical Center
Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center is an acute care hospital located on Woodland Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The hospital was established in 1897 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry. The hospital has 617 beds and 65 bassinets. It is the largest Catholic hospital in New...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. Since then, he served in several appointed positions at Mt. Sinai, St. Francis, and the University of Connecticut Health Center. For a while after obtaining his M.D. degree, Dr. García served as Assistant Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Health
From 1999 to 2003 Dr. Garcia was Commissioner of Public Health for the state of ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. During that time, he instituted a bioterrorism
Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents are bacteria, viruses, or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form. For the use of this method in warfare, see biological warfare.-Definition:According to the...
preparedness program, launched the national smallpox preparation and vaccination plans, and led Connecticut’s response to the anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
attack. He also created urban health initiatives for disease prevention, and managed improvements in health literacy and economic conditions.
Global public health exposure
From 2003 to 2006, Dr. García served as Deputy Director of the Pan American Health OrganizationPan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization is an international public health agency with over 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas...
(PAHO)/Regional Office Western Hemisphere for the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
. As Deputy Director, García was responsible for setting the general direction and strategy of the organization alongside the director and for providing leadership and advice on all policy decisions. He was also responsible for maintaining effective relations between the organization and the governments of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. When appointed to the PAHO position, Secretary of Health Thomas G. Thompson said, "As a leader in his home state of Connecticut and a proud son of Puerto Rico, Dr. Garcia embodies the multilingual, multiethnic face of our hemisphere." The news media reported that "Joxel Garcia, the Puerto Rican physician who won plaudits for his handling of an anthrax scare while serving as state health commissioner in Connecticut, will later this month become deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)."
Corporate experience
Prior to becoming Assistant Secretary of Health, García served as the Senior Vice President and Senior Medical Advisor at MAXIMUS Federal Services Inc. There, García oversaw the work of the MAXIMUS' Center for Global Health and was the principal architect of the strategic partnership plan for the Western HemisphereWestern Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
. García led several programs at MAXIMUS including emergency preparedness and disaster relief.
U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health
Dr. Garcia was nominated for appointment by President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for the position of Assistant Secretary for Health with the rank of admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in late 2007. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 14, 2008, becoming the first Puerto Rican to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health.
As the Assistant Secretary for Health, García was the primary advisor to the Secretary of Health on matters involving the nation’s public health system and health science. He also oversaw the U.S. Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
and its Commissioned Corps for the Secretary of Health. In his position, García’s responsibilities included disease prevention, health promotion, public health preparedness, women’s and minority health, reduction of health disparities, fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning, and vaccine preventable diseases. García's experience in public health encompassed health care delivery, bioterrorism preparedness, health policy, and international health affairs.
President and Dean of PSM
On April 1, 2009, Dr. Garcia was named President and Dean of the Ponce School of MedicinePonce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine is a private medical school located in the city of Ponce in Puerto Rico, U.S. The school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education , and classified as a United States Medical School...
. On his inaugural speech he said, All the things I have mentioned here are not dreams but things that I am already working on, things that are happening, and will continue to evolve". He feels that Puerto Rico could be a regional medical training center.
Extracurricular
García has served on a number of national boards, including the National Advisory Committee on Violence against WomenViolence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
, National Dialogue on Cancer, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, and as the president-elect of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
García is said to have seen his role as Assistant Secretary for Health as an opportunity to enhance the Secretary's efforts to further the mission of Health and Human Services and the health of the nation by building, strengthening, and leveraging relationships across the public health community and the US Public Health Service while also improving healthcare for all Americans.
Family life
Dr. Garcia has his family residence in Avon, Connecticut, where he has resided since 1988. He is married to Dr. Ingrid Grafals, a private internal medicine physician. They have two children.See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans – Military
- University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez people