Joxel Garcia
President and Dean
Ponce School of Medicine
Joxel García is the President and Dean of the Ponce School of Medicine, a position he's held since April 2009. Since March 2009, Joxel also serves as Principal of the International Healthcare Solutions Group.
Dr. García is a former four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He served as the 13th Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from March 13, 2008 to January 20, 2009. He managed the U.S. Public Health Service and its Commissioned Corps for the Secretary. As ASH, García’s responsibilities included disease prevention, health promotion, public health preparedness, women’s and minority health, the reduction of health disparities, fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning and vaccine preventable disease.
García is a seasoned public health professional with experience in health care delivery, bioterrorism preparedness, health policy and international health affairs.
García served as the Senior Vice President and Senior Medical Advisor for MAXIMUS Federal Services Inc. While with MAXIMUS, García oversaw the work of the MAXIMUS Center for Global Health and was the principal architect of the strategic partnership plan for the Western Hemisphere.
García is the former Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization (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.
García is a native of Hatillo, Puerto Rico and a resident of Connecticut. He served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health from 1999 to 2003. During that time, he improved bioterrorism preparedness, launched the national smallpox preparation and vaccination plan, and led Connecticut’s response to the anthrax attack. He also created an urban health initiative to prevent disease, increase health literacy and improve economic conditions.
García is a trained obstetrician and gynecologist and once served as the Assistant Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
He completed his pre-medical studies at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Mayaguez campus. He holds a medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hartford.
García has served on numerous national boards, including the National Advisory Committee on Violence against Women, National Dialogue on Cancer, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and as the president-elect of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
