University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella announced Monday that he has selected Dr. Francisco Garcia as chief of staff to the president.

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Garcia most recently served as deputy county administrator and chief medical officer for Pima County. In that role, he oversaw several large units in county government, including the Department of Health, Pima County Library System, Department of Environmental Quality and the Pima Animal Care Center. He is a Distinguished Outreach Professor Emeritus at the U of A, having served as a faculty member in public health and obstetrics and gynecology for 19 years.

In an announcement sent to university leaders, Garimella highlighted Garcia's work creating teams and processes that enabled organizational success for units providing services throughout Pima County, noting that his work has been in areas of high need and high public interest.

"I will depend on Dr. Garcia's abilities and partnership as the university community begins an effort to shape, communicate and implement a shared vision for our service to the state of Arizona," said Garimella. "I very much look forward to welcoming him back to the University of Arizona and to the impact he will have aligning our internal teams, advancing a culture of collaboration and engagement, elevating and supporting the work of our faculty and staff, and helping to drive our positive impact for the state."

Garcia's role will include supervising the staff of the university president's office, serving as the primary liaison with the Arizona Board of Regents, and coordinating work among members of Garimella's senior team.

"President Garimella is the bold leader that the future of the University of Arizona needs at this time. It is an honor to work with him and his leadership team," said Garcia. "The U of A has immense strengths in its amazing faculty, staff and students, and our role as administrators is to enable their success. I have seen the university's positive impact both as a faculty member and community partner, and I very much look forward to contributing to its future success."

A two-time alumnus of the U of A, Garcia is an internationally recognized expert in public health emergency preparedness, border health and women's reproductive health. He has served on multiple commissions in federal government, including as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors, a position to which he was appointed by the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2023, he was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Medicine.