Francisco Garcia
Francisco Garcia serves as the Chief of Staff to the President, a role he has held since January 2025. In this position, he provides high-level support to President Suresh Garimella, serving as an institutional representative and executive responsible for stewarding critical issues and relationships, supervising the staff of the Office of the President, and ensuring operational efficiency and effectiveness. He also serves as the university’s liaison to the Arizona Board of Regents and works closely with faculty, staff, and student leaders, partnering to advance the university’s culture of collaboration and engagement.
Dr. Garcia previously served as Deputy County Administrator and Chief Medical Officer for Pima County, overseeing eight major county agencies and leading public health for a population of over one million Southern Arizonans. As a public servant, Garcia created teams and processes that enabled organizational success and provided high-level support to the County Administrator in implementing strategic priorities for elected leaders. He began with Pima County in 2013, first as County Health Department Director, with promotions to Assistant County Administrator in 2017 and his latest role in 2019.
Before this, he was a Distinguished Outreach Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Public Health at the U of A. An internationally recognized expert in public health emergency preparedness, border health, and women’s reproductive health, Garcia has led large, multidisciplinary academic teams, including with the University of Arizona Cancer Center and Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, while teaching and training hundreds of physicians, medical students, and graduate students.
Dr. Garcia also served as a national leader in both medicine and public health, most recently as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors of the Office of Readiness and Response, a position to which he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services. In addition, he has led several national associations, including serving as President of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.
A proud, long-time Tucson resident, Garcia earned a bachelor’s in psychology and medical degree at the U of A and is conducting his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology here. He also holds a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
For his work and impact, in 2023, Dr. Garcia was elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Medicine – one of the highest honors for physicians and healthcare professionals.