The University of Florida 2016-2017 Leadership Academy selected Roland Estrella, MSM, MBA, Clinical Research Manager in the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy, as one of 13 participants in its competitive nine-month leadership development program for faculty and staff. Entering its 13th year, the academy focuses on immersion in the university culture and exposure to its organizational structure to prepare participants for higher-level responsibilities at UF.
The academy, sponsored by UF’s Department of Human Resource Services, gives participants the opportunity to meet with various representatives from the university, including the president, vice presidents and other leaders. In addition, employees travel to Tallahassee to meet with key legislators to gain a broader scope of the university’s role at the state level. Participants meet approximately two to three times a month over the course of the academic year. Job shadowing, observing key meetings, and other interactive activities round out the experience.
Criteria for selecting participants include satisfactory performance reviews and two years in a supervisory or decision-making role at the University of Florida. Mildred Maldonado-Molina, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy, will serve as Estrella’s mentor. Maldonado-Molina and Estrella work together on several projects for the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy. Their projects include investigating statewide maternal and child health outcomes, health care utilization, and developing decision support tools for State Government officials.