As Carlos Migoya, chief executive officer at Jackson Health System, concludes his tenure as CEO of Jackson on May 31, 2026, his successor, David Zambrana, president and chief operating officer (COO) at Jackson Health System, prepares to take on his new role to lead Jackson toward the next chapter of care.

 In 2011, Jackson Health System was facing significant challenges. Just the year before, the system lost $82 million, and its future was uncertain. But, that same year, Carlos Migoya – who was serving as city manager for the city of Miami, and previously, regional president and CEO of Wachovia – stepped into the role of CEO at Jackson, giving the organization a glimmer of hope.

That hope turned into a new reality for Jackson when, in 2012 – just one year later – the health system produced a surplus of more than $8 million under Migoya’s leadership. It was the first time Jackson had produced a surplus since 2006, and the system has earned an annual surplus every year since.

Over the last 15 years, Migoya has led a remarkable transformation at the health system, reversing years of financial losses while improving health care quality, patient satisfaction, and Jackson’s infrastructure across Miami-Dade County.

In 2013, Migoya led the Jackson Miracle-Building Bond Program, an $830 million campaign that led 65 percent of Miami-Dade voters to approve a 10-year, $1.7 billion capital plan to renovate, modernize, and expand Jackson’s facilities. Since then, Miami-Dade communities have seen the opening of Jackson West Medical Center in Doral, Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial, and UHealth Jackson Urgent Care centers across the county that bring care closer to patients’ homes.

And most recently, on April 23, 2026, Jackson opened a new state-of-the-art emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital – one of the largest in the nation – featuring private rooms, advanced equipment, and expanded capacity.

Now, Migoya’s transformational legacy as Jackson’s CEO is entering a new chapter. After more than a decade leading the health system, he’ll end his tenure, naming David Zambrana, Jackson’s president and chief operating officer (COO), as his successor.

On June 1, Zambrana will step into the role of CEO, bringing his own vision for Jackson’s future. While leadership may change, the mission remains the same – delivering exceptional, world-class patient care to the communities the health system serves.

Q: What has been your biggest success, or pride point, in your 15-year tenure as CEO at Jackson Health System?

Migoya: Since day one, I’ve thought about succession planning. Within a year or two of David being at Jackson Memorial Hospital, I knew there was potential for him, and I knew very well that he could handle the CEO position. This job isn’t just about Jackson – it’s about the Miami community, and David cares about the entire community.

Q: As you look forward to this next chapter, what does success look like for you in the first phase as CEO?

Zambrana: Success to me in this new role meanscontinuing to build on the success we’ve achieved together, and not being complacent. My approach will ensure that everyone who is a part of the work we do at Jackson feels connected to why this is important. Success means so many things, but at the end of the day, the main thing is continuing to improve the way we care and serve our patients and community.

Q: Talk about what your responsibilities as the new CEO of Jackson Health System look like in this role relative to the patients, caregivers, and the community.

Zambrana: My primary focus is starting with why we exist – it’s every patient that walks through our doors, understanding their needs, and living up to our mission of a single high-standard quality of care, regardless of their ability to pay. It’s also about our 15,000 team members, who wake up every day to be a part of life-changing care, and our graduate medical education mission with the University of Miami. These are just a few segments of our health system that I’ll work every day to understand, so that we can continue to be what we are for the community – caregivers for our patients, and a world-class academic medical center that is training the next generation of healthcare professionals in our community.

What do you hope caregivers see reflected in you when you’re rounding on units or talking to patients and team members?

Zambrana: First and foremost, I would hope they see themselves in me. I started my career as a nurse at Ryder Trauma Center when it opened in 1992, so I understand the collective work of our caregivers and our mission together. I also hope they see someone who would advocate for their work environment, for them individually, and for our patients, which is why we’re here. In my role, I’m representing individuals across Jackson Health System who all carry this mission. They’re making sure, through their work every day, that they carry Jackson’s legacy for our Miami-Dade communities.

Q: When you think of 10 years from now, what will have changed at Jackson under David’s leadership?

Migoya: I wouldn’t say Jackson will change – I’d say evolve. I’m leaving the organization with a great team. Jackson creates opportunities for people, and that’s extremely important – the leaders at Jackson are all trained and developed within the health system. So, I believe with the headwinds that we have ahead of us, Jackson is overall ready with the team we have and with David as their leader. David and his entire team will continue improving on Jackson’s quality and patient safety experience; we’ll continue pushing Jackson’s mission of world-renowned patient care; and we’ll continue our great academic partnership with the University of Miami. When people ask me, “what is your biggest legacy,” it is finding a successor to lead Jackson Health System, which I found in David.