Esteban Garcia, currently chief medical officer for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, has been named Dartmouth’s first chief health and human services officer. He will start his job on March 4th.
The creation of this position reflects President Sian Leah Beilock’s commitment at the time of her inauguration to make mental health and wellness a systemic priority. A nationwide search for talent began last summer.
“As we focus on the health and well-being of our students, educators, and staff, which also means creating the best environment for academic excellence, finding the right leader for this role is critical. ” said Chancellor Beilock.
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Dr. Garcia combines a broad understanding of public health with a deep and lifelong experience as a clinician.
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President Sian Leah Beilock
“Dr. Garcia combines a broad understanding of public health with a lifetime of deep experience as a clinician. He is a courageous and outspoken advocate who supports holistic, integrated efforts to support the health of entire communities. We are committed to creating a unique approach.”
Garcia, a specialist in pediatric emergency medicine, will report directly to the president and will oversee Dartmouth College Health Services, the Student Wellness Center, and Employee Wellness. He will be a member of the chancellor’s senior leadership team and serve as an advisor and spokesperson on all health issues impacting students, faculty, and staff.
He will also play a key role in implementing Commitment to Care, Dartmouth’s strategic plan for student mental health and well-being, and will also work closely with Dartmouth Health.
Garcia called being selected for Dartmouth’s inaugural position “an honor.”
“Especially since COVID-19, I have seen so many young people in crisis. I turned to public health to explore more broadly how to prevent the kinds of crises we are seeing in individual patients. I was drawn to Dartmouth because of the opportunity to cultivate a framework for resilience in a community of high-achieving youth, some of whom need support with mental health and behavioral health concerns. Because of that,” he says.
“I see this as an opportunity to have a broad impact, because as our students become leaders in their industries and the world, we will explore how resiliency contributes to what it takes to be successful. Because you will begin to recognize what is going on.”
The role of the Chief Health Officer includes supporting faculty and staff.
“As faculty, we need to model health behaviors for our students and help them understand the importance of health,” Garcia says. “My role is to advocate for the resources needed to model these behaviors.”
Garcia plans to be a visible presence on campus. “I want to make myself available. At first, it’s important to get to know who my students are, what their needs are, and help them understand how to communicate with me.” I will have an open door policy and host student forums and small groups. Students may see me sitting in the cafeteria. I want to get to know them as individuals. I am.”
A native of Texas, Garcia graduated magna cum laude in psychology from UT Austin and attended medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Dallas Children’s Medical Center, part of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, received a master’s degree in public administration from New York University, and a master’s degree in public health from the City University of New York. received a Ph.D. new york.
Garcia chose to pursue a career as a doctor because of his own family’s tragic experiences.
“I have a sister who had leukemia when she was young and died within four months of her birth. I was 13 when she got sick. We had a family pediatrician and , helped me get the care I needed at Texas Children’s Hospital. I learned how much the doctors and nurses cared for my family, even when there was nothing they could do.”
Initially, he aimed to become a pediatric hemato-oncologist, but found himself drawn more towards emergency medicine. “I thought, “I like this.” These are not long-term patients. You can make impactful decisions quickly. Children generally thrive. From my perspective, pediatrics… One of the benefits of this is that often small interventions can have a big impact on children’s lives.”
In her role with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, she has served as an advisor to the Department of Mental Health’s Behavioral Health Roadmap, which provides a blueprint for expanding access to effective and equitable treatment across the state.
Previously, he served as chief medical officer at Cooley Dickinson Health Care, an affiliate of Massachusetts General Brigham, and at Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn. Vice President and Medical Director of Risk Management for a hospital insurance company. Interim CEO of Tewksbury Hospital in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.
He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has published nearly a dozen peer-reviewed papers. He serves on the boards of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Committee for Public Health Data Systems Transformation, the Children’s Advocacy Center in Northampton, Massachusetts, and the GLMA, the oldest and largest association of LGBTQ+ and allied health professionals. I’m here.
He is also the president of the Treehouse Foundation, an organization that builds intergenerational communities for families with foster children. Garcia and her husband William raised her more than 20 children and raised three adopted children.
The study committee was chaired by Jomisha Delgado Stevens, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Special Advisor to the President, and William Tory, Raymond Sobel Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine.
“Dr. Garcia brings energy, creativity, and extensive clinical and public health experience to this exciting new opportunity. I know he will have an extremely positive impact on the lives of our Dartmouth community.” ” Tory says.
Committee members included the Albert Bradley 1915 3rd century computer science professor, Andrew Campbell; Matthew Duncan, assistant professor of psychiatry and medical education at Geisel University. Mike Harrity, Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation; Anne Hudak, associate dean for student support services. Sarah Lester, Chief Human Resources Officer; Janice McCabe, associate professor of sociology and House Professor in Allen House;
“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Garcia to Dartmouth and thank the search committee for its hard work in finding the right person for the job,” Beilock said.
