Tampa General Hospital Appoints Jennifer Crabtree as President of the Tampa Medical & Research District

Crabtree will lead the strategic direction and ongoing development of the TMRD, a growing hub of world-class clinical care, academics, research and biotechnology.

TAMPA, Fla., April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) today announced the appointment of Jennifer Crabtree to the role of senior vice president of Tampa General and president of the Tampa Medical & Research District (TMRD) effective October 1, 2025. In this role, Crabtree will lead the strategic direction and development of the TMRD, a growing hub of world-class clinical care, academics, research and biotechnology anchored by one of the country's leading academic health systems — Tampa General, in collaboration with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

"Jennifer has been an exceptional leader and an invaluable strategic partner in the growth and development of the Tampa Medical & Research District since its inception," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "I could not think of a better person more equipped to lead the strategic direction and development of the District moving forward. I am confident that her skill set and passion for this work will meaningfully drive our vision for the District and unlock the true potential of our partnerships."

The TMRD is part of a historic capital commitment from Tampa General to create an ecosystem in Tampa that attracts highly respected clinicians, scientists, educators and investors. As a result, the TMRD increases access to esteemed experts, unparalleled research, unique educational opportunities and revolutionary health care services throughout the region. Bringing together the world's foremost health care and life sciences companies, biotech firms and academic institutions, the TMRD also fosters the creation of new health care technologies, pharmaceuticals, treatment protocols and clinical trials, expanding care delivery and improving patient outcomes.

According to an independent third-party study conducted by The Washington Economics Group, the District, upon completion, is projected to create and support nearly 58,000 jobs annually and generate a total economic impact of $8.3 billion, including:

• $4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP);
• $798 million in federal, state and local fiscal revenue; and
• $2.4 billion in household income.

In her capacity as president of the TMRD, Crabtree will oversee the ongoing work of the TMRD Advisory Committee, which was established last year to guide the strategy, continued development and expansion of the District. The TMRD Advisory Committee is a strategic body comprising a diverse cross-section of chief executive officers, community and governmental partners, practitioners and key opinion leaders in the health care, life sciences, education, technology, energy and real estate sectors, with these stakeholders serving as the "connective tissue" of the District.

Members of the committee include:

• John Couris, President and CEO, Tampa General Hospital | Florida Health Sciences Center
• Dr. Charles Lockwood, EVP, USF Health | Dean, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
• Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, President, University of Tampa
• Archie Collins, President and CEO, TECO Energy
• Robin DeLaVergne, SVP, External Affairs, TGH
• Eric Eisenberg, SVP of University-Community Partnerships, USF
• Abbye Feeley, Administrator for Development and Economic Opportunity, City of Tampa
• Roger Germann, President and CEO, The Florida Aquarium
• Dr. Paul Greenwood, Ph.D., University of Tampa
• Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges, President, Tampa Downtown Partnership
• David Harris, Executive Managing Director for Corporate and Financial Services, Cushman and Wakefield
• Tim Holcomb, CEO, Embarc Collective
• Phillip Lee, Market President for West Florida, Florida Blue
• Matt Mitchell, President & CEO, Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA
• Marcos Murillo, Chief of Innovation and Strategic Planning, Hillsborough County Public Schools
• Craig Richard, President & CEO, Tampa Bay EDC
• Gary Sasso, President & CEO, Carlton Fields
• Lee Schaffler, Development Consultant
• Darryl Shaw, CEO, Casa Ybor
• Joanne Sullivan, AVP of Community Engagement, USF Health
• Josh Taube, CEO, Strategic Property Partners
• Michael Tomor, PhD, Executive Director, Tampa Museum of Art

Crabtree and the TMRD will continue partnering closely with the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC) on talent attraction and life science business recruitment. With numerous health care and life sciences businesses already successfully recruited into the District, including Palantir, Medtronic, Versea Health, Inovus Medical, Life Pulse, Medability, Qualifacts and Aquafence, amongst others, the collaboration with the EDC has set the foundation for the District's growth.

Covering more than 1,500 acres in and around the greater Tampa metro area, the TMRD has grown to include hundreds of other assets, including the main campus of Tampa General Hospital on Davis Islands, the USF Morsani College of Medicine, the University of Tampa, the TGH Kennedy Emergency Center, the recently opened TGH Behavioral Health Hospital in partnership with LifePoint Health and USF Health, the TGH Rehabilitation Hospital, the TGH-USF Health Precision Medicine Biorepository and more.

"When TGH first established the Tampa Medical & Research District, we had an ambitious vision to create a robust and inclusive health care and life sciences ecosystem, right here in the urban core of the city," added Crabtree. "Given the rapid growth Tampa is seeing, this feels like a pivotal moment to step into this role and continue building on the incredible things we've achieved already with our partners over the last few years. And at the same time, when we think about the potential this District still holds, we understand that this important work is just getting started."

Prior to this role, Jennifer served as the vice president of corporate communications and chief of staff for the Office of the President and CEO at Tampa General Hospital. Jennifer's primary focus is driving strategic communications and partnership initiatives across the enterprise to position Tampa General as an industry-leading research and academic-based health system and elevate the unique expertise of the organization's leaders. Jennifer has facilitated the CEO's vision for the organization through her leadership of strategic projects, such as the development of the Tampa Medical & Research District.

More information about the Tampa Medical & Research District, including partnership opportunities, is available here.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, with two medical specialties ranking among the top 20 in the nation and eight medical specialties ranking among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in the 2024 America's Best Large Employers, the top 50 in Florida in the 2024 America's Best Employers by State and the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2023, provided a net community benefit of approximately $301.8 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It was the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant center in 2024 and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes TGH North, which is comprised of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, two TGH Outpatient Centers, TGH Virtual Health, and 19 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Beth Hardy, APR
Assistant Manager
Publications & Physician Communications
(727) 510-6363 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital