From Speech Therapy to the C-suite

By Karen-Janine Cohen

Jennifer Rey-Garcia (MBA '22) knew early on she wanted to become a speech therapist after seeing the satisfaction the profession gave a family friend. It fulfilled her desire to work with kids and help in a hospital setting. That decision led her to a position as director of clinical operations at Jackson Health System, where she oversees a complex project harmonizing patient care protocols across Jackson's many divisions.

"The idea is to streamline and standardize care for patients throughout the health system," Rey-Garcia said. It's a challenging undertaking, with each department constructing its own protocols. Rey-Garcia rides herd on the entire process. "I'm the backbone that holds everything together across all service lines, ensuring everything stays on track."

She didn't envision this role when she earned her FIU degrees – an undergraduate in health sciences, followed by a master's in speech-language pathology. She became sensitized to the hospital setting when her father, who along with her mother immigrated from Cuba, died from cancer when Rey-Garcia was just 13. The experience inspired her to help patients. She joined Jackson as an intern and never left.

Once credentialed, Rey-Garcia worked with children – including tiny babies in the neonatal intensive care unit learning to swallow. She also treated people with strokes and other brain injuries. "It was very rewarding to work with those patients; every day was bringing them back to who they were before their injury," she said.

After 10 years of bedside practice, Rey-Garcia transitioned to management. "In management you have the ability to create change for a larger group of patients," she explained. She rose to rehab therapy manager, then to director of rehabilitation therapy services; then was named director of design and construction before being appointed to her current position in November of 2023.

She decided to pursue her master's degree as her roles became more extensive. She earned her MBA in the Healthcare MBA program at FIU Business while working full time with an 8-month-old and 3-year-old at home. "It was the program I enjoyed the most because I had real life experience to fill in the gaps of what was being taught," she said.

In her current position, Rey-Garcia plays a key role in ensuring patient care aligns with best practices and is standardized across all facilities. "We assess information from all our locations, set goals and implement strategies to enhance care," she explained. The challenge lies in keeping pace with the fast-evolving landscape of healthcare.

Her free time is dedicated to her children and husband, Francisco Garcia, an architect for the City of Miami Beach. "He's my number one fan and biggest supporter."