Seventeen UT Health San Antonio leaders graduated from the Leadership Excellence for Academic Professionals (LEAP) program Nov. 11 during a special recognition ceremony celebrating the group’s work together over nine months, which culminated in four capstone projects aimed at advancing the university in several mission-critical areas.
The LEAP program is designed to expand leadership knowledge and practical application skills for evolving health care, higher education, and research environments. The leadership program accepts a select group of new applicants each year who demonstrate a proven track record, strong performance, and leadership capabilities. Participants interact and learn from UT Health San Antonio senior leaders and industry experts to complete 20 hours of coursework per month, plus the completion of a capstone project.
The graduates presented their capstone projects to a variety of university leaders including members of the Executive Committee. The projects offered recommendations to improve processes and workflow, to improve the employee and patient experience, as well as significant cost-saving opportunities. Leaders will now consider these projects for implementation across the university.
2021 LEAP Graduates and Capstone Projects
Employee onboarding and maximizing retention
Participants: Lauren Smith, Angelife Pardo, Melissa Bazan, Jeffrey Patterson
Streamlining Dental Care for Head & Neck Cancer Patients
Participants: Joshua Asper, Rebekah Sculley, Savosha Norwood, Steve Brown
UT Health San Antonio C.A.R.E.S.
Participants: Jeremy Mercier, Regina Martinez, Karen Schulz, Miguel Rivera
Wellness 360 Online Scheduling
Participants: Waseem Alezz, Meenakshi Rani, Natalina Martinez, Jolyn Bragg, Dalin Bruns
Andrea Marks, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and Amy Tawney, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, congratulated the LEAP graduates on their commitment to leadership presenting them with certificates for their program completion.
Marks complimented the leaders on understanding our mission and stressed the importance of having a strong bench of leaders in all parts of the organization to see our mission through. Tawney thanked the graduates for rising to the occasion and the commitment to furthering their skills and leadership during the pandemic.
This year’s LEAP cohort had a unique experience from previous years as their program was completely virtual. Their first in-person meeting was during their graduation ceremony.
Congratulations to all the LEAP graduates. Find more information about LEAP on the HR intranet.