DAVID ZAMBRANA

PRESIDENT & CEO, JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM, MIAMI

Zambrana has spent more than three decades in South Florida healthcare, beginning his career as a nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The son of Cuban immigrants, he grew up in Hialeah and began working at 15 as a file clerk at Hialeah Hospital, where his mother worked in the cafeteria. Following his sister into nursing, he became a registered nurse at Jackson Memorial, working in cardiac and pediatric intensive care and trauma. He went on to hold nursing leadership positions at several Florida hospitals before moving into administration at the University of Miami Hospital in 2008, where he served as chief nursing officer, chief operating officer and CEO. He returned to Jackson in 2016. Zambrana says his clinical background continues to shape his approach to management. He frequently considers challenges from the perspective of nurses, physicians and other caregivers on the front lines. When Zambrana was appointed to lead Jackson Health in 2026, outgoing CEO Carlos Migoya called him the “most prepared leader in Jackson's 107-year history.” Zambrana also serves as board chair of United Way Miami and remains active in state and national healthcare organizations.

EDUCATION: Southern Adventist University (AS), University of Phoenix (BBA), University of Phoenix (MBA), University of Miami (DNP), University of Miami (Ph.D.)