Leon Haley Jr., the chief executive officer of University of Florida Health-Jacksonville, died on July 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, from injuries suffered in a personal watercraft accident. He was 56 years old.
A native of Pittsburgh, Dr. Haley earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He went on to complete a medical doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh. He later earned a master’s degree in health services aAdministration at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Haley completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, serving a year as chief resident. He then served as a staff physician for the health system.
Dr. Haley was hired by Emory University’s Grady Hospital as executive associate dean for clinical services and chief medical officer for the Emory Medical Care Foundation. He joined the faculty at the University of Florida in 2017 as dean of the College of Medicine-Jacksonville. He was the first African American to hold that position. Dr. Haley also was a professor of emergency medicine and vice president for health affairs for the University of Florida.
