When a last-minute scheduling conflict threatened to derail critical diplomatic meetings in Japan, Jesse Casanova had 24 hours to preserve high-level academic partnerships worth years of future collaboration.
He succeeded â and that skill with crisis management was just one example of the exceptional leadership that recently earned Casanova, associate director of international programs at ±«Óătv Health International, a ±«Óătv Health Culture Coin.
Dr. Charles Lockwood gives Jesse Casanova a Culture Coin.
The recognition was presented by Dr. Charles Lockwood, executive vice president of ±«Óătv Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. Dr. Yasuharu Okuda, associate vice president of interprofessional education and practice and executive director of the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation, nominated Casanova for the honor.
Casanova coordinated a complex, multi-sector delegation representing ±«Óătv Health, ±«Óătv World, the Office of the President, the City of Tampa and Tampa General Hospital. The groupâs work resulted in concrete partnerships with six Japanese institutions, including an agreement with Tokyo Women's Medical University and a renewed collaboration with Gifu University.
Dr. Okuda praised Casanova's leadership and diplomatic awareness throughout the visit, noting his ability to coordinate across academic and civic partners while maintaining weekly communication with the Mayor's Office to align with Tampaâs strategic interests and objectives.
âHis work not only elevated the success of the trip â it helped lay the groundwork for long-term global partnerships that will benefit ±«Óătv for years to come,â Okuda said.
Casanova said that receiving Culture Coin recognition was an unexpected but meaningful recognition.
âI was really taken aback by it in a very good way,â Casanova said. âI know it's not given out as often to many individuals, so to receive it just shows that the work that we're all doing is very important. I am very honored.â
Dr. Lockwood, who accompanied the delegation, said witnessing Casanova's work firsthand reinforced why the trip was so successful.
âI never really got to experience the âCasanova effectâ directly until I went to Japan and saw how incredibly effective he was in understanding the culture of Japan, allowing us to interact with Japanese academics and business leaders with incredible diplomacy and efficiency,â Lockwood said. âHe really made it a completely effortless trip.â
Jesse Cassanova (standing) during the trip to Japan. Photo courtesy of Dr. Yasuharu Okuda
Plans are underway for return visits and expanded collaborations. The new dean of the Gifu University School of Medicine will visit ±«Óătv Health, while teams are working with the Consulate General of Japan on follow-up engagement with Link-J focused on research innovation and industry partnerships. ±«Óătv Health is also developing a new affiliation agreement with the Jikei University Medical School in Tokyo.
âThe more that we collaborate, the stronger we become and the stronger our partners become as well,â Casanova said.
These partnerships advance ±«Óătv Health's mission to lead in health education, research and patient care. The collaborations expand access to cutting-edge research, international education and faculty development, enhancing ±«Óătv Health's ability to train globally minded health care leaders.
±«Óătv Health International works to enhance global population health through interdisciplinary collaboration between ±«Óătv's colleges of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health, along with the school of physical therapy. Faculty, staff and students partner with academic institutions, health care facilities and communities worldwide to exchange knowledge and advance health care innovation.
(L-r) Drs. Javier Cuevas and Lynette Menezes, Kiki Caruson, Jesse Casanova, Drs. Charles Lockwood and Yasuharu Okuda.