Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah, one of the nation’s leading cardiologists, medical director of UHealth Cardiology in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has been appointed to the Florida State University System Board of Governors by the Governor of Florida, Rick Scott on October 27th, 2017. Dr. Zachariah has previously been appointed by Governor Rick Scott to serve on the Board of Medicine.
“It is an honor to serve on the 17-member board, whose responsibilities include defining each institution’s mission, setting the curriculum, and managing the system’s coordination and operation,” said Zachariah, whose term will run until January 9, 2019. “I am looking forward to exploring potential public-private educational partnerships and programs with academic institutions like the University of Miami.”
Along with the Indian American cardiologist, Gov. Scott also appointed another Indian American Jay Patel, and Patricia Frost, Tim Cerio, and Ned Lautenbach to be on the Board of Governors. They have been appointed to terms beginning Oct. 27 and ending Jan. 6, 2019. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, but are expected to be formalities.
The 17-member Board of Governors oversees the 12 universities within the State University System of Florida, which is the nation’s second-largest public university system, according to their website.
According to media reports, Zachariah, a GOP fundraiser considered among the most influential Indian-American Republicans, has been a longtime friend of the Bush family. During the tenure of President George H. W. Bush, and his sons, President George W. Bush and two-term former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, he held several influential positions. He belonged to the White House Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders and was chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine.
Director of the Fort Lauderdale Heart Institute. In addition, he is also Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine, and a member of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council of the National Institutes of Health. Among Dr. Zachariah’s professional credentials are certification in the American Board of Internal Medicine and in the sub-specialty Board of Cardiovascular Diseases.
He is also a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiac Angiography, the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the Society of Clinical Scientists. In addition, his research papers and abstracts have been published in Circulation, the American Journal of Cardiology, the Southern Medical Journal, the Royal Society of Medicine, and Clinical Research. Dr. Zachariah received his medical training at the Armed Forces Medical College in Poona, India, and did his medical residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey.
He was awarded a fellowship in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic. There, he worked closely with the late Mason Sones, M.D., who pioneered the technique of coronary arteriography and paved the way for modern cardiology. Dr. Zachariah has personally performed over 10,000 cardiac catheterizations and 2,000 PTCA’s. In addition, Dr. Zachariah is a member of the Commission to study long-term care in the State of Florida and was appointed by Florida’s Insurance Commissioner.
Dr. Zachariah is a member of the Health Advisory Committee and the Citizen Advisory Committee appointed by U.S. Senator Connie Mack. Active with the American Heart Association, Dr. Zachariah is President of the Broward Region, and past President of the American Heart Association, Florida Affiliate.
Zachariah served at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the NIH, as a member of the U.S. delegation to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and as President of the Fort Lauderdale Heart Institute at Holy Cross Hospital.
His awards include the Ellis Island American Legend Award, the Child Advocate of the Year Award, Father of the Year Award, Spirit of Life Award from City of Hope, the Golden Heart Award from the American Heart Association, Freedom Foundation Medal of Honor from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Currently, Dr. Zachariah serves on the Advisory Board of The Universal News Network, www.theunn.com