Three UF graduates are coming back to their alma mater to serve on the UF Board of Trustees.
Gov. Rick Scott appointed William Michael Heekin, Alan M. Levine and Juliet M. Roulhac to the Board on Friday. Their appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
"These accomplished individuals bring a high level of expertise to our board," UF President Bernie Machen said in a statement. "No doubt their advice and counsel will help well-position the University of Florida for the future."
The Board, which meets at least four times a year, is the governing body of UF. The 13 trustees, who serve five-year terms, appoint the university president and may adopt or change university rules and policy.
Six of the Board's trustees are appointed by the governor of Florida, and five are appointed by Florida's state Board of Governors. The Student Government president and the chair of the UF Faculty Senate are the final two members.
Heekin, from Sandy Springs, Ga., earned an accounting degree from UF in 1975 and a law degree in 1978. He was the founding chief operating officer of WebMD, chairman of former Gov. Jeb Bush's Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board and a former associate dean at the Florida State University College of Law.
He also worked as an accountant for the Independent Florida Alligator in the 1970s and has served on the Board of Trustees for UF's Levin College of Law. He will be succeeding Dianna Morgan on the Board.
Levine graduated from UF with a bachelor's in health education and community health, a master's in health science and a master's of business administration.
He has served as the chief executive officer of several hospitals throughout Florida and worked as a health policy adviser for both former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Levine is currently the senior vice president of Health Management Associates based out of Naples, Fla., which manages 60 hospitals in 15 states. He will be succeeding Daniel Ponce.
Roulhac is currently a senior attorney with Florida Power & Light Company in Miami. She will succeed Roland Daniels on the Board.
Roulhac graduated from UF's law school in 1987 and has served on the Board of Trustees for the law school as well as the Florida Bar's Board of Governors.
The new Board members will travel to Gainesville on Wednesday for a two-day retreat at Lake Wauburg for their first introductions.
Heekin said he'll be doing more listening than talking as he learns the ropes.
"I need to understand where the university is right now," he said. "I need to understand, at a granular level, what its strategic plan is - then I'll be in a better position to make recommendations for the future."
