Tampa General Hospital’s Jennifer Crabtree Recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as a Rising Healthcare Leader

The national recognition highlights Crabtree’s leadership in advancing the Tampa Medical & Research District and supporting Tampa General’s growth as a leading national academic health system.

TAMPA, Fla. (Oct. 26, 2026) — Tampa General Hospital (TGH) announced today that Jennifer Crabtree, president of the Tampa Medical & Research District (TMRD) and senior vice president at Tampa General, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 list of “Rising Stars: 188 Healthcare Leaders Under 40.” The annual list recognizes emerging healthcare leaders whose creativity, vision and impact are shaping the healthcare industry.

Crabtree’s recognition comes as Tampa General expands its role as a premier academic health system and anchor institution for the TMRD, a health innovation district designed to accelerate breakthroughs, drive economic growth and foster collaboration. Anchored by Tampa General, the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa — and supported by a broader network of civic and economic partners — the district unites clinical care, life sciences, artificial intelligence and the defense industry in one coordinated ecosystem. Crabtree leads the TMRD’s strategy and development while also overseeing corporate communications across the Tampa General health system.

“Jennifer has been a driving force behind the Tampa Medical & Research District’s vision and the partnerships bringing it to life,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General. “She has a rare ability to connect people, ideas and institutions in ways that create lasting impact for our industry and for patients across Tampa Bay and beyond. This recognition from Becker’s reflects the leadership, discipline and purpose she brings to Tampa General and the future of academic medicine.”

As president of the TMRD, Crabtree oversees the TMRD Advisory Committee and helps guide a coordinated health innovation district that connects healthcare, academia and public- and private-sector partners while attracting clinicians, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and investors to Tampa. An independent study by The Washington Economics Group projects that the district will ultimately support 57,900 jobs annually and generate more than $8.3 billion in total economic impact, including $4 billion in gross domestic product, $798 million in federal, state and local fiscal revenue, and $2.4 billion in household income created.

Since becoming the TMRD’s first president in October 2025, Crabtree has helped advance significant developments, including Tampa General’s expanded footprint in Ybor City through a new 32,000-square-foot innovation center and plans for a new hospital and clinical campus; a partnership connecting Embarc Collective’s health technology startups with the TMRD, Tampa General leaders and TGH Ventures; and investments in research and advanced clinical training, including an immunotherapy laboratory and a collaboration with GE HealthCare at USF Health CAMLS. These efforts support the TMRD’s work to connect care, research, education, industry and entrepreneurship and move ideas from discovery to real-world impact.

“This recognition reflects the extraordinary momentum we’re building across the Tampa Medical & Research District and, more importantly, the collective commitment of the organizations and talented people behind it,” said Crabtree. “We have an opportunity to create something truly distinctive in Tampa — an ecosystem where world-class healthcare, research, education and innovation come together to improve lives, attract talent and investment and drive economic growth. I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, and even more excited about what we’re building for the future.”

View Becker’s Hospital Review’s full list of 2026 Rising Stars HERE.