The Jessie Trice Community Health System (JTCHS), in partnership with the Jessie Trice Community Health Foundation (JTCHF), marked a new chapter in their commitment to advance primary care with the grand opening of the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the official launch of the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency Program. The program is a significant step toward addressing the ongoing shortage of primary care providers.

The event, held at the JTCHS Dr. Fatima Zafar Health & Wellness Center, brought together JTCHS leadership, board members, staff, resident physicians, healthcare professionals, and community partners. Among the distinguished guests was Ms. Annie R. Neasman, former president and CEO of JTCHS, whose legacy in advancing teaching and research continues through the annex named in her honor.

“This residency program represents a major milestone; we are incredibly proud to open the doors to this next chapter in medical education at JTCHS,” said Ryan R. Hawkins, president and CEO of JTCHS. “By training the next generation of family physicians, we are building a healthier tomorrow for the communities we serve.”

Led by an interdisciplinary team of medical professionals, the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency Program offers a hands-on curriculum rooted in patient-centered care, population health, and service in underserved areas.  “Residents who train at teaching health centers and federally qualified health centers are more likely to remain practicing in underserved areas,” said Dr. Joycelyn Lawrence, chief medical officer of JTCHS and designated institutional official for the program.  “We are honored to mentor these talented residents as they grow into skilled, confident, and compassionate physicians.”

The program’s inaugural class features four outstanding residents who will receive hands-on clinical experience. Their training hub, the Annie Neasman Teaching and Research Annex, located at the JTCHS – Dr. Fatima Zafar Health & Wellness Center, will support interdisciplinary collaboration, patient-centered care, and community engagement.  The annex also houses a growing portfolio of research and quality improvement initiatives, including projects focused on food security, diabetes care, hypertension management and other vital health needs. “I’m proud to see the next generation being trained right here,” said Annie R. Neasman, former president and CEO of JTCHS.

Program leadership includes:

• Ryan R. Hawkins, President & CEO of JTCHS
• Joycelyn Lawrence, Chief Medical Officer of JTCHS and Designated Institutional Officer
• Arianne Cordon-Duran, Associate Program Director
• Gladys Opong-Tetteh, Institutional Administrator and FM Program Coordinator

The opening of the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the launch of the Family Medicine Residency Program mark a significant step forward for JTCHS. By emphasizing education, practical training, and community care, JTCHS is strengthening its commitment to improving health outcomes in South Florida. Over time, this program will help expand the pool of skilled healthcare providers available to serve the community’s evolving needs.

About Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc.

The Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc. (JTCHS) is one of Miami-Dade County’s preeminent federally qualified community health centers, governed by a remarkably dedicated Board of Directors (51% of which are users of the medical and dental services) and an incredibly talented, committed family of providers and staff. The 1st Federally Qualified Health Center in the state and 5th in the nation, JTCHS is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization that has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. JTCHS knows and specializes in comprehensive health, offering a myriad of services to improve the health of the community. This includes but is not limited to dentistry, family medicine, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, behavioral health, transportation, pharmacy, healthy start, obstetric & gynecological care, school-based health, community health promotions, health & wellness center, pediatrics, and ancillary services.  For more information on the Jessie Trice Community Health System, call 305-637-6400 or visit jtchs.org. In addition, to stay connected with news and information about their services and facilities, follow Jessie Trice Community Health System on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram @JessieTriceCHS.

About the Jessie Trice Community Health Foundation

Jessie Trice Community Health Foundation, Inc. (JTCHF), is a not-for profit 501(c)(3) organized in 1985 to promote the provision of medical care, treatment, and health education to the general public and to support Jessie Trice Community Health System’s initiatives to reach the underserved and uninsured population. For more information and to donate, visit www.jtchf.org

Ryan R. Hawkins, president and CEO of JTCHS, delivers opening remarks during the opening ceremony for the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the launch of the JTCHS Family Residency Program.

(L-R) Irene Taylor-Wooten, chair of the JTCHS board of directors, Annie R. Neasman, former president and CEO of JTCHS; and Ryan R. Hawkins, president and CEO of JTCHS, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the launch of the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency program.

The inaugural class of the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency Program, from left, Dr. Sarah Wahman, Dr. Bethly Aubourg, Dr. Taelor Highland, and Dr. Mohammad Ferdjullah, poses on June 24, 2025, at the JTCHS Dr. Fatima Zafar Health & Wellness Center, which houses the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex.

(L-R) Dr. Arianne Cordon-Duran, associate program director of the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency Program, and Dr. Joycelyn Lawrence, chief medical officer of JTCHS and designated institutional official of the residency program, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and program launch held on June 24, 2025, at the JTCHS Dr. Fatima Zafar Health and Wellness Center.

(L-R) Dr. Fabian Thurston, EVP/Chief Operating Officer of JTCHS and David Williams, Jr., former councilman of Miami Gardens and member of the JTCHS board of directors.

(L-R) Dr. Gladys Opong-Tetteh, Dr. Arianne Cordon-Duran, Dr. Saint Anthony Amofah, Dr. Sara Wahman, Dr. Bethly Aubourg, Dr. Joycelyn Lawrence, Dr. Taelor Highland, Dr. Mohammad Ferdjullah, Dr. Deborah Gracia, and Diego Shmuels.

(L-R) Margarita Ollet, executive vice president and COO of Health Choice Network (HCN); Rosalyn Frazier, CEO of Broward Community & Family Health Centers Inc. (BCOM Health); Ryan R. Hawkins, president and CEO of JTCHS; Annie R. Neasman, former president and CEO of JTCHS; and Blake Hall, president and CEO of Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI).

(L-R) Members of the JTCHS Board of Directors join President and CEO Ryan R. Hawkins, former President and CEO Annie R. Neasman, and the inaugural class of the JTCHS Family Medicine Residency Program. On Tuesday, June 24, JTCHS marked a new chapter in advancing primary care and training future physician leaders with the opening of the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the launch of the JTCHS Family Residency Program.

JTCHS leadership, board members, and upcoming residency class prepare to cut the ribbon at the opening of the Annie R. Neasman Teaching and Research Annex and the launch of the Family Medicine Residency Program at the JTCHS – Dr. Fatima Zafar Health & Wellness Center on June 24, 2025.