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Cabinet Members

The UNF MedNexus Industry Leadership Cabinet is a strategic, external advisory group to provide insights on emerging trends, workforce needs, and innovation opportunities—while actively championing MedNexus initiatives, fostering partnerships, and opening doors for student engagement, research collaboration, and community investment. Their expertise and advocacy help ensure that MedNexus remains responsive, future-focused, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.

Doug Palmer, Group Vice President, Healthcare & Life Sciences, NA GenAI Data Platform

Doug Palmer is a dynamic Group Vice President at Oracle, leading North America's GenAI Data Platform Sales for Healthcare & Life Sciences. With over 25 years at innovative tech giants, he drives customer adoption, scaling, and deployment across multicloud, hybrid, on-prem, and OCI environments—empowering organizations to tackle complex challenges securely, cost-effectively, and with minimal risk. A high-energy sales leader, Doug consistently surpasses targets by putting customer success first. He excels at building elite teams, forging lasting client partnerships, and delivering visionary strategies that fuel sustained business expansion. Passionate and enthusiastic in all pursuits, Doug is committed to transforming healthcare through cutting-edge AI and data solutions.

Carlton Robinson, DBA, Chief Innovation Officer, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Carlton Robinson currently serves as the chief innovation officer of the Jacksonville (FL) Regional Chamber of Commerce. He has developed a wide range of entrepreneurial programming to support members, the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center, and the JAX USA Partnership. He developed and launched the JAX Bridges (2014) entrepreneurial education program that has served nearly 3,500 business owners. In 2016, his program was recognized as a national finalist for innovation, and in 2021 he co-authored the Society for the Advancement of Management’s Best Paper Award in entrepreneurship. His leadership spans Start-Up Quest/University of Florida, Lean Startup Week (San Francisco), and Startup Weekend (Jacksonville), with certifications from the Kauffman Foundation and the National Center for Economic Gardening. At the JAX Chamber, he positioned the organization as one of the nation’s leading resource providers to achieve vertical integration of AI in entrepreneur support through his Agentic-Network Architecture.

Cayla J. Elrod, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, EverBank

Cayla J. Elrod serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at EverBank, N.A., where she leads the bank’s human capital strategy to drive growth, engagement, and cultural transformation. Previously with Mayo Clinic, she specialized in aligning HR strategy with business objectives and workforce development. A University of Florida and Penn State alumna, Ms. Elrod holds PHR and SHRM-CP certifications and actively contributes to industry committees with the Consumer Bankers Association, Mid-size Bank Coalition of America, and other professional organizations. A Florida native, she is passionate about advancing financial literacy and talent development.

Peter Serio, VP and Chief Customer Officer, GuideWell

Peter Serio is Chief Customer Officer at GuideWell, where he leads customer experience strategy, innovation, and transformation initiatives for GuideWell and Florida Blue. Since joining the company in 2015, he has held key leadership roles spanning strategy, innovation, and customer engagement.

With a background in product management, competitive strategy, and marketing, Serio previously held leadership positions at Asurion, Deloitte Consulting, and GE Capital. A CPA and former adjunct professor at the University of North Florida, he was named one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2018. Serio holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.