Texas Governor Greg Abbott is playing the long game when it comes to shaping state health policy, keeping it steady by reappointing the same fourteen members to the Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors, as was announced on Monday. These individuals are tasked with the hefty role of streamlining health information exchange in the Lone Star State, with their terms ending June 15, 2027.
According to the Office of the Texas Governor, among the returning members, Victoria Bryant, Pharm.D., of Houston holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Houston and brings with her the experience of running her own caregiving business. Meanwhile, Shannon Calhoun boasts decades of healthcare leadership experience and a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from Texas A&M University. Salil Deshpande, M.D., also based in Houston, holds both a medical degree and an MBA, and serves in a leadership role at UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas.
Other noteworthy reappointees feature the likes Jeff Hoogheem, a public health preparedness virtuoso doubling as a retired US Army helicopter pilot, and Kenneth James, the computer whiz turned COO at Superior HealthPlan. In the trenches of healthcare administration and emergency preparedness, both bring years of expertise to the board's evolving strategies.
The board also draws on the expertise of Lacey Fails, who is not a novice with a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center under her belt, and Calvin Green, delving into data and analytics as the Deputy Executive Commissioner for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Rounding out the team, members like Kourtney Kouns and Jerome Lisk, M.D., layer their clinical and tech savvy over healthcare regulation and neurology expertise respectively.
Completing the lineup, Carlos J. Vital, M.D., is not just a CEO but an assistant professor as well, infusing his practice with academic flair, and Cynthia Stinson, Ph.D., bridges the gap between on-the-ground nursing and academic excellence. Leticia Rodriguez, Jonathan Sandstrom Hill, and Wes Tidwell serve various other roles, from hospital CEO to legal counsel and healthcare president, padding the board with a mix of leadership and legal know-how.
Keeping the band together, Abbott ensures continuity at a time when healthcare is arguably more important than ever. With a crew like this at the helm, they're tasked to navigate the choppy waters of Texas' health services, and steer towards a future where information exchange isn't just a pipe dream, but a working reality for Texans.
