In a recent announcement from Governor Greg Abbott's office, four new members have been appointed to the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council in Texas, an entity charged with the development of strategies for bolstering the healthcare system and the health professions workforce within the state. The Governor Greg Abbott's press release dated December 1, introduces Dr. Clifford Porter, Bryan Sisk, DNP, Candice Smith, and Dr. Cheletta Watkins as the appointees, all of whom bring diverse backgrounds and a wealth of experience to the table.
Dr. Clifford Porter is joining the council as a physician with Texas Direct Medical Care and a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He has 30 years of military service in the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, and Texas Army National Guard. He earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and also holds a BA, MA, and Ph.D. in history. Bryan Sisk, DNP, joins the council as senior vice president and chief nurse executive at Memorial Hermann Health System. He has 20 years of military service in the U.S. Army and holds a BS in Nursing, an MPH, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, as reported by the Governor Greg Abbott.
Candice Smith, currently the chief executive officer of Deaf Smith County Hospital District, is set to offer her guidance to the council, drawing on her involvement with regional healthcare committees and advisory boards; she has also served on local advocacy and service organizations like CASA and Hereford Day Care, with her educational foundation in nursing from West Texas A&M University and a rural health leadership certificate from the National Rural Hospital Association. Completing the list of new members, Dr. Cheletta Watkins, an Executive Medical Director for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, will join the council with a professional background that includes board responsibilities at Baylor Scott & White Health and membership in the Texas Medical Association, as well as a UT Austin Biology BA and a Medicine Doctorate from The UT Medical Branch at Galveston where she also completed her residency in Family Medicine, as per the Governor Greg Abbott.
Although the work of the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council is often out of the public eye, it holds significant sway over healthcare practices and workforce development in Texas—decisions made by this group can ripple out to affect access to medical care, the quality of practitioner training, and the types of health care service available across the state, it's clear that the Governor Greg Abbott's appointments this roster of experts hail from various corners of the medical community, thereby aiming to create a robust and multifaceted approach to healthcare workforce challenges in Texas.
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