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Governor’s Task Force on Health Care Workforce Shortages

About

Under the direction of Governor Abbott, the THECB created the Governor’s Task Force on Health Care Workforce Shortages to help address health care workforce shortages and seek to expand opportunities and remove barriers that exist for health care programs at institutions. The Task Force will also examine the necessary tools students need to succeed in this field, as well as carefully examine how to address challenges for gaining faculty and preceptors into the future. The task force will be working from the assumption of existing scope of practice for this project.

To effectively consider and research the charge issued by Governor Abbott, the scope of the Task Force has been divided into three primary workgroups.

This workgroup will look to identify the roles of nurse aides, assistants, and technicians within the health care workforce. They will also examine the preparation, education, and certification processes for these roles, ensure effective monitoring of these professionals, look for opportunities to streamline any administrative barriers along these lines, and identify and expand the use of best practices in preparation of these important professionals.

Members

  • Dr. Bryan Alsip, University Health 
  • Dr. Kala Bailey, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 
  • Eric Bing, College of Health Care Professions  
  • Dr. Jacqueline Brock, Harris Health System  
  • Donovan Dekowski, Wellsential Health  
  • Carol Derkowski, Wharton County Junior College  
  • Pablo Fuentes, Pima Medical Institute  
  • Glynnis Gaines, McLennan Community College  
  • Dr. Christina Hagerty, Lone Star College System  
  • Dr. Souraya Hajjar, El Paso Community College  
  • Mikki Hand, Frontera Healthcare Network   
  • Dr. Brandon Hernandez, Texas State Technical College  
  • Shirley MacNeill, Lamar State College Port Arthur  
  • Elena Marks, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy  
  • Dr. Elizabeth Merwin, University of Texas at Arlington  
  • Dr. Christopher Metsgar, St. Philip’s College  
  • Dr. Leslie Moore, Memorial Hermann Health System 
  • Dr. Alexander Okwonna, San Jacinto College  
  • Dr. Elizabeth Olivier, Tyler Junior College  
  • Dr. Hani Talebi, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute  
  • Dr. Tetsuya Umebayashi, Dallas College  
  • Dr. Melinda Villagran, Texas State University 
  • Dr. Danuta Wojnar, University of the Incarnate Word 

This workgroup will review the preparation of nurses, considering both the curriculum and the clinical training, and determine whether those competencies best prepare Texas students for the new and future realities of the health care workplace. This workgroup will review the current curriculum and training requirements (didactic and clinical) necessary for students to successfully complete these programs, examine the potential impacts of new and evolving technologies in the field, and explore a variety of other educational preparation models that can be utilized to ensure graduates meet the evolving challenges for the future health care workforce.

Members

  • Dr. Devon Berry, Sam Houston State University  
  • Jennifer Bray, Kilgore College  
  • Dr. Paula Clutter, Texas Woman’s University  
  • Dr. Candi Constantine-Castillo, Harlingen Medical Center  
  • Dr. Lutricia Harrison, Houston Community College  
  • Dr. Patricia Herbias, Western Technical College  
  • Dr. Leann Horsley, Texas A&M Health  
  • Dr. Deborah Jones, University of Texas Medical Branch  
  • Mary Beth Kasprisin, Texas Southmost College  
  • Porter Long, UMC Health System  
  • Dr. Julie Moore, JPS Health Network  
  • Dr. Karen Moriarty, Midwestern State University  
  • Ann Russell, HCA Houston Healthcare  
  • Dr. Diane Santa Maria, UTHealth Houston  
  • Dr. Amber Shammas, Concordia University Texas  
  • Dr. Keith Smith, Western Governors University   
  • Dr. Kathryn Tart, University of Houston 
  • Dr. Cindy Weston, University of North Texas Health Science Center 
  • Dr. Colin Wilborn, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor  
  • Amy Wilson, Collin College 
  • Dr. Karen Wright, Parkland Health 

This workgroup will study and identify the barriers and opportunities to increasing the faculty pipeline and other health professions. In addition, the workgroup will review other innovative models that could be beneficial for increasing the faculty pipeline to better serve the needs of the health care system and ensure the health care workforce is reflective of all Texans.

Members

  • Dr. Nina Almasy, Austin Community College  
  • Dr. Rhonda BeLue, The University of Texas at San Antonio  
  • Dr. Marianne Bogel, registered nurse 
  • Dr. Mary Borchardt, Del Mar College  
  • Dr. Serena Bumpus, Texas Nurses Association  
  • Dr. Jenifer Chilton, The University of Texas at Tyler  
  • David Contreras, retired hospital administrator 
  • Sandra DeLeon, Del Mar College  
  • Dr. Ruth Eby, Texas Lutheran University  
  • Dr. Susan Greenwood, Hendrick Health 
  • Dr. Holly Jeffreys, West Texas A&M University  
  • Dr. Jon Law, University Medical Center of El Paso  
  • Yessenia Longoria, Moore County Hospital District 
  • Dr. Jane McCurley, Methodist Healthcare System  
  • Dr. Kia Parsi, Texas A&M Rural & Community Health Institute (ARCHI)  
  • Dr. Linda Plank, Baylor University  
  • Dr. Gurjeet Shokar, The University of Texas at Austin 
  • Darla Strother, Victoria College  
  • Michelle Trubenstein, Blinn College  
  • Roxanne Weisendanger, El Paso Children’s Hospital  

Task Force Members

  • Chair – Victoria Ford, President & CEO, Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute  
  • Dr. Fred Cerise, CEO, Parkland Health  
  • Jennifer Deegan, Vice President Health Policy and Systems Strategy, UT Health Houston 
  • Jack Dwyer, Founder of Dwyer Workforce Development  
  • Jamie Dudensing, CEO, Texas Association of Health Plans  
  • Cheryl Petersen, SVP/CNO, Cook Children’s Medical Center  
  • Dr. Lori Rice-Spearman, President, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
  • Olga Rodriguez, Associate Vice President, Texas A&M University Health Science Center  
  • Avik Roy, President, Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity  
  • Kathy Thomas, former Board of Nursing Executive Director  
  • Dr. Jayson Valerio, Dean, Nursing & Allied Health, South Texas College  
  • Dr. Jackie Ward, System Chief Nurse Executive and SVP, Texas Children’s Hospital 
  • Dr. John Zerwas, Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, The University of Texas System  

Important Dates

Sept. 3, 2024

Task Force Meeting 3 (open to the public), 9am

Aug. 22, 2024

Workgroup 3 Workshop (invited guests only)

Texas Capitol Extension, Room E1.012 at 9am

Aug. 15, 2024

Task Force Meeting 2 (open to the public), 9am

July 22, 2024

Workgroup 2 Workshop (invited guests only), 9am

July 8, 2024

Workgroup 1 Workshop (invited guests only), 9am

June 25, 2024

Task Force Meeting 1 (open to the public), 9am

Past Meetings