�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Honoring the 2024 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

kleisk — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:19:33 +0000

Honoring the 2024 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients kleisk Thursday, June 27, 2024

Honoring the 2024 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

Meet this year’s recipients of the Duce and Momentum Awards

Thursday, June 27, 2024

�԰��’s Health Care Administration (HCAD) Alumni Association will gather from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, October 25, in the Korbell Great Hall inside the Chapman Center for its annual dinner and awards ceremony to honor the recipients of the 2024 Duce and Momentum Awards.

The Duce Award honors a graduate of the HCAD program who has shown outstanding leadership and made significant contributions to the field of health services administration. The award is presented annually and is named after Dean Leonard A. Duce, a former dean of the graduate school at �԰�� and one of the program’s founding faculty members.

The Momentum Award recognizes early careerists age 40 and under for outstanding achievements in the field of healthcare management.

The Duce Award

Doug Lawson M’93, Ph.D.

Doug Lawson is currently responsible for the South Region of CommonSpirit Health. In this role, he leads a team of more than 40,000 employees, providers, caregivers, medical staff, and volunteers in an integrated health network of 35 acute care hospitals, more than 8,000 employed and aligned providers, and over 500 ambulatory access points serving Arkansas, North Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Southeast Tennessee, and Texas.

Lawson began his healthcare career at Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic in Temple, Texas. He served five years at Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City as system vice president, followed by three years at Cabell-Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia, as chief operating officer.

Lawson returned to Texas in 2007 as president of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Grapevine. In 2012, he took on the chief operating officer role at Baylor University Medical Center, and in 2015 he was named president of the medical center and the North Texas Central Region. In 2018, Lawson joined Catholic Health Initiatives, now CommonSpirit Health, as senior vice president of Operations and chief executive officer of St. Luke’s Health System - Texas Division. In July 2023, he assumed responsibility for the CommonSpirit Health newly combined South Region.

Lawson served on a number of boards across Houston, including the American Heart Association for the Greater Houston Division, where he serves as president. Lawson is also a board member of the Texas Hospital Association, where he works in collaboration with other members on key state and federal health policy issues; the Greater Houston Partnership, where he sits on the Racial Equity Committee; and Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, where he serves as secretary.

Lawson was named a Most Admired CEO in Texas in 2021 by the Houston Business Journal and received the 2020 Exceptional Leader Award from Texas CEO Magazine. In 2021, he was presented with a Special Recognition Award from the Latino Learning Center for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawson also led a 12-part video series collaboration between St. Luke’s Health and Houston Public Media. The series, TESTED, provides an in-depth view of how the COVID-19 pandemic changed Houston’s healthcare landscape. In 2021, the series earned an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Art and Sciences in the category of Health/Medical Short or Long Form Content.

In 2022, the Texas Hospital Association presented Lawson with its highest honor: the Earl M. Collier Award for Distinguished Health Care Administration. This career achievement award recognizes executives who have set themselves apart through their contributions to the healthcare industry.

Lawson attended Texas A&M University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from �԰�� and a doctorate in Leadership Studies from Dallas Baptist University.

The Momentum Award

Jared Shelton M’10, FACHE

Jared Shelton serves as president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital HEB, where he joined the leadership team in July 2022.

Shelton previously served six years as president of Texas Health Allen. Before that, he served a term as vice president of Professional & Support Services for Texas Health Dallas.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in business and a minor in religion. He earned a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from �԰��.

Shelton currently serves as the Regent for District 4 of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a past president of the North Texas Chapter of ACHE. He is serving his third term on the Texas Hospital Association’s “Council on Policy Development” and is currently president-elect of the HEB Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He is a graduate of the Leadership Allen Fairview Class XXVIII as well as Allen ISD Leadership Academy Class II and serves in various leadership roles at the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas.

Outside of work, Shelton and his wife, Kathryn, enjoy parenthood with their young children—Mackenzie, Caroline, and Jack.

Do you know any outstanding �԰�� HCAD alumni working in health care? Nominate a deserving Tiger for the Duce Award or the Momentum Award here.

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Alumni

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

The Office of Alumni Relations facilitates mutually beneficial connections between �԰�� and its alumni by fostering the ideals of diversity and inclusion, lifelong relationships, and personal and professional growth.

Terris Tiller '00 Named Inaugural Director of Alumni Career Engagement & Networks

kleisk — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 23:26:29 +0000

Terris Tiller '00 Named Inaugural Director of Alumni Career Engagement & Networks kleisk Monday, January 29, 2024

Terris Tiller '00 Named Inaugural Director of Alumni Career Engagement & Networks

New unit of Alumni Relations launching this summer will support and engage Tigers at various life stages

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Monday, January 29, 2024

Terris “T” Tiller ’00 will join �԰��’s Alumni Relations team as the inaugural Director of Alumni Career Engagement & Networks.

Launching this summer, the Alumni Career Engagement (ACE) unit will support and engage Tigers through four programs: a network of vetted coaches and counselors; interest networks centered around common career, identity, and experiential themes; alumni-to-alumni mentoring; and career-focused lifelong learning initiatives via webinars and podcasts.

“I am incredibly excited to take on the inaugural directorship and launch the ACE unit this summer,” Tiller says. “Helping people along their personal career journeys became an unexpected passion I was able to cultivate and enlist during my time working with Team USA athletes at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. It’s thrilling to come full circle to give back by creating and implementing new resources to better serve the �԰�� alumni community in their lifelong development.”

Tiller, a 2000 �԰�� graduate, brings a wealth of experience from his tenure with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), where he played vital roles in eight Olympic/Paralympic Games. His background includes implementing programs to assist athletes in transitioning to post-athletic careers, serving as a career coach, and contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

As a former Team USA elite athlete, Tiller consistently advocated for athlete inclusion, access to sport, and success on and off the field of play. As a leader in athlete services, he helped spearhead initiatives supporting athlete development, highlighted by the creation of the Team USA Pivot Program, a workshop guiding elite athletes through life beyond elite competitive sport. As a manager of diversity, equity, and inclusion, he provided consultancy to over 50 national governing bodies and was integral to the TEAM USA FLAME Program, which created pathways for professionals of color to work within the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic movement.

Tiller has a longstanding history of volunteering for �԰��, including guest lecturing, regional club involvement, participation in national events, and serving as a �԰�� Alumni Association Board director from 2013-2018. Additionally, he volunteers as an assistant coach with �԰��’s Cross Country and Track & Field programs.

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�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

A Memorable Weekend of Reconnecting

kleisk — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:20:08 +0000

A Memorable Weekend of Reconnecting kleisk Wednesday, November 1, 2023

A Memorable Weekend of Reconnecting

Alumni Break Records for Alumni Weekend 2023

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

That’s a wrap on Alumni Weekend 2023! 1,167 alumni from 35 states pre-registered for a total of 1,521 registrations, with a final attendance count of 1,133 alumni returning home to �԰�� to enjoy the largest alumni engagement event of the year. Alumni donated the most amount of money ever received through the Alumni Weekend registration website, and total class reunion giving was at the highest it's ever been.

On Friday, attendees learned from panels of experts in the fields of health care administration, entrepreneurship, and the humanities, explored what’s new during a campus tour, reconnected with former professors, cheered on the soccer teams, and celebrated this year’s alumni award recipients.

Music was in the air on Saturday with the choir and handbell and the symphony and wind ensemble concerts, the Tiger Tailgate and football game, and the Block Party on Oakmont.

Watch the recap video, or view photos from Alumni Weekend 2023.

Academic Panels

The Health Care Administration Alumni Association hosted breakfast and a discussion with panelists who answered questions and shared the latest insights from their field. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship brought together a dynamic group of �԰�� entrepreneurs for a panel titled “The Modern Entrepreneur.” They discussed some of the common pitfalls of entrepreneurship and what entrepreneurs need to be mindful of in today’s environment. As part of Humanities Day, the Humanities Collective assembled a panel with Mike Bacon '89, Elizabeth Fauerso '96, and Kayla Padilla '21, who discussed how they’ve used their humanities experience in diverse career settings.

Mike Bacon '89 and Elizabeth Fauerso '96 discussed how they’ve used the humanities in their careers on the Humanities Day Panel on October 27. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

Fiesta with the Faculty and Authors and Artisans Fair

The annual Fiesta with the Faculty welcomed 29 faculty and 16 authors and artisans inside the Laurie Art Gallery on Friday afternoon. Joyful laughter filled the space as hundreds of alumni shared fond memories with their former professors.

Alumni visit with Courtney Crim '93, M’94, Ed.D., and David Ribble '82, Ph.D., at Fiesta with the Faculty on October 27.

Alumni Awards Ceremony

The 2023 Alumni Awards Ceremony celebrated seven alumni award recipients. This ceremony showcased the deep, meaningful connections �԰�� alumni have with each other, the University, and their communities. Nominations for the 2024 alumni awards are open. Nominate yourself or a fellow Tiger now!

Jaskirat Singh Batra '12, Ph.D., gives an acceptance speech for the 2023 Outstanding Young Alumni Award on October 27. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

50-Year and 51+ Reunion Brunch

Reunion classes of 1973 and earlier enjoyed brunch together as they began their Saturday in the newly renovated Skyline, where President Vanessa Beasley distributed special medals to each attendee from the Class of 1973.

Lark Doley '73 (left) enjoys brunch with a classmate at the 50-Year and 51+ Reunion Brunch on October 28. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

Tiger Football Tailgate & Affinity Picnic

There was an abundance of Tiger Pride across Prassel Lawn and the Multi-Sport Stadium at the Tiger Football Tailgate & Affinity Picnic, sponsored by the Bengal Lancer Alumni Foundation. The tailgate included food, drinks, lawn games, and music. Student organizations and academic departments like the Department of Education reconnected with alumni and welcomed them back to campus. The party continued on the field as the �԰�� Tigers defeated the Millsaps Majors with a resounding 63-0 victory.

Alumni and their families enjoyed the tailgate festivities and were treated to a 63-0 shutout victory by the �԰�� Tigers football team over Millsaps on October 28.

Athletics Alumni Events

In addition to the weekend’s football and soccer games, alumni athletics events included a volleyball intrasquad scrimmage and alumni happy hour, the soccer soiree, a kick around with the women’s soccer team, a men’s tennis meetup, and a swimming and diving meet and social.

�԰��’s swimming and diving team invited alumni back to Hixon Natatorium for a meet and social on October 28. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

Alumni Music Concerts

New to Alumni Weekend 2023, alumni had the option to add the music upgrade to their registration package. This upgrade allowed music alumni to practice at rehearsals and perform at the piano studio event, choir alumni and handbell ensemble concert, and the symphony and wind ensemble alumni concert. The �԰�� community was delighted as these alumni took the stage again in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall and Laurie Auditorium to share their beautiful music.

Music alumni had the opportunity to rehearse and perform in music concerts alongside current students during Alumni Weekend 2023. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

President’s All-Alumni Reception

President Beasley welcomed alumni into the Cube of the Center for the Sciences and Innovation for a special toast to this year’s reunion classes. Nadia Islam ‘12, �԰�� Alumni Association president, presented President Beasley with a check on behalf of the reunion classes for the record amount of $4,516,801.17. The Class of 1973 was recognized for having the greatest class giving total, the Class of 1988 had the greatest number of attendees at Alumni Weekend, and the Class of 2003 had the greatest percentage of class members who gave a gift.

Nadia Islam '12 presents President Beasley with a check for a record amount of total class reunion giving at the President’s All-Alumni Reception on October 28. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

Block Party

Under the light of a full moon and the warm glow of lights strung about in the live oaks, the annual Block Party transformed Oakmont Court into a rocking party as alumni enjoyed great food, drinks, dueling DJs, a flashmob by the Prowlers Dance Team, and fire dancers. It was the perfect celebratory conclusion to another amazing Alumni Weekend.

Alumni pose with props for a picture at the photo booth at the Block Party on October 28. (Photo by Cade Bradshaw '14)

Save the date: Alumni Weekend 2024 will be October 24-27!

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Alumni

Faculty

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Honoring the 2023 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

kleisk — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:22:20 +0000

Honoring the 2023 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients kleisk Friday, October 13, 2023

Honoring the 2023 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

Andre Storey M’12 and Heidi Pandya ’00, M’05 recognized for outstanding achievements in their field

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Friday, October 13, 2023

�԰��’s Health Care Administration (HCAD) Alumni Association will gather in the Korbell Great Hall inside the newly renovated Chapman Center on Thursday, October 26, for its annual dinner and awards ceremony to honor the recipients of the 2023 Momentum and Duce Awards.

The Momentum Award recognizes early careerists age 40 and under for outstanding achievements in the field of health care management. The Duce Award honors a graduate of the HCAD program who has shown outstanding leadership and made significant contributions to the field of health services administration. The award is presented annually and is named after Dean Leonard A. Duce, a former dean of the graduate school at �԰�� and one of the program’s founding faculty members.

The Momentum Award

Andre Storey M’12

Andre Storey, FACHE, is the vice president and chief operating officer for Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital, a 143 licensed-bed acute care hospital in Cypress, Texas. He provides administrative leadership for campus operations in addition to business development, strategic planning, clinical ancillary, and support services.

Currently, Storey is overseeing an $87 million campus expansion project, which includes a patient bed floor, a professional office building, a parking garage, and additional surface parking. In addition, this strategic effort will add Memorial Hermann Sports Park-Cypress as a new sports medicine and human performance facility opening on campus.

Prior to joining Memorial Hermann, Storey started his career at CHRISTUS Health as an administrative resident and progressed to regional vice president for ancillary services. In addition to his work with CHRISTUS Health, he served as the director of hospital operations at Baylor University Medical Center.

Storey earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Master of Health Care Administration from �԰��. He is a board member and southwestern regent for the National Association of Health Services Executives, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and an honored recipient of OSU’s Diversity Hall of Fame Rising Star Award.

The Duce Award

Heidi Pandya ’00, M’05

Heidi Pandya has nearly 20 years of healthcare provider and professional service experience, with expertise in strategic planning and operational improvement. As a principal on Sg2’s consulting team, she manages complex strategic engagements with academic medical centers, national health systems, children’s hospitals, regional health systems, and community hospitals. A trusted adviser to many healthcare executives, Pandya answers challenging questions related to market relevance, enterprise strategy and service line strategy, sustainable growth, strategic partnerships, major investments, and preparing for disruption/ innovation.

Prior to joining Sg2, Pandya served as vice president of strategic planning for Medical City Healthcare (HCA North Texas Division). She was responsible for leading short and long-range strategy development, executing strategic growth and expansion across the system. In addition, she oversaw the division decision support and strategic planning teams. Previously, Pandya was a director in the strategic transformation group of the PricewaterhouseCoopers healthcare advisory division. She led a broad range of strategic planning, operational improvement, and enterprise transformation engagements. She has worked with acute care providers, academic medical centers, safety net systems, ambulatory networks, and international health systems.

Pandya holds both a Master of Health Care Administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from �԰��. She is currently on the faculty for �԰��’s HCAD executive program. Pandya’s passion for the outdoors has also led her to serve as a board member for the Texas Trust for Public Land, whose goal is to improve physical and mental health by bringing parks and green space into communities.

Do you know any outstanding �԰�� HCAD alumni working in health care? Nominate a deserving Tiger for the Momentum Award or the Duce Award here.

�԰�� News

Alumni

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Meet the 2023 Alumni Award Winners

kleisk — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:41:05 +0000

Meet the 2023 Alumni Award Winners kleisk Monday, August 28, 2023

Meet the 2023 Alumni Award Winners

Seven outstanding alumni are honored for their contributions to their communities

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Monday, August 28, 2023

This October 26-29, �԰�� will host Alumni Weekend, where alumni can reconnect with their �԰�� community. One of the weekend’s events includes the Alumni Awards Ceremony on Friday evening, October 27, during which seven incredible alumni will be awarded for their work with �԰�� and the broader community.

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award presented by the �԰�� Alumni Association. Candidates will have distinguished themselves through personal or professional achievement.

Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam ’93, GCMG: Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam ’93, GCMG, is a Mopan Maya leader who is dedicated to her work in culture, history, and indigenous rights. Dame Froyla has authored and co-authored articles, curated exhibits, and was the executive director for the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management before becoming the Governor General of Belize.

Spirit of �԰�� Award

The Spirit of �԰�� Award is given to a loyal alumnus/a who embodies what it means to be a Trinitonian. The award recognizes exceptional service to the community or University. The alumnus/a makes significant contributions to volunteer or professional organizations and demonstrates the attributes of �԰��'s liberal arts education: exhibiting creativity, purposefulness, and a commitment to improving the quality of their community.

Rick Hill '91: Rick Hill ’91 is a true Trinitonian, demonstrating success in his career and a strong dedication to the University. Hill’s dedication has helped bring the Valero Alamo Bowl onto the national stage over his 25-year career as vice president of Marketing and Communications. Additionally, he serves as an adjunct professor at �԰�� and is an active board member of the San Antonio Alumni Club.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is given to young alumni whose achievements in their profession or chosen field and/or in service to the community set a standard of excellence worthy of recognition by the University and the Alumni Association.

Jaskirat Singh Batra ’12, Ph.D.: Jaskirat Singh Batra ’12, Ph.D., built upon his �԰�� education and has worked diligently to achieve many great accomplishments as a young alumnus. He has been recognized for his innovative virtual reality teaching and education research and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Houston Methodist Research Institute to develop implantable and wearable biomedical devices.

Tower Awards

The Tower Awards recognize alumni who have maintained a commitment to connect with and improve their alma mater or made a significant contribution to their field, profession, or greater community.

Portia Lowe Hoeg ’01: Portia Lowe Hoeg ’01 was a member of the �԰�� Women’s Basketball team and has used her �԰�� education and college athletics experience to forge a path to become the first Black commissioner in Division III athletics. She has been a collegiate athletic director, served on numerous DIII boards and committees, and led her conference in being recognized as the NCAA LGBTQ Conference of the Year.
Ellen Riojas Clark ’74, Ph.D.: Ellen Riojas Clark ’74, Ph.D., has had a storied 35-year career as a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and was honored for her work with an endowed chair position in her name. She has authored many publications, been a cultural resource for several television series, and stays active in the �԰�� alumni community.
Jamie Thompson ’05, Ed.D.: Jamie Thompson ’05, Ed.D., has become a leader in the �԰�� community and is setting the tone for the next generation of both �԰�� students and alumni through opportunities for student-alumni mentoring (1869 Scholars), strengths education, and collaborative efforts to implement initiatives that enhance the student journey and the overall �԰�� experience.

Fraternity/Sorority Life Alumni Adviser of the Year Award

The Fraternity/Sorority Life Alumni Adviser of the Year Award recognizes outstanding service to a �԰�� fraternity or sorority by an alumnus/a who has served in an advisory capacity.

Amy McGee ’92: Amy McGee ’92 has served Sigma Theta Tau for over 20 years, even before the University created the official position of alumni adviser. She has guided these students personally and professionally, creating a lifelong connection that is cherished by all.

Know any outstanding �԰�� alumni? Nominate them for next year’s Alumni Awards here.

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Alumni

�԰�� Magazine: Winter 2023

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

�԰����� Office of Alumni Relations

Honoring the 2024 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

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The Duce Award

The Momentum Award

Terris Tiller '00 Named Inaugural Director of Alumni Career Engagement & Networks

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A Memorable Weekend of Reconnecting

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Academic Panels

Fiesta with the Faculty and Authors and Artisans Fair

Alumni Awards Ceremony

50-Year and 51+ Reunion Brunch

Tiger Football Tailgate & Affinity Picnic

Athletics Alumni Events

Alumni Music Concerts

President’s All-Alumni Reception

Block Party

Honoring the 2023 HCAD Alumni Association Award Recipients

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The Momentum Award

The Duce Award

Meet the 2023 Alumni Award Winners

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Distinguished Alumni Award

Spirit of �԰����� Award

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Tower Awards

Fraternity/Sorority Life Alumni Adviser of the Year Award

�԰�� Office of Alumni Relations

Spirit of �԰�� Award