Update
News & Notes
News & Notes
(Louise Rice, DNP, RN,) has a deep understanding of the unique strengths and needs of Amarillo. I am confident she will inspire excellence among our students, faculty and community.
— Holly Wei, PhD, MBA
dean, ttuhsc school of nursing
-
School of Medicine
Adrian Billings, MD, elected as president-elect of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. He is the associate academic dean of Rural and Community Engagement.
- Susan Davis, MD, (’84) is named the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Montford Unit Employee of the Month for November 2025.
- Joel Dickens, MD, (’89) joins Women’s Health at Valley View in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, as an OB-GYN.
- Mark Edwards, MD, (’96) appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Medical Board District Three Review Committee.
- David Lindzey, MD, (’84) appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Medical Board District Four Review Committee.
- John Mistrot, MD, (Residency ’25) joins Carteret Health Care Group in Morehead City, North Carolina as a surgeon.
- Ikemefuna Okwuwa, MD, elected as president of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. He is director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at the TTUHSC School of Medicine.
- Matt Porter, MD, (’15) selected as chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at TTUHSC School of Medicine Lubbock.
- Drew Ratner, MD, MBA, (’13) opens independent orthopedic practice in Greenville, South Carolina.
- C. Patrick Reynolds, MD, PhD, named to the 2025 Class of Fellows with the National Academy of Inventors.
- Jasmine Sekhon, MD, joins UMC Health System and TTUHSC as a Hematologist and Oncologist.
- Ali Shirzadi, MD, (’05) joins Maury Regional Health in Columbia, Tennessee, as a Neurosurgeon. He is associated with the NeuroSpine Institute.
- Basem Soliman, MD, PhD, receives the 2025 Inpatient Physician of the Year award from Northwest Texas Healthcare System. He is a surgeon with Texas Tech Physicians in Amarillo, Texas, and an associate professor in the TTUHSC School of Medicine Amarillo.
- Jacqueline Van Gheem, MD, (Residency ’25) joins Aspirus Northland Orthopedics in Rhinelander, Wisconsin as a surgeon.
-
School of Nursing
Priscilla Cardenas receives the DAISY Award for extraordinary nursing students at Medical Center Health System in Odessa, Texas. She is currently a nursing student with TTUHSC Permian Basin.
- Crystal Hathorne, MSN, APRN, (’23) appointed Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, Kansas.
- Tara Hilliard, PhD, APRN, (’24, ’98) awarded the 2025 Innovation in Teaching Research Award by the Texas Organization for Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Education.
- Teddy Jones, PhD, BSN, published the novel “A Family of Good Women” based on the “Sanctified Sisters” article. She is the founding dean for the TTUHSC School of Nursing.
- Louise Rice, DNP, RN, named regional dean of the TTUHSC Amarillo campus.
- Melanie Richburg, DNP, APRN, (’13) receives the Texas Nurse Practitioners’ 2025 Nurse Practitioner of the Year award.
-
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Nadia German, PhD, awarded U.S. Patent for her research on breast cancer. She is an associate professor at TTUHSC Amarillo.
- Catherine Hudson, DrPH, (’17) elected as president of the Society of Clinical Research Associates.
- Mariacristina Mazzitelli, PhD, (’22) named a fellow to the National Postdoctoral Association.
-
Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy
Denise Anderson, PharmD, (’25) receives the 2025 Community Outreach Award of Excellence by the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy.
- Taygan Henderson, PharmD, (’25) receives the United States Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award.
-
School of Health Professions
Vaishnavi Chiddarwar, PhD, (’25) accepted to a post-doctoral position at the University of North Carolina.
- Lacey Fails, (’16) reappointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors.
- Cole Nash, DPT, (’25) joins Fremont Therapy Group as a physical therapist.
- Kate Panasci, PT, DPT, (’11) accepted as a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academies of Practice — Physical Therapy Academy.
- Drew Payne, DO, (’06) recognized for leadership as president of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Physicians.
- Melissa Preece, DPT, PT, (’17) joins Swift Institute Physical Therapy, in Reno, Nevada, as a physical therapist.
- Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD, (’86) receives the Distinguished Former Odessan by the Odessa American.
-
Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health
Gerard E. Carrino, PhD, MPH, inducted into the National Academies of Practice as a Distinguished Fellow of the Public Health Academy. Carrino is the dean of the TTUHSC Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health Abilene.
- Amal Mitra, DrPH, recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his work with the AAAS Historically Black Colleges and Universities Making and Innovation Initiative. He is a professor at TTUHSC Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health Abilene.
-
Friends We’ll Miss
Ron Banister, MD, died July 18, 2025. He was a professor in the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology.
- Travis Roy Cain, PharmD, (Pharmacy ’23) died July 5, 2025. He was an Arizona resident since 2024.
- Jane Colmer-Hamood, PhD, (Biomedical Sciences ’97) died in July 2025. She was a faculty member in the TTUHSC Lubbock Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology.
- Lisa Harris Gore, MS, CCC-SLP, died Aug. 30, 2025. She was an assistant professor in the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences in the TTUHSC School of Health Professions.
- Bryan Griffin, MD, (Medicine ’82) died Dec. 19, 2025. He worked with CHRISTUS Health in Texarkana, Texas, for almost 40 years.
- Robert A. Junell, JD, died Nov. 1, 2025. He was instrumental in securing appropriation requests for TTUHSC, including increasing class sizes.
- Michael Perkins, MD, (Medicine ’94) died July 25, 2025. He had practiced at Perkins Pediatric Clinic in DeRidder, Louisiana, since 2001.
- Roger Yandell, MD, died June 15, 2025. He was a faculty member in the TTUHSC Lubbock School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
This is the community that raised me. It’s where I learned my values, and it formed the landscape for the work I do every single day. Most importantly, it ignited my passion for ensuring access to quality health care for all Texans. I’m honored to serve the people and the place that I will always consider home.
— Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD, (Health Professions ’86)
President, TTUHSC