President’s Cabinet Awards 

Sharon A. Croisant, MS, PhD
Cornelius Elferink, PhD
Preventive Medicine & Population Health

Over the past decade, our community has faced numerous natural and man made disasters and infectious disease outbreaks. Improving our capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies is vital. To assist, a recreational vehicle was retrofitted into a mobile clinic in 2013 and has been used to provide aid in emergent situations and travel to vulnerable populations. In order to meet the growing requests for COVID-19 testing and public outreach to the homeless population, President’s Cabinet funding will outfit this mobile clinic with impermeable surfaces, install a handicap ramp system, purchase a field portable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry unit, purchase clinical and phlebotomy supplies and allow for installation of an external canopy to be used for a waiting area.

Claudia Hilton, PhD, MBA
Karen Ratliff, PhD, OTR, BCP
Occupational Therapy

This award allows UTMB Occupational Therapy faculty and students to create an outdoor learning environment for infants and toddlers at the Moody Early Childhood Center in Galveston. Research shows that outdoor learning environments support the development of gross motor, fine motor and  cognitive skills in infants and toddlers. Persistent exploration and concentration increases attention, improves problem-solving and aids in the development of social and emotional skills. This outdoor learning environment will be equipped with bridges, tunnels, pods, a sand box, toys and other sensory items. UTMB students will be responsible for designing the space, developing teaching materials and training teachers and staff.

Dr. Meredith Masel
Oliver Center for Patient Safety

Shared-decision making enables patients and their providers to make health care decisions together, taking into account the best scientific evidence available and the patient’s values and preferences. To develop an infrastructure for shared-decision making at UTMB, this program will train advocates, create a library containing shared-decision making information and solicit community input to better align patients’ values and lifestyles with their health care.

Stephanie Kemmerling, MSN, FNP-C
Dermatology

The pain associated with medical procedures can cause significant stress and anxiety for child and their families. Studies show that distractions are considered an effective, safe and low-cost method to reduce pain and anxiety during medical procedures. Because UTMB's outpatient pediatric clinics lack resources to provide distraction techniques for children, President's Cabinet funds will provide for the creation of 25 specialized portable pediatric care kits that will include age-appropriate toys, an iPad loaded with specialized comfort applications and an external vibratory buzzing device. These kits will be distributed to clinics based on the severity of the medical procedures that take place, including immunizations, venipuncture, cryotherapy, biopsies, etc.

Dr. Cara Pennel
Dr. Juliet McKee
Naiomi Jamal
Preventive Medicine and Community Health

Data from the 2014 Galveston Youth Risk Student Survey indicated that 44.7% of the student respondents in grades 9-12 reported being sexually active. While research shows that parents have the most influence on teens regarding their decisions about sex, parents report being uncomfortable talking to their school-aged children about sex. To increase parent-adolescent communication regarding sexual health, this project will develop and implement a parent-based teen pregnancy prevention program. Classes will be held for parents of children, ages 11-16, with UTMB residents and students overseeing and facilitating each session. Topics will cover teen pregnancy, communication, parental values and teen support. Educational materials will be provided and skills will be taught through group discussions, presentations, videos, role playing and take-home exercises.

Clifford W. Houston, PhD
Office of Educational Outreach

UTMB is dependent on the Galveston Community to contribute toward the development of its future workforce. To foster this future workforce, a biomedical and health sciences career summer immersion experience will be provided on the UTMB campus and will target under-represented minority and/or economically disadvantaged high school students from Galveston County. A web-based health careers experience will be developed and implemented on a broader scope targeting high school students and teachers nationwide. Both experiences are designed to advance an appreciation for the biomedical and health sciences to promote career choices to include research, medicine, nursing and all fields within the health sciences.

Mara Wilson
Dr. Mark Kirshbaum
Stark Diabetes Clinic

Through the implementation of an electronic interface that includes software and cable for data downloads, diabetic patients will have the ability to upload their glucose meter data to caregivers at Stark Diabetes Clinic and receive feedback and care suggestions through their MyChart account or by phone. By partnering with patients in this manner, caregivers can interact with them outside of the clinic setting and free up schedules for appointments needed by other patients.

Deana M. Gehring
Cancer Center

Patient navigation has become critical to the success of UTMB’s breast cancer programs. These navigators assist patients with overcoming socioeconomic obstacles, maneuvering the health care system, coordinating diagnostic follow-up, investigating financial resources and providing continuity of services. In order to provide navigation services for uninsured and medically underserved women, the UTMB Cancer Center will extend this program to satellite clinics and allow for the creation and administration of a comprehensive patient database to manage demographic, clinical, coding and billing information.

Lindsey Eustace, Nurse Clinician IV
UTMB Victory Lakes Surgery-PreOp & PACU

Pediatric patients undergoing surgery experience heightened stress and anxiety, impacting their well-being and recovery process. The Pediatric Toy Box initiative provides a diverse selection of age-appropriate toys, books and activities within the UTMB Victory Lakes Day Surgery Unit to provide appropriate distractions and a supportive and comforting environment for children.

Cara Geary, MD, PhD
Kathy Ozenberger
Eva Blight
Pediatrics

Established in 2010, the Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care Program has served as a support system for parents whose baby has received a terminal diagnosis. President Cabinet funds will allow this program to be expanded to 14 obstetric clinics, the emergency department, and the UTMB inpatient obstetric department. Coordinated efforts relating to staff education, family counseling, community support groups and special care packages for mothers and families are the central elements of this outstanding project.

Adam Booth, MD
Barbara Bryant, MD
Judy Trieu, MD, MPH
Chris Zahner, MD
Pathology

The ongoing shortage of blood supply in the United States continues to remain a critical issue particularly when an increase in the number of blood components are being wasted through inappropriate transfusions. With a goal to reduce the number of inappropriate blood product orders by clinicians, the PocketPath mobile application was created by three UTMB residents in an effort to provide guidelines and suggestions regarding the utilization of blood products and services at the bedside. Year one of the project will focus on launching, promoting and assessing the platform, while year two will focus on expanding the application to create two-way communication between clinicians and pathology residents in order to facilitate questions not available via the application.

Judith L. Rowen, MD, Associate Professor
Hans M. von Marensdorff, MD
Department of Pediatrics

The Practice of Medicine Year 3 (POM3) course has been in existence since the 2006-07 academic year. This project expanded the course and provided third-year medical students with a “safe” place to reflect and grow as professionals. The course provided a venue for presenting “orphan topics”- such as understanding how patients pay for health care, how a patient’s culture influences medical decision-making, how to address the issues of patient safety, and much more. Faculty served as facilitators/mentors and assign advanced readings and reflective essays for each session. The project included two Austin-based groups and seven Galveston-based groups who met monthly in a longitudinal small group format.

Gisele A. Lombard
Transplant Services

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is the second-most common infection originating in U.S. hospitals. The most effective therapies to prevent its occurrence are deep breathing and intentional coughing exercises. Through the program, the UTMB Transplant Council will provide organ-specific therapeutic pillows to post-operative transplant recipients to facilitate these exercises. Each pillow is designed for the respective shape of the transplanted organ and features an anatomical diagram for patient education.

Kwabena Sarpong, MD, FAAP
Tiffany Moffett, CPNP
Department of Pediatrics

Several years ago, UTMB partnered with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Brazoria County to provide medical care to abused children in that area. This successful partnership provided exams to children in the southern county areas, yet data showed that children in the northern counties were not having their medical needs met. To address this problem, Project ACCESS expanded this partnership into the Pearland, Manvel and Alvin communities and created a safe and child-friendly medical suite to care for abused children.

Tyler Bliss
Tracy Cable
Taylor Surles
Jacqueline Posada
Dr. William Glenn
Dr. Roger Throndson
Dr. Vic Sierpina
Family Medicine

Research shows that Galveston County is lacking in dental care options for the indigent, uninsured and underinsured. To serve this population, this project will provide non-urgent basic dental services such as tooth extraction, drainage of periodontal abscesses, and treatment of gum and mouth infections at the St. Vincent’s Clinic. This award supports the initial investment for the purchase of supplies, instruments and equipment to be installed in a dedicated area of the clinic. The continuity of the clinic will then be provided through the existing St. Vincent’s budget and leadership.

Ann L. Charness, PT, MS PhDc
Physical Therapy

There are nearly one million people living with Parkinson's Disease in the United States. Treatment predominantly consisted of medication and/or surgery, but researchers are favoring the positive effects of exercise in slowing down the progression of the disease. This project will provide free community-based therapeutic exercise groups for people with Parkinson's in Galveston County. Under the supervision of the UTMB Physical Therapy Department, students and practitioners will operate weekly classes from November to June with the goal to improve the walking, functional mobility and balance capabilities of participants in order to reduce the risk for falls.

Cara Pennel, DrPH, MPH
Leslie Stalnaker, MPH
School of Public and Population Health Administration

Public health is an essential part of our everyday lives and the health of individuals and communities. Because public health careers are not often represented to middle and high school students as career options, this project aims to establish a Public Health Summer Camp. To be implemented in summer 2025, this two-week camp will be open to 25 adolescents from Galveston County public schools.  UTMB graduate students will run the camp and introduce the youth to a broad spectrum of public health topics and the various organizations/agencies working to improve public health locally.  Field trips, educational materials and books will be integrated into the camp.

Richard Rupp, MD
Bridget Hawkins, PhD
Sealy Center for Vaccine Development

Anti-vaccination campaigns and misinformation about the safety and efficacy of vaccines have led to a decline in the immunization rates in many states over the past five years. To increase the rates of immunization in Galveston County, an extensive educational campaign using podcasts, videos, newspaper and magazine articles, a public website and a customized Facebook page will be launched. Community presentations and special interactive quiz and advertisement slides will be displayed just prior to movie previews in local cinemas in an effort to reach a larger and diverse audience.

N. Miles Farr, MD, MPH
Daneen Nastars, DHSc, RRT, RRT-ACCS
Melissa Yanes, MS, RRT-ACCS
Internal Medicine - General Medicine

A six-week pulmonary rehabilitation program for uninsured populations diagnosed with chronic lung disease and/or shortness of breath issues will be established at the St. Vincent's House. Under the direction of UTMB Respiratory Care faculty, students will work with patients to follow individualized treatment plans and measure outcomes. The program will collaborate with the American Lung Association, the American Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Chapter and the UTMB Pulmonary Department to ensure patients are meeting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Pulmonary Rehabilitation guidelines. A smoking cessation component will also be part of the clinic.

Angela Attaway, RN, MSN
Syed K. Kazmi, MD
Priscila E. Martinez, MD
Maria Nguyen, MD, FAAP
Roxanna J. Sanchez, RN, MSN
Community-Based Clinic - Pediatrics, Alvin

Currently the UTMB Pediatric and Adult Primary Care Clinic in Alvin is an official site for the national Reach Out and Read program.  The clinic will use this award to expand the scope and reach children at birth rather than waiting until 6 months of age. Children will be gifted with age-appropriate and language-appropriate books during their check-up visits. Each provider is trained to teach parents how to develop emotional relational health and promote preschool literacy by reading aloud to their children. President Cabinet funds will enable the purchase of new books for the next two years and introduce the benefits of childhood literacy to a great number of at-risk patients earlier in life. The goal is to develop safe, stable and nurturing relationships for children in a community that is susceptible to the untoward effects of toxic stress.