Dear UT Health San Antonio faculty, staff, students and residents,

Every day, our employees work tirelessly to advance our missions of education, research, clinical care and community service. Many deserving faculty and staff were nominated to be honored with a Presidential Award for demonstrating outstanding service in their respective fields. I am grateful to the selection committees, led by Dr. Jacqueline Mok and Ms. Jessica Perez, for their careful review of those nominated and their selection of the following awardees.

Please join me in congratulating our 2020 Presidential Award recipients who will be honored with a plaque and cash award at a special dinner March 5.

Distinguished Senior Research Scholar

Charles P. France, Ph.D., Robert A. Welch Distinguished University Chair in Chemistry; Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Department of Psychiatry, Long School of Medicine

Clinical Excellence 

Ramin Poursani, M.D., Professor/Clinical, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Long School of Medicine

Shafqat Shah, M.D., Associate Professor/Clinical, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Long School of Medicine

Edward F. Wright, D.D.S., M.S., Professor, Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, School of Dentistry

Teaching Excellence – Sustained

Michael Geelhoed, D.P.T., PT, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions

Omid B. Rahimi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, UT Distinguished Teaching Professor, Director of Human Anatomy Program, Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, Long School of Medicine

Temple A. Ratcliffe, M.D., FACP, Associate Professor/Clinical, Division of Hospital and General Medicine, Long School of Medicine

Renee Yew, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Long School of Medicine

Teaching Excellence – Emerging

Elizabeth Reed Hanson, M.D., Associate Professor/Clinical, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Long School of Medicine

Luke A. Newton, M.D., Associate Professor and Chief, Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Long School of Medicine

Annette Occhialini, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, Long School of Medicine

Distinguished Service to the Institution

Norma Martínez Rogers, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Professor, Office for Faculty Excellence, School of Nursing

Employee Excellence

Julie Collins, B.A., Director of Communications for Study Promotion and Dissemination, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Long School of Medicine

Thea K. Lyssy, M.A., PMP, CQIA, Director of Accreditation, Compliance and Quality Improvement, Office for Undergraduate Medical Education, Long School of Medicine

Natalina Martinez, M.B.A., Director of Finance and Administration, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Norman Mendez, B.S., Operations Manager, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, Long School of Medicine

D.J. Smith, Special Events Coordinator, Office of the Dental Dean, School of Dentistry

Team Excellence

UT Health Cranial Remolding Program, Department of Neurosurgery

Darren J. Poidevin, CLPO, Clinical Program Director, Team Leader, Department of Neurosurgery, Long School of Medicine

Jim P. Brookshier, M.P.O., CLPO, Cranial Remolding Specialist, Department of Neurosurgery, Long School of Medicine

Monica Garcia, Referral Coordinator Senior, Department of Neurosurgery, Long School of Medicine

Debbie Rose, Physician Relations Specialist Senior, Department of Marketing, Communications and Media

Marissa Velez, Referral Coordinator Senior, Department of Neurosurgery, Long School of Medicine