Correctional Nurse Expert Witness

Education

2004, PhD
Preventative Medicine & Community Health
University of Texas Medical Branch
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Clinical Science Program
Galveston, Texas

1999, LLM
Health, Law, & Policy Institute
School of Law
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

1991, JD
Thurgood Marshall
School of Law
Texas Southern University
Houston, Texas

1984, MSN
School of Nursing
Univ. of TX Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas

1975, BSN
Health Science Center
University of Texas
San Antonio, Texas

Licensures and Certifications

State of Texas
Bar Association

State of Texas
Board of Nurse Examiners

Certified Attorney Ad Litem
State of Texas, Bar Association

Professional Experience

09/07-Present
Counselor & Attorney-at-Law

11/05-08/07
Vice President and University Counsel
Office of Legal Affairs
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler

9/04-11/05
Executive Director
Office of Legal Affairs
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler

10/04-Present
Adjunct Associate Professor
University of Texas Tyler

9/98-9/04
Associate Professor with Tenure University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing
Galveston, Texas

1/99-9/04
Attorney Private Practice

9/98-12/99
Director, Center for Nursing Ethics, Law, & Policy
University of Texas Medical Branch
School of Nursing
Galveston, Texas

2/96-8/04
Research Investigator
Program on Legal and Ethical Issues in Correctional Health Care
Institute for the Medical Humanities
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas

2/90-12/98
Medical-Legal Consultant Randle and Associates Houston, Texas

6/93-9/98
Assistant Professor of Nursing University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing
Galveston, Texas

7/85-2000
Rank: Major
United States Army Reserve
Houston, Texas

Teaching Responsibilities

Graduate Course
GNRS 5346: Public Policy and Nursing,    Co-Facilitator: 1996-1998;
Facilitator: 1999-2001.
GNRS 5605: GNRS 5605: Nurse-Midwifery V, Spring 2000

Graduate School & Biomedical Science Course
PM&CH 6384:Policy & Management. Policy Development. 2001-2003

Short-term Course, 2002-2003
End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Legal/Ethical Issues Feb. 19, 2003.
Court Visitors’ Program, Undergraduate clinical, 2001-2004
Issues at the End of Life, Multidisciplinary Teaching Team, Fall 1998
Multidisciplinary Ethical/Legal Health Course, Graduate level, Multidisciplinary Teaching
Team, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, Summer 1996.
“Health Care Jurisprudence and Ethics” Course, Graduate level, Houston Baptist University, College of Nursing, Houston, Texas, Fall 1995-1996

Additional Professional Practice Activities

Representing RNs and LVNs before their Texas Licensing Board, 1992-2004, 2007 – Present

Representing Proposed Wards of the State of Texas-Attorney Ad Litem-Healthcare cases

Publications

Available Upon Request

Presentations

Available Upon Request

Journal Reviewer and Editorial Boards

Available Upon Request

Research and Grants

Available Upon Request

Professional Consultation and Activities

Available Upon Request

Professional Affiliations and Committees

American Bar Association Representative, National Commission of Correctional Health Care Board of Directors

Nominated Member, Texas Guardianship Advisory Board

Invited Member, Institute of Medicine Committee, Committee On Ethical Considerations For Revisions To DHHS Regulations For Protection Of Prisoners Involved In Research, 2005-2006.

Inducted attorney to practice before US Supreme Court, 2005. Member, Smith County Bar Association

Board of Directors, Texas Association of Nurse Attorneys, 1994-1996; 2001-2003, 2008

Sigma Theta Tau (Kappa Kappa) Honor Society

Founding Member, 1985

President-Elect, 1993-1994

President, 1994-1995

Member, Sigma Theta Tau (Alpha Delta)

Member, Texas Bar Association

Member, The American Association of Nurse Attorneys

Co-Chair, Publication Taskforce, 2001-2002

Chair, Publication Committee 2002-2006

Member, Board of Directors, 2002-2005

American Bar Association, 1988-Present. American Nurses Association, 1976-Present

Member, Credentialing Committee, National Convention, San Antonio, Texas, June 10-14,1994

Member, Reference Committee, 1995-1997

Member, Texas Representative to ANA Code of Ethics Taskforce, 1999-2001. Final Draft accepted by ANA House of Delegates, Summer 2001.

Texas Nurses Association

Community Service

Member, Smith County Grand Jury, January through June, 2009

Member, Tyler Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors, Bethesda Health Clinic, Tyler, Texas

Member, Tyler Executive Women Network

Board of Directors, William Temple Episcopal Center, Galveston, 1999 to 2001

Beaumont Home Health, Ethics Committee, 1994-2004.

St. Vincent House of Galveston

Vice-President, Board of Directors, 1994-1995

President, Board of Directors, 1995-1996

Committee Responsibilities

System Level

Member, The University of Texas System, Attorney Group, 2004-2007

Committee for the Advancement of Women and Minorities, 1998-1999

University Level

Member, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Ethics Committee, 2004-2007

Member, UTMB Development Board, 2003

Member, Board Director of Faculty/Staff Development Board, 2003.

Member, Dean for School of Nursing Search Committee, 2000-2001

Member, Working Committee for Faculty Senate By-Laws Development, May 1997-1999.

Member, Residents’ Appeal Committee, 1999-2004.

Member, Affirmative Action Director Search Committee, 1996.

Member, Institutional Review Board, 1996-1999, 2000-2004.

Member, University Minority Faculty Advisory Committee, 1995-1998

Member, Institutional Ethics Committee, 1995-2004.

Member, Task Force on Disposition of Unsponsored Patients Needing Chronic Dialysis, 2001

Member, Academic Technology Committee, 1995-1996.

School of Nursing Level

Chair, SON Faculty Assembly, 2001-2003

Member SON Leadership Team

Member, School of Allied Health Services Post-Tenure Review Committee, 2001-2004

Member & Recorder, AAPT Committee, 2000-2002, Recorder 2000-2001

Parliamentarian, SON Faculty Assembly, 2000-2001

Chair & Member, SON Faculty Assembly Bylaws Committee, 1999-2000

Member & Consultant, Administrative Planning Committee for Nursing Peer Review Program Revision, 2000-2004

Chair, SON Nursing Peer Review Committee, 1999-2001

Director & Member, Center for Nursing Ethics, Law, & Policy, Chair, 1998-1999

Forum Planning Committee, Shaping the Future of Nursing Ethics, Law, and Policy, National
Leadership Forum, Galveston, Texas, July 24-25, 1995.

Faculty Advisor, Undergraduate Generic Students, 1995-1996, 2000-2002, 2002-2004

Facilitator, Student Mentoring Program, 1995-1999, 2001.

Co-Facilitator, Minority Students Concerns Task Force, 1995-1999

Faculty Advisor, SON, 1995-2004.
Member, Student Recruitment Committee, 1995-1998. Chair & Member, Admissions and Progression Committee, 1994-1997; Chair, 1996-1997;member 2000-2002

Honors and Achievements

Admitted to United States Eastern District Court, October 2008

Certificate of Appreciation for Volunteer Instructor by Parent Services Center, Inc., Tyler, Texas, August 23, 2007

Inducted into UTMB School of Nursing Alumni Hall of Fame, 2006 Recognized by Texas Bar Association for Outstanding Community Service, Sept 2004

Nominated for Kellogg Scholarship in Health Disparities Research by UTMB Center for Health Disparities, March 2004.

Emerging Star in Health Disparities Nursing Research, Howard University, Washington, DC, March 2004

Recognition, Founder of the UTMB Faculty Senate, Galveston, Texas, 2001.

Excellence in Nursing Award-Leadership, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, May 2000

Nurse of the Year, Texas Nurses Association District 6, April 2000

U.S. Army Achievement Medal, 1991.

U.S. Army Certificate of Appreciation, Operation Desert Storm, 1991.

Professional Development

Available Upon Request