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 HOUSTON – The Texas Medical Association Political Action Committee (TEXPAC) has named Linda Swan Adkins of Houston as the 2011 recipient of its June Bratcher Award.

TEXPAC surprised her with the award on May 12 during TexMed, Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) annual conference, held this year in Houston.

TEXPAC presents the June Bratcher Award for Political Action every two years to a physician’s spouse who was an outstanding volunteer in a federal or state political campaign. TEXPAC modeled the award in 1987 after a similar American Medical Association (AMA) Political Action Committee award, whose first recipient was June Bratcher of San Antonio. The honorees are members of the TMA Alliance, a volunteer organization of physicians and spouses. Mrs. Adkins has been active in the alliance for 18 years.

Mrs. Adkins is a legislative consultant, and is married to TMA physician member James Adkins, MD, a Houston gynecologist.

Her nominators describe Mrs. Adkins as a tireless volunteer willing to work in support of any TEXPAC-endorsed candidate, doing any task.

“Linda Adkins is a savvy, intelligent, self-sacrificing, graceful, poised lady who has served Texas medicine well and deserves in every way to be recognized for her relentless work on behalf of our patients,” said Susan G. Dobbs Curling, MD, who nominated Mrs. Adkins for the award. Mrs. Adkins was a campaign advisor for Dr. Curling in her bid for Texas House District 127.

An 18-year veteran of TEXPAC, Mrs. Adkins worked on each successful campaign of Kyle Janek, MD, for state senator and representative; organized fund-raisers and worked a polling place on Election Day on behalf of Rep. John Zerwas, MD, a member of the Texas House; and organized many fund-raisers and served in countless capacities on behalf of U.S. senators and congressional representatives, and other state representatives. Candidates appreciate her help.

In backing Mrs. Adkins’ nomination for the award, Dr. Janek said when he was a candidate, “Linda’s encouragement, advice, and presence caused me to remember that I had to work even harder because there were other folks who had invested their time in my cause.”

“Linda Adkins represents advocacy for medicine, not just for one campaign or even one organization but decades of tireless support for medicine over many campaigns and multiple organizations,” said David F. Gloyna, MD, in his nomination letter. “She represents the very best of the TMA Alliance.”

Mrs. Adkins is president-elect of the TMA Alliance. She has served as the TEXPAC Alliance co-chair and member of the TEXPAC Candidate Evaluation Committee. She’s also been the TMA Alliance parliamentarian and vice president of Legislation and Public Affairs, and served as a delegate to the AMA Alliance. She also has represented the alliance on TMA’s Council on Legislation.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 45,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the association and raises funds to support the public health and science priority initiatives of TMA and the family of medicine. 

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