May 13, 2015
The Texas Medical Association Foundation (TMAF) announces its
new officers, who will lead the foundation’s board for the next two years. They
were elected during TMA’s annual conference, TexMed, earlier this month. TMAF
is the philanthropic arm of the Texas Medical Association (TMA), the nation’s largest state
medical society.
TMAF supports statewide and local initiatives that focus on
prevention and healthier lifestyles. Long-standing programs include TMA’s Be Wise — ImmunizeSM
program to provide vaccinations and increase awareness and Hard
Hats for Little Heads bicycle helmet giveaway program. TMA Foundation also
supports other health improvement programs and a new TMA initiative, Walk With a
Doc Texas, part of a national grassroots movement devoted to encouraging
healthy physical activity. In 2014, more than $496,000 in TMAF grants supported
23 health initiatives to create a Healthy Now and Healthy Future.
Deborah A. Fuller, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist
in private practice in Dallas, was elected president. She has served on the
TMAF Board of Trustees since 2006 and is a former chair of TMA’s Council on
Health Promotion. She is a member of TMA’s Council on Constitution and Bylaws.
Dr.
Fuller also is active in the Dallas arts community and serves on the Dallas
Summer Musical Guild Board of Directors. She is an associate professor of
obstetrics and gynecology at Texas A&M Health Science Center School of
Medicine, teaching students at Baylor University Medical Center. She is a
graduate of The University of Texas Medical Branch and is a past chair of its
Alumni Board.
“
‘Improving the health of all Texans’ is the key objective of the TMA and the
TMA Foundation,” said Dr. Fuller. “I am honored and excited, as the new president
of the TMA Foundation, to work together toward the goal of healthier Texans.”
Carl O. Trusler, MD, a retired family
physician in Abilene, was elected vice president. Dr.
Trusler is a past president of the Abilene Diagnostic Clinic and a past member of
the boards of directors for Abilene Regional Medical Center and the West Texas
Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Trusler has served on the TMAF board since 2009. He earned
his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Trusler also served
as a lieutenant commander for the United States Navy Reserve and was a Navy
flight surgeon.
Mary Love (Bitsy)
Henderson of Austin was elected secretary. She is a principal at Henderson
Mallory Partners, a resource development consulting company that provides a
broad range of fundraising services for nonprofit clients. A member of the TMAF
board since 2011, Ms. Henderson served for 17 years as dean and faculty of the
Fundamentals of Healthcare Resource Development Track at the Association for
Healthcare Philanthropy’s (AHP) Institute for Philanthropy. She also is a
Fellow of AHP, the highest level of accreditation for professionals in health care
philanthropy. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Texas at
Austin (UT Austin).
James A. Prentice, MD,
a retired anesthesiologist from Austin, was reelected treasurer. He has served
on the TMAF board since 2012. He is a graduate of UT Austin, and earned his
medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Dr.
Prentice is a former president of the Travis County Medical Society. He serves
on the UT Austin Development Board, St. David’s Foundation Board of Trustees,
UT Foundation board, and Austin Symphony Board of Directors. Dr. Prentice also served
in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps.
D’Anna Wick of Tyler was
elected executive committee member-at-large and will serve a one-year term. She
is a past president and current board member of the TMA Alliance, a volunteer
service organization of TMA comprising physicians and physicians’ spouses. Ms.
Wick has served on the TMAF board since 2012 and has been
its secretary. She is a past president of the Junior League of Tyler and former executive director of The Hospice of East Texas.
Ms. Wick earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of
Mississippi and a master of science in interdisciplinary studies from The
University of Texas at Tyler.
TMA is the largest state medical society
in the nation, representing more than 48,000 physician and medical student
members. It is located in Austin and has 110 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 health improvement and science priority
initiatives of TMA and the family of medicine.
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Contact: Brent
Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Steve Levine (512)
370-1380; Cell: (512) 750-0971; email: steve.levine[at]texmed[dot]org
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