Board Members
President
Norma Martínez Rogers, PhD, RN, FAAN
The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, School of Nursing
rogersn@uthscsa.edu
“I spent the early years of my life in public housing, I have spent my life in service to the community, first as a teacher in the Edgewood Independent School District and a Caseworker for San Antonio Catholic Family and Children services, before embarking on a career in nursing education. I served the needs of the San Antonio population as a nurse, a nurse educator, an advocate for the underserved population, and an advocate for health policy changes in regard to healthcare. I specialized in Psychiatric Nursing and was Director of Nursing at several hospitals. During Desert Storm I was assigned to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort. Bliss, Texas where I earned Achievement and Commendation Medals. I have a PhD in Cultural Foundations from the University of Texas at Austin. I subsequently earned two postdoctoral fellowships at the Indiana University School of Nursing. I was a member of the graduate faculty of the UT Health Science Center School of Nursing, where I was a tenured full Professor. In the School of Nursing, I was the first and only Latina who was a full tenured Professor. I retired and now am the first and only Latina Professor Emeritus in the School of Nursing. I co-founded a non- profit organization, Martinez Street Women Center whose primary purpose is to provide support and educational services to women and female adolescents. At the University of Texas Health Science Center, I founded Juntos Podemos, a mentorship program for nursing students and was funded for 17 years. I collaborated with the US Western District Court Probation Office to provide a female specific program for women convicted of a federal felon and under community supervision. I began this program to prevent relapse/recidivism. It was the only female group in the Western District Court. In November 2006 I was selected to be a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) which is the highest honor one can achieve in nursing. I am the past President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). I was a founding Commissioner of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) which examines how Medicaid physician pay affects access to care by Medicaid patients and those in the Children ‘s Health Insurance Program, among other issues. I founded the Cultural Inclusion Institute in 2011. I founded the International Association of Latino Nurse Faculty and serve as president. I am the past chair of Promotion and Tenure Appointment Committee (PTAC) for the school of nursing. Presently I have a $2,583,704 Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant to recruit and engage traditional program baccalaureate nursing students to engage in community-based primary care to help the underserved population. I most recently was awarded the 2022 Living Legends, the highest designation from the American Academy of Nursing.
Vice President
Eloisa G. Taméz, RN, PhD, FAAN
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
eloisa.tamez@utrgv.edu
Eloisa G.Taméz, RN, Ph.D., FAAN is Professor and Associate Dean Student Affairs of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) where she formerly was Chief Nursing Administrator. Dr. Taméz joined academia following more than 30 years in the private sector and the Department of Veterans Affairs where she was in executive nursing leadership for the final17 years. In academia, she has held faculty and leadership positions in each of the legacy institutions. Her greatest pride is the founding of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post Master’s Certificate which is the first new program to launch at the inauguration of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. This program has grown from nine graduates in the first cohort to 73 in May 2020. Professionally, she is the co-founder of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and the International Association of Latino Nurse Faculty. On February 14, 2019, Dr. Taméz was one of 200 Americans selected as a Frederick Douglass 200 (FD200) recipient. Dr. Taméz is a recipient of many other awards in her service to her country, retiring as Colonel of the United States Army. Dr. Tamez is very active in social justice issues referencing vulnerable populations. In 2021, she was appointed to the National Advisory Committee for Disability and Compensation by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Secretary
Elda Ramirez, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, ENP-C, FAEN, FAANP, FAAN
UT Health Houston, School of Nursing
elda.g.ramirez@uth.tmc.edu
She is a Dorothy T. Nicholson Distinguished Professor in the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. This honor specifically supports funding for the underserved. She also serves as the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Cizik. Dr. Ramirez is competent in the language of equity, diversity and inclusivity having participated in a series of educational programs including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Diversity Leadership Institute and the National Diversity Council of which she is designated a National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Executive. Elda was inaugural chair for the DEI council at the University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston which includes six health professions schools (Nursing, Public Health, Dentistry, Medical, Biomedical Informatics, MD Anderson Graduate Studies). In this role she developed an infrastructure of accountability that could not be dismantled inclusive of a representative on the university policy and procedure council that reviews all language and state law requirements specific to equity and inclusivity.
Nationally, Dr. Ramirez currently holds positions on the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), Fellows of the Academy of Nursing (FAANP), American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners (AAENP), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) DEI committees/councils and was recently named secretary for the International Association of Latino Nurse Faculty/Nurse Leader (IALNF/NL). These active responsibilities are crucial avenues for leadership and outreach in Dr. Ramirez’ battle toward achieving racial equity and closing the gaps in health disparities.
Treasurer
Herlinda Zamora, MSN, RN
The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, School of Nursing
herlindazamora@sbcglobal.net
“I am a retired bilingual clinical assistant professor from UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing. My teaching expertise includes over 10 years of teaching baccalaureate nursing students about chronic, acute/critical illnesses and Clinical Immersion. As a Hispanic nurse, I was interested in research to aid in advancing culturally inclusive patient-centered care by promoting an increase in nursing workforce diversity. My expertise also included over 10 years of experience in the recruitment and retention of minority pre-nursing and undergraduate nursing students in collaboration with local universities and the community. I worked to create Community Leadership Advisory Boards (CLABs) and participated in CLAB meetings that gave voice to nursing faculty, hospital administrators, community stakeholders, a local university health professions office, and students regarding nursing education and the needs of communities and hospitals. Additionally, I have over 30 years of nursing experience in hospitals and outpatient centers in the San Antonio community.”
Parliamentarian/Chair of Bylaws
Juanita Terrie Garcia, PhD, RN
Marquette University College of Nursing
juanita.garcia@mua.edu
Dr. Terrie Garcia has been a registered nurse for more than 20 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, a master’s degree from Carroll University, and Ph.D. in nursing from Marquette University College of Nursing.
She is the Project Director for three federally funded programs focused on recruiting, retaining, and graduating nursing students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds at Marquette University College of Nursing.
Dr. Garcia is committed to diversity and has also been involved in promoting diversity initiatives and is actively engaged at the local, state, and national level. For example, she has served on the Board of Nursing for the State of Wisconsin, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, the Sigma Theta Tau International Delta-Gamma At-Large Chapter, and the board for the Wisconsin Center for Nursing. Additionally, Dr. Garcia has obtained a wide range of teaching experiences as a community health educator for rural areas in southeastern Wisconsin.
Her research interests include preventing disparities among Latina women by addressing health from a generational, sub-group viewpoint and is invested in systematically studying approaches to advocating for diversity and inclusion to address disparities in our nation.
Chair of Public Policy and Research Committee
Theresa J. Garcia, PhD, RN
Texas State University, St. David’s School of Nursing, Round Rock, Texas
Dr. Theresa Garcia received her Bachelor of Science (BSN) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin and has been a registered nurse in Texas for over 35 years. Her career includes a clinical specialty in pediatric ICU, expertise as a legal nurse consultant in health law and products liability, and her current role in academia, teaching both undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Her research is focused on the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes in Latino families, and she has conducted studies, published, and been awarded grants in this and related areas. She served as faculty and Doctor of Nursing Practice Director in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas A&M University and is currently an Associate Professor at Texas State University in the St. David’s School of Nursing in Round Rock. Dr. Garcia is committed to and enjoys mentoring students at all levels and has much experience working with master’s and DNP students to plan and implement evidence-based quality improvement and research projects.
Chair of Development and Funding Committee
Adelita Cantu, PhD, RN
The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, School of Nursing
cantua2@uthscsa.edu
“I am a bicultural Mexican- American native of San Antonio, TX. I have over 40 years of public and population health nursing with a focus on primary and secondary health promotion and prevention among underserved, vulnerable populations. Activities are primarily focused on culturally relevant behavioral lifestyle changes across the lifespan using all mediums including mHealth technology. The specific contributions that I can bring to this grant are my expertise in working with diverse, often vulnerable communities and developing culturally relevant community partnerships that are focused on creating an environment at all ecological levels that make healthier choices the default choice. My past work includes developing community partnerships that focus on environmental health among vulnerable populations.”
Member-At-Large
Diana Martinez Dolan, PhD, RN
Wayland Baptist University
deedolan@gmail.com
Dr. Martinez Dolan received an associate degree in Nursing Science from Del Mar College, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Leadership, and post Master’s certification in Healthcare Administration from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She completed a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Texas Woman’s University at the Houston Medical Center. Her doctoral work focused on Hispanic BSN students’ barriers and facilitators to success. Dr. Martinez Dolan has been an RN for over 30 years and in academia for over 12 years. Her areas of teaching specialty include Leadership and Administration in nursing for both undergraduate and graduate levels. Current research inc
Dr. Diana Martinez Dolan is an Associate Professor at Wayland Baptist University. Leadership and Administration, as well as Community Nursing, are her specialty areas in both BSN and MSN education. Dr. Martinez Dolan also enjoys the development and management of nursing masters’ programs. Her research interest includes recruitment, retention, and flourishment of nursing faculty. Other areas of research interest have included barriers and facilitators of success for minority BSN nursing students and non-traditional faculty equity in academia.
Grants have included building BSN and Family Nurse Practitioners communication skills using virtual program implementation (SBIRT) sponsored by the National Research Center at the University of Chicago. She was named an LBJ Fellow at Texas State University and has collaborated on research concerning retention of academic faculty.
ludes nursing programmatic development and Hispanic nursing faculty recruitment and retention. Some of her areas of interest include nursing workforce issues, addressing the lack of minorities in academia, programmatic development, and community nursing.
Chair of Mentorship Committee
Carolina Huerta, EdD, RN, FAAN
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
carolina.huerta@utrgv.edu
Dr. Carolina Huerta received her BSN from the University of the Incarnate Word, her MSN from The University of Texas-Austin, and her Doctorate in Education from Texas A&M University. She is the former director of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and served as Nursing Department Chair for the University of Texas-Pan American for over 25 years. In 2008, she was the recipient of the ANA Mary Mahoney Award, given to her in recognition of her accomplishments in opening educational opportunities for minority students in the medically underserved Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2012. She has co-authored the text Health Promotion in Nursing. She served as the National Advisory Committee Chair for the RWJF New Careers in Nursing and served on the Doctoral Advancement in Nursing Advisory Committee. Dr. Huerta has international experience as a visiting professor at Naresuan University in Thailand for several years. She has worked closely with the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico as well. Dr. Huerta served as the AACN Chair for the Nursing Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Committee, the committee that developed the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Position Statement for AACN. Her primary area of expertise is in cultural competence. Most recently she contributed a chapter on Multicultural Education in Nursing in Billings & Halstead’s Teaching in Nursing: A Guide for Faculty (2020).
Publications
Eanes, L., Huerta, C., Fuentes, L.,& Bautista, B. (2021). Nurse Practitioners Students’ Perceptions on Delivering Culturally Congruent Care to Vulnerable Mexican Immigrants: A qualitative study. Hispanic Health Care International. DOI:10.1177/15404153211020417.
Huerta, C. (2020). Multicultural education in nursing. In D. Billings & J. Halstead (Eds.), Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (6th Edition). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier
Member-At-Large
Rosario Medina, PhD, FNP-BC, ACNP, CNS
University of Colorado, School of Nursing
rosario.medina@cuanschutz.edu
Dr. Medina is the Associate Dean (AD) of Clinical and Community Affairs (CCA) at the College of Nursing (CON) in the University of Colorado (CU) Anschutz Campus and Clinical Professor of Nursing with a secondary appointment in Medicine, Division of Family Practice. In the role of AD, she has the executive oversight of multiple nurse-led advanced practice and faculty managed clinical enterprises serving Denver Metro and rural Colorado. Included within these clinics are 5 midwifery clinical practices (representing urban-rural populations), a campus health primary clinic in charge of the health of students, staff, and faculty on campus, an integrative primary care practice that cares for a mixed underserved population in the suburbs, and Sheridan Health Services (SHS) in urban Denver-a federally funded integrative primary care clinic. Overall, as AD, she is directly responsible for building practice capacity that increases access to underserved populations while supporting the practice of a highly diverse workforce. She has 28 years of academic experience as a professor and in administrative roles. As a professor at CU, she teaches in the graduate advanced practice nursing programs and in the School of Medicine’s “doctoring “experiences. Her modifications have been successful at reaching Hispanic populations and changing health care behaviors related to cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. Her interventions aim at increasing access to health care and promoting healthier patient outcomes. Dr. Medina has served in multiple National and Regional board organizations focused on Nurse Practitioner Curriculum development and health care policy.
Featured In
University of Colorado Exceptional Women in Medicine for Hispanic Week
Chair of Membership Committee
Blanca Miller, PhD, RN
Methodist College Unity Point Health
bmiller@methodistcol.edu
Blanca Miller, PhD, RN is Dean of Nursing at Methodist College Unity Point Health in Peoria, Illinois. She served as the Chair of Undergraduate Nursing at Methodist College prior to becoming the Dean of Nursing.
Dr. Miller is the primary investigator and project director for the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention (NEPQR) Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Training Program. The program was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Her research interests are diversity, retention, nursing education and end of life care. She also works with Peoria Grown, an organization that addresses food insecurity.
Member-At-Large
Lula Westrup Pelayo, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Dr. Pelayo’s academic career as an executive nurse leader has allowed her to be instrumental in the creation, development, and implementation of educational programs enhancing the achievement of undergraduate and graduate studies in the health care arena. Her skills visualizing the needs of Hispanic students and of Military and Veterans to become successful within the context of academic education and health care, while observant about their expedited transition into the workforce, impressively impacted their success. Within multimillion dollar collaborative interprofessional grant initiatives, she integrated financial assistance mentoring and various valued student opportunities. Through these grants she linked expert curriculum leaders, community colleges, undergraduate, and graduate nursing programs and created simulation and distance educational methodologies. While working on various regional and national Hispanic boards and organizations, she provided leadership on a variety of forward-thinking strategies for Hispanic nurses such as strong formal mentorships and applicable marketing tools.
Dr. Pelayo Ph.D., RN, FAAN, retired as Professor and Dean at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences – College of Allied Health Sciences (USU) in March 2024. Her achievements in establishing the newest college of at USU led to annually serving over 9000 diverse and often first-time college students. College credits and Associate and Bachelors’ degrees are being awarded to our nations active duty enlisted military forces in various allied health programs. Her dedication to the education of students remains steadfast as she explores new ways to contribute in this next phase of her career.