Chavez, Jennifer

Jennifer Chavez currently serves as the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital (THFW), in Fort Worth Texas. THFW is an 851-bed tertiary/quaternary hospital, including a Level I Trauma Center, Comprehensive Cardiac Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center, a 64-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and a 100-bed Emergency Care Center. Jennifer’s direct responsibilities include development of robust quality initiatives, operational growth, comprehensive strategy execution and organizational sustainability. Jennifer has more than two decades of experience in various nursing roles and operational leadership. She began her career at Texas Health Fort Worth as a patient care technician and quickly advanced into a dynamic operational leader. Most recently, Jennifer served as the Vice President of Professional Services at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth until transitioning to the CNO role in October of 2021. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Texas Cristian University in December 2005, her Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at University of Texas in Arlington in 2013, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice through Texas Tech Health Science Center in May of 2016. She is currently working towards the completion of her Master of Business Administration in Healthcare at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. Jennifer has received numerous awards such as Advisory Board Executive Fellow, Young Healthcare Executive, Leadership of Excellence and DFW Great 100 Nurse during her leadership tenure. Jennifer is involved in many professional organizations and currently serves on multiple organizational boards for local healthcare facilities and not for profit organizations. Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael and their 3 beautiful daughters, Kendall (18), Ava (20) and Savannah (23). Jennifer loves gardening and vacationing with her family.

Borjas, Ernest

Ernest Borjas is the Controller at HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe, dedicated to enhancing healthcare services for Montgomery County communities. Previously, Ernest excelled as the Regional Assistant Director of Accounting at South Texas Health System (STHS), supported by Universal Health Services (UHS). In this capacity, he played a crucial role in overseeing financial operations across the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Laredo Market, and Eagle Pass, Texas. Ernest's leadership was instrumental in participating in various improvement initiatives and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to launch new emergency rooms in diverse locations within the RGV and Laredo. Ernest holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan and a master's in financial management from the Universidad Marista de Merida, both earned in Mexico. Currently pursuing an MBA degree at Rice Business School, focusing on healthcare management, he is also on the path to obtaining a CPA license to augment his skills and knowledge in the industry. He has earned the Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) credential from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).

Diaz, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Diaz serves as the dynamic Director of Employee Education at DHR Health, infusing her role with a wealth of expertise and vitality. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a Master’s in Public Health from Lamar University, Elizabeth has forged a path of commitment to excellence through education in her academic pursuits. Her impactful journey commenced as an Advisor for the Department of Education, swiftly establishing her reputation as a champion for first-gen students and their families as they navigated their academic journeys. Joining DHR Health in 2019 as a Project Coordinator, Elizabeth played a pivotal role in transforming educational programs into impactful initiatives. In her current role as Director, she leads the Education Department, creating tailored solutions that resonate with the community's best interests. Elizabeth passionately advocates for upskilling opportunities and actively supports K-12th-grade healthcare programs, contributing to positive change for generations to come. For Elizabeth, education transcends a profession; it's a personal mission—a dynamic endeavor aimed at nurturing growth. Her commitment to education and engagement serves as a driving force behind her success. Certified in Grant Development, Leadership, Laughter Yoga, and Project Management, Elizabeth's strategic approach has resulted in securing over $5 million in grant funds, significantly benefiting the community she serves. Beyond her professional achievements, health seamlessly integrates into Elizabeth's lifestyle. Renowned for sharing knowledge and promoting holistic well-being, she serves as an inspiration to those around her. In her multifaceted life, Elizabeth seeks nourishment from her family and friends, immerses herself in the pages of books, engages in invigorating weightlifting adventures, and amusingly endeavors not to claim the title of the worst gardener on record. Currently residing in Edinburg, Texas, with her 5-year-old son Lucas, Elizabeth Diaz extends a warm invitation: Join her in a mission deeply rooted in her heart, where contributing to her community isn't merely a strategy—it's a Texas-sized commitment.

Bennett, Elaine

Elaine Bennett is a graduate of Texas Lutheran College with a BBA in Accounting and an Executive MBA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She and her husband, Randy, live and work in Seguin and are proud parents of two adult children. She has been employed by Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC) for the past 29 years. Twenty-three years were in accounting as Controller and Executive Director of Finance and Resource Management, and the past six years as the Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation (GRMF) CEO. GRMF is a public charity that supports GRMC's mission. She has raised over $4M since leading GRMF and most recently secured $10M to construct a medical office building from the state budget through HB.1. Elaine also volunteers her time in various organizations to promote and support Seguin. She was the Past Chair of the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce and the current Chair of the Public Affairs Committee. She serves as the assistant secretary board member for the Seguin Economic Development Cooperation. She received the Seguin Chamber Hometown Hero Award in 2020 and the Outstanding Community Service Award in 2021. She also serves on the Texas Lutheran University Business Advisory Committee and THA HOSPAC board of directors. She was past vice president of the New Braunfels Christian Academy (NBCA) school board, followed by leadership roles with the Seguin Independent School District. She has served as church council president at Seguin's Faith Lutheran Church. A specific passion of Elaine has been addressing food insecurity in the community. She spearheaded coordination with the local government and the San Antonio and New Braunfels Food Banks to organize mega food distributions at the Seguin Coliseum and in Cibolo during COVID-19. These successful distributions provided over 1.6M lbs. of food for Guadalupe County. She also coordinated food drives, set up food pantries for families to obtain food in emergencies, and even set up a food pantry for hospital employees. She also volunteers as a driver for Meal on Wheels. Her passion is empowering people to be self-sufficient. Elaine gives to give, taking time out of her busy schedule to discuss how she can help or find the help needed. Her impact in the community is that of a servant leader who knows no stops until the work is complete. Her tenacity is unwavering. She has the attitude and joy to make a difference and set the tone for fun and fulfilling events.

Nichols, Dawn

Dawn Nichols MSN, RN, NEA-BC is a nursing director at Texas Health Frisco (THF), overseeing Women’s and Infants’ Services, Perioperative Services, Administrative Supervisors, and Patient Transport. She joined Texas Health in 2001 as a staff labor and delivery nurse at Texas Health Allen (THA) and progressed to the Women’s and Infants’ Director before moving to Texas Health Plano (THP) in 2008. At THP she served as a clinical educator, Mother Baby manager, and then as Director of Women’s and Infants’ Services. Dawn’s most rewarding professional accomplishments have included leading THA to become the first Baby Friendly hospital in Texas, leading THP to become the first Level IV designated NICU in Collin County and being part of the leadership team that opened THF in 2019 as a joint venture between UT Southwestern and Texas Health. Dawn has a master’s degree in nursing administration from the University of Texas at Arlington and she will complete her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Texas at Tyler in May 2024. She is nurse executive advanced board certified (NEA-BC) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In addition to her healthcare leadership experience, Dawn has served as a Bonham Independent School District (BISD) Board Trustee. She served a 3-year elected term and then returned to serve a 5-month appointed term. While on the board, Dawn served as a healthcare representative on the BISD health committee where she led the development of the district’s first concussion protocol. Dawn has also served her local community in Fannin County has a past member and officer of Chi Lambda, a non-profit organization supporting the youth of Fannin County. Dawn and her husband Brad are lifelong Fannin County residents residing in Ravenna, Texas. They have two adult children. Dawn’s favorite role is being her grandson Briar’s La T Da. When not working, attending school, or being a mom/La T Da, Dawn and her husband enjoying traveling internationally.

Van Blarcum, Chelsea

Chelsea Van Blarcum is the Division Director of Denials Prevention for Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio, Texas. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders with a minor in Psychology and Master of Healthcare Administration from Texas State University in San Marcos. Chelsea worked in revenue cycle management for Hospital Corporation of America in Houston before being promoted as the Manager of Denial Prevention for HCA’s Gulf Coast Division. In 2021, she accepted the role as Director of Denial Prevention for HCA’s San Antonio Division in partnership with Methodist Healthcare System. In her tenure with HCA and MHS, Chelsea has worked with 26 hospitals that serve urban and rural communities in central, south and southeast Texas varying in size from 50 beds to over 800. In her role as Director of Denial Prevention, Chelsea creates solutions for revenue cycle and care delivery processes to prevent insurance claims denials. Her commitment to removing barriers to hospital reimbursement led to her most recent accomplishment of MHS having the largest reduction in denial write offs from prior year. Chelsea’s favorite part of her job is the opportunity to fulfil a passion for finding coverage solutions for uninsured patients. She demonstrated commitment to the development of positive workplace culture by creating and chairing the MHS Employee Advisory Group.

Walther, Catherine

Catherine Walther is the Privacy Officer and Administrative Director of Corporate Compliance at Harris Health System in Houston, Texas. Catherine holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising from the University of Houston and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center. Catherine has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since 2012. Catherine also holds the distinction of being Certified in Health Care Compliance and Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association. In her current role, Catherine is responsible for leading and managing the patient privacy program and the department of policies and procedures at Harris Health.

Steiner, Benjamin

Benjamin Steiner serves as Associate Administrator for Nacogdoches Medical Center. Ben is responsible for ancillary operations which include pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, wound care, facilities, security, nutrition services, environmental services, and biomedical engineering. Ben received a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy from Indiana University and a Master of Healthcare Administration from University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Vazquez, Barbara

Dr. Vazquez joined Christus Children’s in March 2021 as Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. Barbara provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the department of nursing. She is a highly accomplished nursing leader with vast experience in quality management, service excellence, patient throughput, staff recruitment and retention, and regulatory affairs. Barbara spent the prior two years as Director of Cardiology at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. While at Texas Children’s Hospital, she led their successful accreditation efforts for Adult Congenital Heart Disease and served as the executive leader for the Magnet Program. Prior to that, she served as Chief Nursing Officer for Tenet Healthcare in South Florida and was later promoted to Regional Chief Nursing Officer for The Hospitals of Providence and Providence Children’s Hospital in El Paso. At Providence, Barbara developed liver and kidney transplant programs and obtained Perinatal Certification and Maternal Fetal Monitoring Certification for the first time in El Paso.

Taylor, Austin

A native to Central Texas, Austin began his career in Health Care Administration with Baylor Scott & White in 2017. Currently, he serves as the Director of Operations for the Neuroscience Service Line and System Behavioral Health. In his role, he is passionate about combining the soft skills of effective leadership with the hard skills of business to create value for the patients and communities they serve. He has led the expansion of key Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Behavioral Health services, including developing and scaling innovative care models such as Hospital Tele-Psychiatry, Hospital Tele-Stroke, and one of the nation’s largest Collaborative Care Model programs for behavioral health. Austin graduated from Texas A&M University and received his MBA with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University. Austin and his wife Jessica are proud parents of four, and aim to live their lives in service of others to the glory of God.