Watch the Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS) Virtual Launch
TEXGHS Virtual Launch
October 6, 2020
Watch the virtual launch of the Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS) – fighting COVID-19 and the next pandemic.
The Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS) is dedicated to coordinating efforts to support innovators and innovations fighting COVID-19 and future pandemics. Organized by the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at The University of Texas at Austin, TEXGHS is leading the creation and long-term success of a health security innovation ecosystem in Texas where equitable, inclusive solutions launch locally and grow globally.
Our virtual launch event featured speakers from around the globe discussing the importance of supporting innovation in the fight against COVID-19. The event also highlighted how TEXGHS has created a unique innovation ecosystem that brings together academic, public, and private sector partners to respond to COVID-19 and help prevent the next pandemic.
Meet our speakers
Peter Hotez, MD, PhD
Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Peter Hotez is an internationally recognized physician-scientist in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. He is the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, the Director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD), and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. Dr. Hotez is also University Professor at Baylor University and a Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy.
Moredreck Chibi, PhD
World Health Organization, Africa Innovation Lead
Dr. Moredreck Chibi is the Regional Advisor for Health Innovation at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (Brazzaville, Congo). He works directly with the WHO Regional Director for Africa on designing and implementing WHO programming across 47 member states and serves as a primary interface between the Regional Office in Africa and WHO Headquarters in Geneva.
Adriana Cruz
Executive Director of the Economic Development and Tourism (EDT) Division, Office of the Governor of the State of Texas
Adriana Cruz is the Executive Director of the Economic Development and Tourism (EDT) division within the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas. Cruz is the President of the Greater San Marcos Partnership and has more than 20 years of leadership experience in economic development, marketing, and international business. Prior to assuming this role, Cruz was the Vice President of Global Corporate Recruitment for the Austin Chamber of Commerce and holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin.
Sarah (Michel) Gerwig, MPH, PMP
Session moderator
Sarah Gerwig is a global health expert and entrepreneur with over 12 years experience in academic health science and global innovation in the world’s largest medical center, and is part of the founding team of TEXGHS. She is CEO of UpGlobal Consulting and U.S. Business Development Advisor for Tali Health, and she previously served as Associate Director of Business Development at Rice University and as Director of Business Development at Baylor College of Medicine.
Jay Hartzell, PhD
President, The University of Texas at Austin
Jay Hartzell is the President of The University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Lois and Richard Folger Dean’s Leadership Chair, the Centennial Chair in Business Education Leadership and the Trammell Crow Regents Professorship in Business. Prior to serving as President, Hartzell served as the 12th dean of the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, one of the largest and most distinguished business schools in the country.
Donna Howard, MSN
House Member, Texas House of Representatives
Representative Donna Howard has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, serves as Vice Chair of the House Administration Committee, and is a longtime member of the Higher Education and House Administration Committees. Donna earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in health education from The University of Texas at Austin, worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals, and served as Austin’s first hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator.
Clay Johnston, MD, PhD
Dean, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin
Since March 2014, Clay Johnston has served as the inaugural dean of Dell Medical School and as vice president for medical affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. His vision is to create a new model for academic medicine that accelerates innovation to improve health and reduce inefficiencies in health care. This includes building a vital, inclusive health ecosystem to support new and innovative approaches to education, care, research and community impact — all with a focus on measurably improving health in Austin as a model for the nation. He is also a neurologist, specializing in stroke care and research.
Verena Kallhoff, PhD, MBA
TEXGHS and Texas Health CoLab, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin
Panel moderator
Verena Kallhoff leads Workspaces @ Texas Health CoLab, a co-working space for value-focused health innovation startups at the Dell Medical School, where she guides and advises numerous healthcare startups and connects entrepreneurs to build a supportive and collaborative health innovation ecosystem. She previously served as the innovative managing director of CyBHOR, an industry/university cooperative research center sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Lisa McDonald, MD, MSTC
Austin Technology Incubator and TEXGHS
Lisa McDonald is a physician entrepreneur and is part of the founding team of TEXGHS. She is Director of Healthcare at the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. McDonald is co-founder of PandemicTech, a virtual incubator launched in 2016 that supports innovators on the front lines of fighting pandemic infectious disease threats, and she is also co-founder of Austin-based healthcare impact investment advisory firm Endura Ventures.
