Board of Directors

Quality Texas Foundation
Board of Directors

Tommy Gonzalez – Chair of the Board

Mr. Tommy Gonzalez was appointed City Manager of Midland, Texas in July 2023, overseeing the 26th largest city in Texas, a $400 million budget, and 1,200 employees. With 30 years in public sector management, he previously served as El Paso City Manager from 2014 to 2023, where he achieved significant financial improvements and multiple awards, including the National Malcolm Baldrige Foundation E. David Spong Lifetime Leadership Award in 2022.

His leadership in El Paso resulted in numerous accolades such as three All-America City Awards, Texas Award for Performance Excellence, and improved financial ratings. Earlier, as Irving’s City Manager from 2006 to 2013, the city won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Texas Award for Performance Excellence.

Mr. Gonzalez holds leadership roles on several boards and received recognition for economic and public sector excellence. A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, he has a Master’s from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor’s from Eastern New Mexico University and a black belt in lean six sigma. Married to Sandy, they have two sons and three dogs.

Brooks Williams – Chief Executive Officer

Brooks Williams serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program (QTFRP), bringing over two decades of experience in strategic leadership, continuous improvement, and organizational transformation across public and private sectors. With a steadfast commitment to the Baldrige Excellence Framework, he has championed innovative practices to drive sustainable growth and high performance.

Mr. Williams serves as City Manager for the City of Ferris, Texas where he leads efforts to reform the organization’s internal culture and improve financial stability. During his tenure, the city achieved its first AA credit rating in 15 years, eliminated a budget deficit, and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan. His leadership contributed to significant economic growth and quality-of-life improvements, earning recognition for rapid development.

Before his municipal service, Mr. Williams held the role of Chief Quality Officer for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. In this capacity, he spearheaded district-wide continuous improvement initiatives and oversaw the execution of strategic goals. His leadership was instrumental in the district being recognized as the top-performing school system in Texas for both financial and academic excellence.

At QTFRP, Mr. Williams envisions leading an organization known as the premier resource for driving excellence across sectors. His focus is on expanding outreach, strengthening partnerships, and delivering cutting-edge tools and training to help organizations achieve measurable, sustainable results. Under his leadership, QTFRP is poised to set a new standard for performance improvement, aligning its mission with the evolving needs of businesses, governments, healthcare, education, and nonprofits.

Mr. Williams holds a Master of Public Administration from Liberty University and pursuing a doctorate in Public Administration. He is certified in Lean Six Sigma and actively engages in leadership and governance at multiple levels. He has served on the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Texas Board of Directors, as a Baldrige examiner, and as a member of various regional councils and partnerships. He is also the author of “Rising to Serve: Reimagining Public Administration for a New Era.” Brooks is dedicated to high-performing, responsive government.

Throughout his career, Mr. Williams has been known for his results-oriented approach, focus on developing high-performance teams, and dedication to building organizational capacity. He and his wife, Virginia, have been married for over 15 years and are the proud parents of five children.

Kirk Kriegel – Vice Chair

Mr. Kirk and his wife, Laurie, have been married for 40 years and have two married children, two grandsons, and two granddaughters. He is a native of Austin and has served for over 27 years as an Executive Pastor for churches in Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas and is currently the Executive Vice President at Children At Heart Ministries in Round Rock. (It is a family of four direct-care ministries – www.childrenatheartministies.org.

He has served on numerous teams as an Examiner, Process Coach and Team Lead for the Quality of Texas Foundation TAPE Award, Kirk is Chair of the Board, and Subject Matter Expert for the Williamson County Institute of Excellence for Non-Profits.

Kirk has a BBA in Management from Baylor University in Waco and a Masters of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Shawn-Marie Herring – Secretary

Ms. Herring is the Senior Director of Quality, Regulatory Operations & Emergency Management for Texas Health Resources, Arlington, and serves as Adjunct Faculty for the Department of Management of the University of Texas, Arlington. She is highly skilled in corporate consultation for the application of health care improvement science, process re-engineering, performance measurement principles, patient safety, accreditation standards and organizational excellence based upon the Baldrige criteria. Ms. Herring is an RN and her educational background includes an MBA, CPHQ, and she is currently working on a doctoral degree in Business/Healthcare Administration at Oklahoma State University. She holds professional memberships with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), North Texas Association of Healthcare Quality (NTAHQ), and American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Manuel E. Maldonado Cotto – Treasurer

Professor Manuel E. Maldonado Cotto is the Founder, President and CEO of Intelligence Forecasting, Corp located in San Juan, Puerto Rico since 2006.

He is responsible for market research, intelligence research, symbolic analysis along with training and development, change management, organizational development. He has taught for the University of Phoenix and the University of the Sacred Heart. He also serves as a Director on the Board for Leonardo’s.

Rev. Dr. Dwight Bailey, Jr. – Chaplain

Rev. Dr. Dwight Bailey, Jr. is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament within the Reformed Church In America (RCA). He holds a Ph.D. in Business Management with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Change, an M.Div. in Pastoral Leadership, and a BA in Speech Communication. Dwight has served in pastoral ministry for almost 30 years as a Worship Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Pastoral Supervisor/Coach. He is currently serving at New Life Church in Georgetown, TX, where he and Jeanine, his wife of almost 25 years, serve and support pastors and leaders of a growing congregation.

Dwight is the Executive Director of the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN), serving together with Greater Austin churches to bring hope into crisis through the transformational power of Jesus Christ. Dwight is a business consultant and CEO/Owner of DBJDevelopments, LLC.

Dwight has served on QTFRP staff, as well as an Examiner, Training Facilitator, and Table Leader for eight years. He has championed lower and Award level applications as the lead writer for multiple organizations. Dwight also currently serves as Chaplain to the Board of Directors and Webmaster.

Anali Alanis – Director

Ms. Anali Alanis is currently the Chief Quality Officer of Texas Municipal Retirement System. Prior to joining TMRS, Anali was the Interim City Manager of the City of Pharr. During her tenure at the City of Pharr, the city earned the Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence that recognizes exceptional performance in all areas of organizational management. Pharr is only the third city in Texas to receive this award.

Ms. Alanis holds a B.A. in Applied Technology Management from South Texas College and a M.P.A. from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is also a Certified Public Manager.

Serelda Bowman-Young – Director

Ms. Serelda Bowman-Young is a registered nurse (RN) with over 35 years of nursing experience. She achieved her RN diploma from Charity Hospital School of Nursing and her Bachelor and Master of Science from Loyola University New Orleans. Serelda has experience that spans the continuum of care. She has achieved subject matter expertise in Quality Management, Compliance, Case Management, and Change Management. She has vast experience building highly effective teams and model programs.

Serelda currently serves as the Chief of Quality Management at the Veterans Affairs Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) where she is responsible for leading SLVHCS in the journey toward a High Reliability Organization, pursuing zero patient harm, and improving overall performance with the adoption of the Baldrige Excellence Framework for Health Care. She is responsible for the Accreditation, Infection Control, Risk Management, Quality Management Specialists, Controlled Substances Inspections, Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP), Utilization Management, and Patient Flow programs.

Serelda and her husband, Steve, are natives of Louisiana. They have been married for 38 years and enjoy their three adult children and two grandchildren. They also love Louisiana cuisine and New Orleans music.

R. Jacob Cintron – Director

Mr. R. Jacob Cintron serves as President/CEO of the El Paso County Hospital District (EPCHD) which includes University Medical Center of El Paso, El Paso Health, El Paso Children’s Hospital, and University Medical Center Foundation of El Paso. Mr. Cintron has more than 35 years of healthcare management experience.

Mr. Cintron is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, member of the Americas Essential Hospitals, current board chair of the Teaching Hospitals of Texas, board member of the THA, committee member of the THA’s Council on Policy Development, member of the THA, past board chair of the Emergency Health Network, board member of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and United Way of El Paso, current board chair of the Paso Del Norte Health Information Exchange and serves on various other El Paso committees and boards.

Dr. Bridget Dewees – Director

Dr. Bridget Dewees is an award-winning Performance Excellence Practitioner with more than 35 years of professional experience in Business, Finance, Organizational Development and Higher Education Administration. She is the Assistant Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC and a Contributing Faculty member in the DBA program at Walden University.

She is a Governor’s SC Champion for Excellence award recipient, President of the SC Quality Forum and a Peer Reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. She previously served on the national Baldrige Board of Examiners for several years.

Dr. Jonathan B. Flores – Director

Dr. Jonathan B. Flores is a municipal government professional with over 23 years of dedicated service. His 22-year law enforcement career culminated with him serving as Chief of Police and Assistant City Manager for the City of Alton, Texas. In 2023, he was appointed as the City Manager for his hometown of Pharr, Texas where he manages a 272-million-dollar budget, and 798 employees.

Dr. Flores is a transformational, visionary, solutions-focused servant leader with a comprehensive background in municipal law enforcement operations management. Resolutely committed to community policing, community-based government, and procedural justice. Proven credibility in applying outstanding leadership, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and active listening skills to diffuse escalating situations with tact and ease.

Dr. Flores has a reputation for integrity, work ethic, and perseverance. Recommends programs and services by studying the changing needs of the city; identifying and anticipating community service trends; evaluating and offering options to governing body.

Bruce France – Director

Mr. Bruce France served as a Surface Warfare Officer and retired as a Commander with over 23 years in the US Navy. In addition, he has 20 years of combined federal and city government experience, primarily in Program and Organizational Change Management roles.

Andrew Gnann – Director

Mr. Andrew Gnann is the President of Ascension Seton, Williamson County. Mr. Gnann served as n interim President and SVE Vice President of Operations. Among Mr. Gnann’s many accomplishments are his leadership of an addition of an 80-bed inpatient behavioral health unit, a renovation strategy for the hospital, patient experience work and quality initiatives.

A Birmingham native, Mr. Gnann earned his Master of Science in Health Administration and Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. In 2012, he participated in the Ascension Executive Ministry Leadership Formation program.

Active in professional and community organizations, Mr. Gnann served as president of the Alabama Healthcare Executives FORUM and in other leadership roles. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves as the treasurer of the Irondale Chamber of Commerce Board. He also serves as the Vice President of the Shades Valley Lutheran Church Council.

Ricardo Hernández – Director

Mr. Ricardo Hernández is the new Chief Executive Officer of Sistema de Salud Menonita (Menonita or SSM) in Puerto Rico. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he was second in command at Menonita for many years in his position as Associate Chief Executive Officer. Ricardo has over 40 years of professional career with ample experience in varied sectors, including health care and banking and has been with SSM for over 13 years. He has been instrumental in the development, expansion and innovation of SSM since he joined Menonita in year 2007.

Prior to joining SSM, he occupied the position of Chief Financial Officer in a prestigious financial institution in Puerto Rico with over $17 billion in total assets, was the President and CEO of a nonprofit foundation in the health service sector with a hospital and multiple health related programs like home care and housing projects for the elderly or handicapped. He started his professional career with one of the US big eights audit firms where he worked for over 13 years and was senior manager and directed one of their office in Puerto Rico.

Ricardo specializes in strategic planning, business development and acquisitions and throughout his professional career has always been involved in innovation projects, where he draws from his varied knowledge of different economic sectors and vast experience. He is very technology oriented and has directed the efforts at SSM to a full integration model to accomplish the mission of providing integrated health services and creating a seamless health delivery model. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, is a licensed CPA and has numerous continued education courses in prestigious programs at top US Universities.

Dr. Michael Kimbrel – Director

Dr. Mike Kimbrel is the superintendent of Park Hill School District in Kansas City, Missouri. He’s been with the district since 2010, previously serving as assistant superintendent for academic services, executive director of quality and evaluation, and director of research, evaluation, and assessment.

Before coming to Park Hill, he worked in the Millard Public Schools in Nebraska and the Liberty Public Schools in Liberty, Missouri, serving as a math teacher, an assistant principal, and a principal. His work to lead Park Hill School District’s continuous improvement efforts contributed to the district earning the Missouri Quality Award in 2015 and the Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program Award this year.

He has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas and a doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska. Mike and his wife, Jill, have two daughters who attend Park Hill schools.

Dr. Adena Loston – Director

Dr. Adena Loston is the President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Philip’s College. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership, developing collaborative partnerships, implementing a performance budgeting model, implementing district priorities, and establishing and maintaining institutional effectiveness measures with an operating budget over $60M and $20M in grant funds; over 13,000 credit students, over 3,000 dual credit students; 4 Early College High Schools, and 3 military installations and over 700 full-time employees.

Tom Matuschka – Director

Mr. Tom Matuschka, MNM, CFRE, is the Vice President of Business Development & Philanthropy for Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. In this role he serves as the Executive Director of the NRMC Foundation, drives business growth initiatives, and supports community improvement activities. Additionally, he supports the following key departments and functions: human resources, information systems, community/physician relations, public relations/marketing, transportation/logistics, grants, Nutritional Services, and the volunteer program.

Tom coordinates and co-leads the implementation of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework throughout the healthcare system.

Tom dedicates personal time to his Catholic faith, enjoying his family (new granddaughter), DIY home projects, reading, and avidly following LSU Tigers.

Dr. Clay McDonald – Director

Dr. Clay McDonald, holds DC from Logan University, an MBA from St. Ambrose University, and a JD from Valparaiso University School of Law. He is the seventh president of Logan University with over 20 years of experience as a senior administrator at chiropractic institutions.

Dr. McDonald co-owned a multidisciplinary clinic that linked medical, chiropractic, physical therapy and mental health. He has participated in numerous accreditation activities through the Council on Chiropractic Education and was a CCE board/council member from 2005 to 2013.

Currently, Dr. McDonald serves on the executive committee of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and is a board member for the Spine Institute for Quality.

Jim Parisi – Director

Mr. Jim Parisi is the President of CHI St. Luke’s Woodlands and Lakeside Hospitals as well as the Springwoods Village facility. Jim has held a variety of positions increasing in responsibility and scope in various healthcare organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer for Memorial Hermann Health System’s Katy Hospital.

Under Jim’s leadership, the hospital received the Quality Texas Foundation’s 2017 Award for Performance Excellence and attained a top two percent patient safety score from Truven. Further, the facility was one of only 72 hospitals in the United States to achieve Leapfrog Straight A’s since 2012 and was named on Becker’s Top 49 Hospitals.

Jim has also served on numerous national, state, and local boards and professional organizations.

Dr. Steve Pautler – Director

Dr. Steve Pautler began serving as the CEO of Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital in August 2020. Pautler has served in executive hospital and health administrative roles in Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Prior to taking on administrative responsibilities, Pautler worked as a Registered Nurse in teaching hospital Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments. Pautler earned a Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS) in Biomedical Ethics from Albany Medical College, NY; a Master of Health Administration (MHA) from Washington University in St. Louis, MO; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Saint Louis University, MO. Pautler’s doctoral thesis describes an ethical structure of opioid medication prescribed for persons with substance use disorder and life-threatening medical conditions. Pautler is a Board Certified Health Executive and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and holds a Certification as a Rural Hospital CEO by the National Rural Health Association. Pautler has been married to fellow nurse Mary for over 30 years and has four adult children together.

Early on in my first Baldrige journey, learning the process took time and attention. Putting on paper our organization’s commitments, priorities, progress, and challenges is something that doesn’t always come naturally as operators. At the same time, my hospital was going through a $55 million bonding process – and the people who wanted to know we were a good investment financially were asking the same questions that I was answering for the Baldrige Organizational Profile. As we developed throughout our journey to the Governor’s Award, I saw how we improved through self-examination and the objective view of the Examiners who volunteered their time. Now I have a more clear vision of how to help my organization succeed, which means improved health and lives of the community my Hospital serves. That’s why I do this work, and that’s why I continue to pursue a Baldrige journey now!

Lysa Ross – Director

Ms. Lysa Ross serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the health care needs of the American Indian population. Mrs. Ross has proudly served this organization since 2001 and is excited about the growth that OKCIC has experienced, now serving more than 21,000 patients. Prior to beginning her current role in 2009, Mrs. Ross was the Assistant Finance Director at OKCIC.

Mrs. Ross has a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC). She has participated as an Examiner for Oklahoma Quality Foundation and Quality Texas Foundation. Mrs. Ross also serves on the Oklahoma Area IHS Director’s Awards Committee, which covers Indian Health Service facilities in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.

Dr. Ron Schulingkamp – Director

Dr. Ron Schulingkamp has over 25 years’ experience and proven results in creating high-performing, sustainable, resilient organizations in numerous industries. Ron is a Quality Improvement Project Manager at University Medical Center New Orleans and serves as VP of Louisiana Quality Foundation. He is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Loyola University of New Orleans, College of Business, where he teaches future leaders in the MBA program the theories, philosophy, and ethics to design an organization that can achieve sustainable excellence using the Baldrige Excellence Framework.

As the Senior Strategic Consultant for the U.S. Department of Energy, Strategic Petroleum Reserve Management and Operations Contractor from 2000 through 2016, Ron led the organizational transformation, resulting in the first federal government contractor to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Award in 2005 and the Robert W. Campbell Award for Safety, Health, and Environment Performance Excellence in 2006.

Ron earned his Doctor of Science degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He earned a Master of Quality Management, and Master of Business Administration degrees from Loyola University in New Orleans and an undergraduate degree in engineering from Louisiana State University.

Christopher Shutts – Director

Mr. Christopher Shutts serves as the Director, Operational Excellence for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, Texas. He has served in various executive leadership roles within the healthcare industry for over 15 years. Prior to Texas Health, Chris served as the Vice President, Value-Based Healthcare Implementation for Baylor Scott & White Health.

Chris is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt that is responsible for the strategic deployment and knowledge transfer of various improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen, throughout hospitals and healthcare systems to achieve operational excellence and improve the customer’s experience.

Ken Schiller – Director

Mr. Ken Schiller was born and raised in Cameron, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M Central Texas with a BS in Aviation. He subsequently obtained an MBA from The Jack Welch Management Institute. Ken has resided in Travis and Williamson counties since 1986 while launching five successful start-ups in separate and distinct industries. His current focus is commercial land development.

K&N Management, a former company, has the distinction of being the first (2010) Austin-based organization to receive the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge Presidential Award – the nation’s highest honor for operational excellence. In 2012, Ken was appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce to serve a three-year term on the Malcolm Baldridge Judge’s Panel. In addition, he was presented with the Ethics In Business Award for the City of Austin in 2012.

Ken has and currently serves on multiple boards and is an engaged member of Celebration Church. He is a nationally recognized speaker on leadership and operational excellence while mentoring business owners and rising executives from a wide range of industries. Ken is a licensed Commercial Pilot, a licensed risk manager, and is passionate about excellence through continuous improvement.

Wes Tidwell – Director

Mr. Wesley (Wes) Tidwell, MBA, MHA, FACHE is the President of Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, serving over 150,000 patients annually across Central Texas. He is responsible for overall operational and financial accountability, with oversight of operational effectiveness and performance, growth and strategic development as well as strengthening community partnerships.

Wes has over 10 years of experience in healthcare executive leadership, having previously held positions at Ascension Seton Williamson and Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospitals. He is a motivational change leader with proven ability to lead teams in achieving operational targets, improving clinical indicators and enhancing overall performance.

Wes received his bachelor’s in Science from Texas A&M University and earned his master’s in Business Administration and master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is board certified in healthcare management. He and his wife, Kristen, and their two children have made their home in Round Rock, TX

Dr. Musaddiq Waheed – Director

Dr. Waheed currently serves as a Chief Medical Officer for HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast at Pasadena, TX. A seasoned leader in hospital medicine, Dr. Waheed has over 18 years of healthcare experience. Previously, Dr. Waheed served as an Assistant Chief Medical Officer for HCA Houston Healthcare Pearl and as a Regional Medical Director for Envision Healthcare in Houston. During this period Dr. Waheed led significant improvements in quality measures, held multiple hospital committee leadership positions and was instrumental in driving the regional quality agenda for the organization promoting efficiency and safety.

Dr. Waheed has held multiple leadership roles with both for profit and not for profit organizations throughout his career. He earned his Physician Executive MBA degree from Haslam School of Business at University of Tennessee in Knoxville before completing a fellowship in Quality and Safety from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement IHI. He further completed an Improvement Advisor Program with IHI. Dr. Waheed is a certified professional in-patient safety, a certified physician advisor and is board certified in healthcare quality and management.

Dr. Waheed is a board member with Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program and serves as a Regional Baldridge Examiner. Dr. Waheed earned his MBBS degree from Rawalpindi Medical College in Pakistan and is board certified in Family Medicine. He resides with his beautiful wife and two amazing boys in high school. In his spare time, he loves to read, run, and play squash.

Mark Walmsley – Director

Mr. Mark Walmsley has 35 years of experience across military, security services, mining, Defence procurement, and healthcare. In 2005 and 2006, Mark served as the Commonwealth of Australia Test Pilot for the $3.4B acquisition of six Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft (now Boeing E7A Wedgetail). In 2012 Mark started Healthcare Reform Consulting with his wife Kate to improve access to care at hospital emergency departments across Australia and New Zealand – a business that continues to this day.

Mark has used Baldrige since 2010 across four industry sectors with success, and in 2023 formed PERFX (performance excellence), a consulting firm to guide Australian public and private organizations to excel in customer satisfaction, workforce engagement, and financial performance using the proven Baldrige Excellence Framework.

2023 – 2024 Retired Advisory Board of Directors

Amit Agarwal – Director

Mr. Amit Agarwal is the recently appointed President of Shop LC, Global Inc. in Austin, Texas. Mr. Agarwal is a long-standing employee of the VGL Group, parent company to Shop LC, in which he has proudly served for over 14 years. Prior to joining Shop LC, Mr. Agarwal served as the Managing Director of The Jewellery Channel, Shop LC’s sister channel operating in London, England.

Known for his strong P&L management, focused cost-control and building strategic teams, Mr. Agarwal is quickly embracing the Baldrige methods.
Mr. Agarwal holds a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA in Marketing. Mr. Agarwal, his wife and their two children have made their home in Round Rock, Texas.

Diane Brockmeier – Director

Ms. Diane Brockmeier has over 34 years of progressive experience in the organ
& tissue donation community. She brings to her job an unwavering compassion for the families and communities Mid-America Transplant serves. As President and CEO of Mid-America Transplant, Brockmeier oversees strategic operations, including key partnerships with more than 120 hospitals and transplant centers located throughout Missouri, northeast Arkansas and southern Illinois.

Ms. Brockmeier was the driving force in implementing several innovative best practices over the past several years. Her accomplishments include overseeing the design, construction and use of a first-in-the-nation, on-site surgical suite for organ and tissue recovery and the first OPO to manage DMV offices. Adept at analyzing data and driving consensus for process improvement, Ms. Brockmeier was instrumental in performance improvement and organizational changes that resulted in Mid-America Transplant being the first OPO awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2016. In addition, Mid-America Transplant is a three time winner of the Missouri Quality Award. Currently, she serves as the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) Immediate Past President as well as a member of several AOPO committees. In addition, she is a committee chair for the OPO Committee and board member of the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) and a member of the Board of Directors for the Baldrige Foundation.

Dale Crownover – Director

Mr. Dale Crownover is the President and CEO of Texas Nameplate. Texas Nameplate received the Texas Award for Performance Excellence in 1996.

They received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1998 and again in 2004. He has served as the Board Chair of the Quality Texas Foundation twice and as a Judge for the national Baldrige Program.

Dale has also received the prestigious honor of being named a Quality Texas Foundation Fellow and Board Emeritus.

Dr. David Frielein II – Director

Dr. David Friedlein is the Assistant City Manager for the City of Pharr, Texas. His job is to develop, manage, and provide organizational leadership to several different departments such as Engineering, Building and Code Enforcement, Public Health, Public Utilities and Public Works to mention a few.

Dr. David is also a Guest Lecturer to the Caruth Police Institute. He teaches courses beyond traditional leadership models. He is an Adjunct Professor for Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, Tennessee teaching course in criminal justice. Additionally, he is also an Adjunct Professor for South Texas College of McAllen, Texas in the areas of law enforcement.

Dr. Ken Davis – Director

Dr. Ken Davis is the Chief Medical Officer for CHRISTUS Health South Texas Region serving South Texas San Antonio and Corpus Christi Region with 11 hospitals, 3 ambulatory surgery centers and a Medicare Accountable Health Organization (ACO).

Dr. Davis is a two-time national Baldrige Recipient with North Mississippi Medical Center in 2006 and again in 2012. He was also heavily involved in the 2014 QTF Award for San Antonio Methodist Healthcare.

He just finished a three-year tour as a member of the Panel of Judges for the National Malcolm Baldrige Program.

Barrie Laing, Esq. – Director

Mr. Barrie Laing, former President of Radiation Detection Company (“RDC”), Inc. since 1995, led this founder-based niche company to prominence in the radiation safety community with significant domestic and international business.

He has over twenty years of practicing law where he represented business and non-profit organizations both locally and nationally.

Barrie is active within the community and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for multiple non-profit organizations both locally and globally.

Dr. Paul Machen – Director

Dr. Paul Machen is currently employed as Executive Director of the Institute for Professional Leadership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). In this position, he supervises all activities and provides strategic direction for the Institute of Professional Leadership.

Dr. Machen has over 31 years of higher education faculty, curriculum development, and student affairs experience and served 12 years as a college administrator (Dean). He has taught Business Administration, Education Administration, and Fire and Homeland Safety courses (graduate and undergraduate level) for West Texas A&M University, University of Phoenix at San Antonio, Southern Illinois University, and the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy.

Dr. Machen is a highly decorated retired Air Force veteran and has performed in top leadership positions such as Command Civil Engineer Chief Enlisted Manager, where he performed functional managerial oversight for over 1,300 employees across 13 Air Force installations and managed a $70 million dollar budget comprised of equipment, vehicles, and training requirements.

Dr. Machen has served on numerous non-profit, school board, and city appointed positions including Quality Texas Foundation; Equal Enrollment Collaborative (Up Partnership), Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color, My Brother’s Keeper San Antonio, St. Philip’s College CultureFest and Rib Cook off (Fiesta San Antonio Member Organization); Vice President of the Randolph ISD Board of Trustees; Chairperson for Mental Health/Mental Retardation Services Planning Advisory Committee; Board Member for the Cibolo Texas Economic Development Commission; Chairperson for the McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) Chief’s Group; Chairperson for the McConnell AFB Enlisted Top 3 Committee; El Paso Elementary Site Council member.

Dr. Machen’s Baldrige experiences include QTF Board of Examiners as Examiner, Team Lead, Backup Team Lead, Editor, Process Coach, Faculty, Panel of Judges, and Chair, Panel of Judges. He is a 2022 Fellows Award recipient as well.

Tony Passamano – Director

Mr. Tony T. Passamano is a Director of Quality and Mission Success efforts for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

He has over 25 years’ experience in planning and implementing strategic Quality Assurance objectives and has been recognized by multiple US Army Customers (Patriot Lower Tier Project Office, Aviation and Missiles Research Development and Engineering Directorate, Aviation and Missile Command) as a results-oriented, strategic and tactical Quality leader.

He has an Associates of Applied Science in Avionics & Aircraft Electrical System from the US Air Force University and has a BLS degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Michael Saiphoo – Director

Mr. Michael Saiphoo is the Vice President and General Manager of OMNI Flow Computers, Inc. in Sugarland, TX. He is a driven and entrepreneurial executive with 20 years of leading domestic and international organizations in establishing/delivering best practices and profitability.

He is a facilitator and builder of world-class technological, industrial, and operational teams with specialty in sustaining install base legacy systems, scaling up, and new product launches.

Michael has also been responsible for proven customer and account management growth strategies, networking with quality, regulatory, and standards organizations; building partnerships, joint ventures, and acquisitions to deliver multi-million bottom line growth year over year.

Kirk Soileau – Director

Mr. Kirk Soileau has over 40 years of healthcare experience in the public, for-profit, not-for-profit and faith based organizations and was the founder of an international healthcare consulting company traveling to over 21 countries. In 2014, Kirk joined Natchitoches Regional Medical Center (NRMC) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). As CEO of NRMC, Soileau is responsible for all aspects of the Health System’s strategic, clinical and financial direction.

Kirk obtained a Diploma in Nursing from Charity Hospital School of Nursing, New Orleans, Louisiana; a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of St. Francis, Joilet, Illinois; and a Masters of Health Administration from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. In addition, he is a 2018 National Malcolm Baldrige Fellow.

Liz Youngblood – Director

Ms. Liz Youngblood, RN, MBA, FACHE, recently retired, served as the President of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center & SVP/COO of St. Luke’s Health Texas Division, the largest not-for-profit health system in the US. She ensures the effective and efficient operations of the 17 hospitals and multiple outpatient cares sites within the Texas Division.

Liz has an extensive healthcare background, having worked with Baylor Scott & White Health and, most recently, with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is a registered nurse with an MBA from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

Liz has been involved with the Quality Texas Foundation for over 12 years. She has been an examiner and was the team lead for the first healthcare recipient of the Texas Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence. She has also been a member of the Board of Overseers and has served as the QTF Chair of the Board of Directors.

Quality Texas Foundation Board of Directors