Improving the Health Status of Your Community

East TX, North TX & TX Midwest ACHE Chapters

This panel has been approved for 1.50 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.

Note: If you are a registrant of the in-person (May 14) portion of the 2026 ACHE East-North-Midwest Texas Multi-Chapter Education Symposium, you are eligible to purchase your ticket for the below referenced virtual panel at a 25% discount. The promo code for that discount is provided to you in your confirmation email from Eventbrite for the May 14 event. Healthcare organizations exist to serve the communities in which they reside. Though community health has always been a focus for these organizations, new regulations require them to take an active role. The health of a community or geographic population has a critical impact on a healthcare organization’s planning, operations, financial sustainability, outcomes and success. Due to the implementation of the key components of the healthcare reform by legislation, it will be even more important that provider organizations are both aware of and responsive to the health status and disease states that are most prevalent in their communities. Not only is a population-based focus the right thing to do, but it may prove to be the financially astute course of action. Moderator: Lee Ann Benson, Senior Vice President, Maternal-Child Program Development for Children's Health and UT Southwestern Joint Pediatric Enterprise, Children’s HealthPanelists:Teresa Wagner, Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration and Health Policy, UNT Health of Fort WorthAshley Dias, Health Practice Leader, Principal, Perkins WillDr. David Nelson, Division Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine, U Southwestern Speakers' Bios: Lee Ann Benson, FACHE, serves as the Senior Vice President, Maternal-Child Program Development for Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Joint Pediatric Enterprise (JPE). In this role, Lee Ann is responsible for leading strategic planning, development and execution of the Maternal-Child Program including Obstetrics, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Neonatology. Prior to joining Children’s Health in 2022, Lee Ann served as the Vice President of the East Valley Market for Phoenix Children’s, the leading pediatric health system in Arizona. In this role, Lee Ann was responsible for providing strategic leadership for the full continuum of pediatric services in Phoenix Children’s East Valley Market. She led the development and implementation of the comprehensive strategic plan for the East Valley market focused on the continued growth and development of primary care, specialty care, ancillary services, and hospital services. Lee Ann graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration. Lee Ann earned a Master of Science in Health Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Lee Ann is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. She serves as the Chair-Elect of the Advancement Committee for the American College of Healthcare Executives of North Texas and on the Board of Directors for the Women in Healthcare Leadership organization at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Outside of work, you can find Lee Ann and her husband Beau cheering on their 9-year old twins, Lynlee and Reid, at sporting events or just enjoying the great outdoors. Healthcare Practice Lead for the Houston Studio of Perkins&amp;Will, Ashley Dias is an architect, planner, designer, and strategist. A thought leader on topics such as “Hospitals of Tomorrow”, her experience includes many of the top academic medical centers in the U.S., more than 10 pediatric health systems, and more than 25 hospitals worldwide. Ashley is recognized for her ability to integrate strategic, operational, and facility perspectives into comprehensive health facility planning—transforming data and analytics into compelling scenarios that empower clients to make confident decisions. David B. Nelson, MD, FACOG, (he/him) is an Associate Professor and Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He currently holds the Gillette Professorship in Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology and serves as the Division Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at UT Southwestern and Parkland Health. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and received funding from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute for an $18 million randomized trial. Dr. Nelson is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the Senior Editor for the upcoming 27th edition of Williams Obstetrics, and serves several functions for the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Nelson has a passion for advocacy and has twice provided invited testimony to the United States Congress on the topic of improving maternal heath through prevention and access to care. Dr. Teresa Wagner graduated with a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, where she is an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health, Department of Health Administration and Health Policy. She also serves as the Director of the UNTHSC Texas State Certified Community Health Worker Training Center. She's cross-appointed in both the College of Nursing and the College of Health Professions. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Dietetics from Texas Christian University and Master’s Degree in Nutrition from Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Wagner is a registered and licensed dietitian with a doctorate in public health. She’s certified in Public Health, Patient Safety, Lifestyle Medicine, Health Coaching, and a certified Community Health Worker (CHW) Instructor. She has delivered multiple programs, speaking engagements and trainings on health literacy issues. Currently, she teaches Health Literacy &amp; Communication in the College of Public Health and in the Personalized Health &amp; Wellbeing Program. She teaches Patient Safety, Health Coaching, Nutrition and Health Literacy in the College of Nursing. Her research focuses on facilitating communication for both personal and organizational health literacy to improve health outcomes and population health. She’s a sought-after presenter and mentor who works to certify community health workers as conduits to health literacy. As a result of her work, she has received multiple awards and accolades, including the 2018 Texas Health Literacy Hero Award and the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Christian University. In 2023, she received the UNTHSC School of Health Professions Faculty Achievement Award. In 2024, she received the Texas Distinguished Dietitian Award, the Outstanding Dietitian Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and a Global Service Award from the International Health Literacy Association.

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Improving the Health Status of Your Community

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