Governor Greg Abbott appointed Mary Albin, Dany Anchia, Bruce Brockway, M.D., Roberto Collazo, M.D., Amie Duemer, A. Osama Gaber, M.D., Richard Gibney, M.D., Anne Ishmael, Nichole Jefferson, Tiffany Jones-Smith, Rita Littlefield, Anil T. Mangla, Ph.D., M. Reza “Hamed” Mizani, M.D., Navid Saigal, M.D., Leslie Weisberg, M.D., and Francis Wright, M.D. to the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force for terms at the pleasure of the Governor. The task force coordinates implementation of the state’s plan for prevention, early screening, diagnosis, and management of chronic kidney disease and educates health care professionals.
Mary Albin of Mansfield is the executive director of the End Stage Renal Disease Network of Texas a subsidiary of Alliant Health Solutions. She is a member of the Executive Directors Advisory Council for the Forum of End Stage Renal Disease Networks and the National Quality Forum. Albin received a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University and is a Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality from the Healthcare Quality Certification Commission.
Dany Anchia of Dallas is a registered nurse and the clinical quality improvement director for the ESRD Network of Texas Inc., a subsidiary of Alliant Health Solutions ensuring compliance with End State Renal Disease. He was the president of the American Nephrology Nurses Association Dallas Chapter. Anchia received an Associate of Science in Nursing from Brookhaven College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and a Dialysis Nurse Certification from the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission.
Bruce Brockway, M.D. of San Antonio is a Nephrologist and Medical Director with the Kidney Treatment Centers of San Antonio and the Kidney and Blood Pressure Clinic of San Antonio. He is a member of the Texas Kidney Foundation Board of Directors and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is a member of the National Renal Administrators Association, American Society of Nephrology, Texas Medical Society, International Society of Nephrology, and the American Society of Hypertension. Previously, he volunteered for the National Kidney Foundation and the American Diabetes Society, and served on the Health Sciences Advisory Board at St. Mary’s University. Brockway received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Minnesota. He completed an internship, residency, and fellowship with The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Additionally, he has certifications from the National Board of Medical Examiners, Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, American Board of Internal Medicine, and American Board of Nephrology, and has also been certified in Critical Care Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Nutritional Support, and as a Clinical Hypertension Specialist by the American Society of Hypertension.
Roberto Collazo, M.D. of Dallas is Chief of Nephrology and program director of the Nephrology Fellowship Program at the Methodist Dallas Medical Center. He is a member of the American College of Physicians, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society, American Society of Nephrology, and the National Kidney Foundation. Collazo received a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine with the University of Puerto Rico. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a fellowship in nephrology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Additionally, he has certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology.
Amie Duemer of Lubbock is the Executive Director for the South Plains Kidney Foundation and The Transplant Social Worker with University Medical Center Transplant Services. She is a current member of the Lubbock Medical Social Workers, National Association of Social Workers, and the Texas Renal Coalition Board of Directors and a past member of the Society for Transplant Social Workers and IMPACT Lubbock. Duemer received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a master’s degree in direct practice social work from the University of Pittsburgh and is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Texas.
Osama Gaber, M.D. of Houston is director of the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center and vice chairman for Administration and Faculty Affairs at Houston Methodist Hospital and a professor in the Department of Surgery at the Weill Cornell Medical College. He is the founder and chairman of the Board for Nora’s Life Gift Foundation. Currently, he is the secretary of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, president-elect of the Texas Transplantation Society, Senior Fellow with the Southern Surgical Association, and a member of the American Society of Transplantation. Gaber received a medical degree from the Ain Shams University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt, where he completed a residency in general and pediatric surgery and additionally trained in general surgery at the Boston University Medical Center and a research clinical transplant fellowship at the University of Chicago.
Richard Gibney, M.D. of Waco is the president of Empowered Kidney Care. He is a member of the Texas Medical Association and a former member of Renal Physician Associates and the American Society of Nephrology. Gibney received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame, a Doctor of Medicine from Creighton University and completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in nephrology from The University of Texas Health Science Center.
Anne Ishmael of Houston is a renal dietitian at DaVita Inc. She is a member of the National Kidney Foundation, American Association of Nephrology Nursing, International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She previously served in a number of leadership positions: chair of the Renal Nutrition Practice Group, treasurer of the Houston Dietetic Association, and chair, chair-elect, treasurer, and secretary of the Southeast Texas Council of Renal Nutrition. Additionally, she has volunteered with a variety of committees with the National Kidney Foundation including Kidney Kamp, Patient Summit Symposium, and Kidney Day at the Capital. Ishmael received a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from the University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Humanities from the University of Houston and is Certified Renal Nutrition Specialist.
Nichole Jefferson of Dallas is an executive resolution specialist with Wells Fargo. She is a region leader for the Kidney Advocacy Committee with the National Kidney Foundation, board member of the Salome Foundation, partner and ambassador of iAdvocate, and an ambassador for the American Association of Kidney Patients, Patient Advisory Board for the Kidney Research Institute, and the Center for Dialysis Innovation Patient Advisory Board. Additionally, she is president of Home Dialyzors United, member of the Patient Family Partnership Council of the American Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Health Initiative, steering committee member of APOLLO Study, and member of the Kidney Precision Medicine Project Community Engagement Committee with the National Institutes of Health. Jefferson received a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Simpson College.
Tiffany Jones-Smith of San Antonio is the chief executive officer of the Texas Kidney Foundation. She is a member of the APOL1 in Chronic Kidney Disease Delphi Consensus, We Work for Health Texas Coalition, Honor the Gift Campaign, San Antonio Business Journal Leadership Trust, American Association of Kidney Patients, and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Jones-Smith received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Foreign Service from Baylor University, and is currently pursuing a public leadership credential from the Harvard Kennedy School of Policy.
Rita Littlefield of Austin was a founding member and is now president of the Texas Renal Coalition. She is also a former board member of the National Kidney Foundation and formerly chair of the Cadillac Invitational Golf Tournament. Littlefield attended Memphis High School. Both her daughter and husband suffered with chronic kidney disease before their passing.
Anil T. Mangla, Ph.D. of San Antonio is an associate professor and director of public health with the University of the Incarnate Word, School of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a member of the Texas Public Health Association, American Physician Association, and the Royal Institute of Public Health. Mangla received a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Physiology from the University of Durban-Westville, Master of Science in Chemistry from The University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from Texas Tech University.
Reza “Hamed” Mizani, M.D. of San Antonio is the founder and CEO of South Texas Renal Care Group and serves as chief of staff at Baptist Health System at San Antonio. He is American board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephology. He is a medical board member of the U.S. Renal Care dialysis company. He is a member of the Texas Kidney Foundation, American Society of Nephrology, Renal Physicians Association, and Texas Medical Association. Mizani received a Doctor of Medicine from INTEC University School of Medicine from the Dominican Republic, completed a clinical cardiology elective externship at Yale-New Haven Hospital from Yale University School of Medicine, an internal medicine residency program at Unity Health Systems with University of Rochester New York, a clinical nephrology fellowship from The University of Texas Health Science Center and Wilfred Hall Medical Center at United States Air Force and completed a certification in a Management of Health Care Delivery from Harvard University School of Business Executive Education.
Navid Saigal, M.D. of San Antonio is the president and CEO of Renal Associates, P.A., manager of Dialysis Care of South Texas, LLC, and an adjunct clinical faculty at UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine. Previously, he served as founder and president of Maverick County Medical Society. He is a Fellow with the American College of Physicians and a member of the Texas Medical Association, Renal Physician Association, American Society of Diagnostic, and Interventional Nephrology and the Bexar County Medical Society. Saigal received a bachelor’s degree in Biology from D.J. Science College, Doctor of Medicine from Dow Medical College, and internal medicine in nephrology SUNY Buffalo. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Sisters of Charity Hospital and a fellowship in nephrology at Erie County Medical Center both with the University of New York at Buffalo. Additionally, he has certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, and Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation.
Leslie Weisberg, M.D. of Dallas is the market chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Southwest Region. She volunteers on the North Texas Food Bank Advisory Council and is a former participant with Leadership North Texas. She is a member of the Texas Medical Association and the Dallas County Medical Society. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Weisberg received a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences from Cornell University and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami School of Medicine. She completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in allergy and immunology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Francis Wright, M.D. of San Antonio has been a surgical director and transplant surgeon at the Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital since 1994. He did an organ transplant fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals in 1988 and was on the surgery faculty there. He was the founding director of the kidney and pancreas transplant programs at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville prior to returning to San Antonio. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Texas Transplant Society, American Transplantation Society, and the International Transplantation Society. He has served on boards and committees for the State of Texas Kidney Foundation, the American Foundation for Donation and Transplantation, the US Renal Network 14, and the United Network for Organ Sharing.
