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    Office of Practice & Learning
    Institutional Review Board

    Phone
    IRB Administrator: 512-776-2202
    or 512-657-4129

    InstitutionalReviewBoard@dshs.texas.gov


    External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These sites may not be accessible to persons with disabilities.

IRB Members and Staff

Primary Members

Name Affiliation
Sabrina Blackledge, PhD DSHS Office of Science and Population Health
Affiliated Scientist
Shannon Brown, JD DSHS Office of General Counsel
Affiliated Non-Scientist / OGC Rep
Tara Das, PhD, MPH, MLIS DSHS Vital Statistics Section
Vital Event Expertise / Affiliated Non-Scientist
Estrellita Doolin, JD, MBA Seton Healthcare
Unaffiliated Non-Scientist
Trudy Krause, DrPH UT School of Public Health
Unaffiliated Scientist
Hye-Chung Kum, PhD TAMU School of Public Health
Unaffiliated Scientist
Stephen Pont, MD, MPH
Chairperson 		DSHS Office of Science and Population Health
Affiliated Scientist
Gary Rutenberg, PhD Retired Health and Human Services Commission
Unaffiliated Scientist
Charles Shumate, DrPH DSHS Birth Defects Epidemiology & Surveillance
Saroj Rai, PhD
Vice Chairperson 		DSHS Cancer Epidemiology & Surveillance
Affiliated Scientist
Alan Shafer, PhD Health and Human Services Commission
Affiliated Scientist

Alternate Members

Name Affiliation
Natalie Archer, PhD DSHS Environmental Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance
Affiliated Scientist
DeLawnia Comer-HaGans DSHS Center for Health Policy and Performance
Affiliated Non- Scientist
Chris Guerrero DSHS Vital Statistics Section
Vital Event Expertise / Non-Scientist
Benjamin Ukert TAMU School of Public Health
Unaffiliated Scientist
Kim Vernon, JD Seton Healthcare
Non-scientist/Non-affiliate/Prisoner Rep
Phillip Lupo, PhD, MPH Baylor College of Medicine
Unaffiliated Scientist
Bonny Mayes DSHS Zoonosis Control Branch
Unaffiliated Scientist

Non-voting Members

Name Affiliation
Manda Hall, MD DSHS Community Health Improvement

IRB Staff

Name Affiliation Contact
Jessica Ortman DSHS Office of Academic Affairs institutionalreviewboard@dshs.texas.gov
512-657-4129
Cynthia Dang DSHS Office of Academic Affairs Cynthia.Dang@dshs.texas.gov
512-776-3865
Courtney Dezendorf, Med
Interim Authorized Institutional Official 		DSHS Office of Academic Affairs Courtney.Dezendorf@dshs.texas.gov
512-776-3751
Samantha Kreis, MPH DSHS Office of Academic Affairs Samantha.Kreis@dshs.texas.gov
512-776-7276
Authorized Institutional Official Vacant
Last updated January 22, 2021