Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response

On October 6, 2014, Governor Rick Perry created the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response through Executive Order RP-79. The Task Force was composed of seventeen members, and included representatives from pertinent state agencies, as well as experts in infectious disease, emergency management, and in public health preparedness and response.

H.B. 2950, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, codified the Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response in Texas Health and Safety Code (HSC) Chapter 81, Subchapter J. The Task Force is required to provide expert, evidence-based assessments, protocols, and recommendations related to state responses to infectious diseases, as well as serve as a source of information and education.

H.B. 2950 is created as an advisory panel to the Governor, and task force membership is determined by the Governor.

Enabling statute: Health and Safety Code, Chapter 81, Subchapter J

Task Force Members

No.	Name	Institution
1.	Ogechika Alozie, M.D.	Chief Medical Officer of Des Sol Medical Center
2.	Toby Baker	Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
3.	James Bass	Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation
4.	Christopher R. Frei, Pharm.D.	Associate Professor and Division Head, Pharmacotherapy Department of the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy
5.	Sheila Haley, Ph.D.	Assistant Clinical Professor at Texas Woman’s University
6.	John Hellerstedt, M.D.	Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services
7.	Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.	Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine
8.	Ruth R. Hughs	Texas Secretary of State
9.	Harrison Keller	Commissioner of Higher Education
10.	Nim Kidd	Vice Chancellor for Disaster & Emergency Services, Texas A&M
11.	Thomas Ksiazek, D.V.M., Ph.D.	Director of High Containment Operations and Director of the Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
12.	David Lakey, M.D.	Associate Vice Chancellor for Population Health at the University of Texas System
13.	Binh-Minh "Jade" Le, M.D.	Infectious Disease Clinician at Texas Health Resources
14.	James Le Duc, Ph.D.	Director of the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch
15.	Scott Lillibridge, M.D.	Director of Health Initiatives at the Texas A&M University System and Professor of Epidemiology at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health
16.	Tony Marquardt	Paramedic with the City of Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Service
17.	Steve McCraw	Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety
18.	Michael Morath	Commissioner of Education
19.	Kristy Murray, D.V.M., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital
20.	Major General Tracy Norris	Texas Adjutant General
21.	Patrick O'Daniel	Chair of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
22.	Dorothy Overman, M.D.	Comal County Health Authority
23.	Daniel Owens	Medic at City of Austin: Austin-Travis County EMS
24.	Gerald Parker, D.V.M., Ph.D.	Associate Vice President of Public Health Preparedness and Response at Texas A&M Health Science Center
25.	David Slayton	Administrative Director of the State Office of Court Administration
26.	Victoria Sutton, Ph.D.	Director of the Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law
27.	Nancy Tanner	Potter County Judge
28.	Surendra Kumar Varma, M.D.	Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
29.	Bobby Wilkinson	Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
30.	Edward E. Yosowitz, M.D.	Clinical Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology
31.	Cecile Young	Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
32.	Ben Zeller	Victoria County Judge