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.	Toby Baker	Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
2.	James Bass	Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation
3.	Christopher R. Frei, Pharm.D.	Associate Professor and Division Head, Pharmacotherapy Department of the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy
4.	John Hellerstedt, M.D.	Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services
5.	Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.	Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine
6.	Ruth R. Hughs	Texas Secretary of State
7.	Harrison Keller	Commissioner of Higher Education
8.	Nim Kidd	Vice Chancellor for Disaster & Emerency Services, Texas A&M
9.	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
10.	David Lakey, M.D.	Associate Vice Chancellor for Population Health at the University of Texas System
11.	Binh-Minh “Jade” Le, M.D.	Infectious Disease Clinician at Texas Health Resources
12.	James Le Duc, Ph.D.	Director of the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch
13.	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
14.	Tony Marquardt	Paramedic with the City of Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Service
15.	Steve McCraw	Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety
16.	Michael Morath	Commissioner of Education
17.	Kristy Murray, D.V.M., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital
18.	Major General Tracy Norris	Texas Adjutant General
19.	Dorothy Overman, M.D.	Comal County Health Authority
20.	Gerald Parker, D.V.M., Ph.D.	Associate Vice President of Public Health Preparedness and Response at Texas A&M Health Science Center
21.	Courtney N. Phillips, Ph.D.	Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
22.	David Slayton	Administrative Director of the State Office of Court Administration
23.	Kristina Stillsmoking, Ph.D., MSN	Director of the Simulation Hospital, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
24.	Victoria Sutton, Ph.D.	Director of the Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law
25.	William Tierney, M.D.	Inaugural Chair of the Department of Population Health at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
26.	Edward E. Yosowitz, M.D.	Clinical Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology
27.	Dale Wainwright	Chair of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
28.	Bobby Wilkinson	Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
29.	Ben Zeller	Victoria County Judge