We are for Texas by Texas. We are a collective of Texas institutions, organizations, and experts connected by the shared goal of improving college student wellbeing across Texas.
Conveners:
Facilitator:
Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing
Funder:
Trellis Foundation
Meet the Team:
We are a collective of improvement, measurement, wellbeing, mental health, and higher education subject matter experts who care deeply about working collaboratively to improve college student wellbeing and mental health.
Chris Brownson
Associate Vice President for Health and Well-being
The University of Texas at Austin
Chris Brownson
Contributing to the Texas Higher Education Collaborative for Wellbeing is important to me because it is essential to measure the impact of our interventions so that we know what works, what doesn’t, and where to focus our limited time and resources. I think that measures like the WISHES allows for this type of measurement in an environment of diminishing response rates, and collaboratives like these build community and promote learning amongst campuses looking to achieve similar results. – Chris Brownson
Dr. Chris Brownson is the Associate Vice President for Health and Well-being at The University of Texas at Austin. His portfolio includes University Health Services, the Counseling and Mental Health Center, Recreational Sports, the Longhorn Wellness Center, Disability and Access, the Disability Cultural Center, the Center for Students in Recovery, and SHIFT. He is a licensed psychologist and a Clinical Professor in the Counseling Psychology Program in the Department of Educational Psychology at UT. Dr. Brownson is the director of the National Research Consortium of Counseling Centers in Higher Education, and his research interests include systems of mental health care, college student suicide prevention, collaborative care models in primary care, and the intersection of mental health and academic success. Dr. Brownson was appointed as a Chancellor’s Health Fellow at the University of Texas System in 2014, and he has since led projects totaling more than $28M implementing numerous mental health, student safety, well-being, alcohol and drug-related prevention, education, and intervention programs at the 14 academic and health institutions of the UT System. In 2019, he was appointed by the National Academies of Sciences to the Committee on Supporting the Whole Student: Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Well-being in Higher Education.
Brownson is the past president of the Texas University and College Counseling Center Director’s Association and a past chair of the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance, the Section on College and University Counseling Centers of APA’s division of Counseling Psychology, and the Mental Health Section of the American College Health Association (ACHA). He is a past member of the Board of Directors of ACHA. He has been a program evaluator for several SAMHSA/GLS suicide prevention grants, consults with colleges and universities on their counseling and health services, and was the National Mental Health Consultant to Teach for America from 2006-2016.
Hollie Chessman
Director & Principal Program Officer, Education Futures Lab
American Council on Education
Hollie Chessman
Hollie M. Chessman is a director and principal program officer, and the resident college student mental health and well-being expert, at the American Council on Education (ACE). Chessman joined ACE in December 2017, bringing almost 20 years of professional experience in higher education. Prior to her current role at ACE, she was the director of research projects at the Council of Independent Colleges and a postdoctoral associate at ACE. Chessman earned her PhD from George Mason University in 2015, prior to which she spent 17 years as a student affairs professional serving in various roles and institutions—including 10 years in housing and residence life. Her primary interests include college student mental health and well-being, student affairs professional well-being, graduate student choice, and organizational change and leadership.
Carlo Ciotoli
Vice President, Campus Health
New York University
Carlo Ciotoli
Carlo Ciotoli, MD, MPA, is a distinguished physician-leader currently serving as Vice President for Campus Health at New York University. He has a track record of achievements in management, innovation, and the reengineering of complex systems and services to improve campus health and wellbeing.
During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ciotoli was appointed executive lead for NYU’s public health response. In this capacity, he was responsible for integrating scientific insights, policy formulation, operational coordination, data, communication, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring a comprehensive and effective response under constantly evolving conditions. Additionally, Dr. Ciotoli’s leadership is marked by a number of transformative initiatives to improve students’ health and wellbeing. He was the principal architect of NYU’s innovative paradigm to widen access to high-quality, student-centered care, which included the merger of NYU’s medical and counseling services into today’s integrated Student Health Center (SHC), redesigning the model of billing and insurance, and expanding universal screenings, preventive services, health promotion, and outreach. Among the results of these efforts were an over 50% increase in unique student visits to the SHC and nearly 1 million depression screenings conducted.
Beyond NYU, Dr. Ciotoli has made significant contributions to the field of college health through his work serving as PI of several federal and foundation grants and leading groundbreaking national improvement collaboratives–which focused on depression, immunization, Triple Aim, and equitable wellbeing. Additionally, he has held several leadership roles within the American College Health Association and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and his efforts have been recognized through numerous national awards.
Previously, Dr. Ciotoli was a staff physician in Bellevue Hospital’s Chest and Asthma Clinic, where he was involved with managing Tuberculous and other public health concerns and was part of the team that developed an Asthma Primary Care clinic that resulted in improved outcomes for patients.
Dr. Ciotoli received his MD degree from New York University’s School of Medicine, his MPA in Health Management from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service, and his BA, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine.
Kelly Cox
Associate Director, Department of Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research
Texas A&M University
Kelly Cox
Being involved in the Texas Higher Education Collaborative for Wellbeing is important to me because I value learning from other institutions to improve what we are doing at Texas A&M University, as well as help other institutions by sharing what we have learned through our journey of improving student wellbeing for our students. – Kelly Cox
Kelly Cox serves as the Associate Director in Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research at Texas A&M University where she coordinates assessment and research efforts within the Division of Student Affairs. Her primary focus is assisting all 13 departments in the Division of Student Affairs and over 1200 recognized student organizations with their assessment efforts.
Kelly has a passion for student and staff wellbeing, which inspired her to work collaboratively with various stakeholders in assessing and improving student wellbeing and led her to be one of the first co-chairs for the Division of Student Affairs Staff Wellbeing and Appreciation Committee, which she has remained actively involved with for the past eight years.
Chris Dawe
AVP Health & Wellbeing
University of Houston
Chris Dawe
I know I’m not an assessment expert, so being part of a collaborative with really smart colleagues who can help me continue learning is incredibly valuable. I know I have health promotion and wellbeing knowledge to contribute, so being part of a shared learning space with colleagues who share the Texas context will give us all opportunities to get better at what we do and improve our students’ lives. – Chris Dawe
Chris is the AVP for Health & Wellbeing at the University of Houston. Over nearly 30 years, Chris’ experience includes working and consulting in both Canada and the U.S. with a focus on systemic, upstream wellbeing impacts. He’s co-lead implementation of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges, at three institutions before joining UH in 2022. Chris has also served in a number of volunteer higher education leadership roles including NIRSA’s Board of Directors, the NASPA Strategies planning committee, and he’s currently serving as Chair of the U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network.
Kristina Flores
Senior Director, Research and Evaluation
Texas Success Center
Kristina Flores
As a data-informed, student-centered change maker in Texas, I am eager to engage with the Texas Higher Education Collaborative for Wellbeing to support student success. The collaborative work will support institutions of higher education to use action-oriented measurement tools to better understand their students and to prepare the institution to build inclusive student-ready systems and structures, and that is exciting! – Kristina Flores
As the Director of Research and Evaluation, Kristina supports the mission of the Texas Success Center by implementing all research and evaluation processes. She manages internal and external collaborations to ensure projects are high quality, action-oriented, equity-focused, and aligned with the Texas Pathways Knowledge Development Agenda. Additionally, Kristina manages the Knowledge Development Steering Committee, Community College Research Fellowships, Center databases, and performs and supervises quantitative and qualitative analyses. She composes reports and other research deliverables, communicates findings with stakeholders, and informs the creation of training, technical assistance, and professional development for Texas Pathways colleges.
Kristina brings 15 years of teaching and administrative experience to her role. During her 11 years at Austin Community College, she served as an associate professor of mathematics, assistant dean of academic courses, developmental math advisor, and campus math contact to support improvements across the student experience. Kristina holds a baccalaureate degree in Mathematics from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in Mathematics from New York University, and a Ph.D. in STEM Education from the University of Texas at Austin.
Tegan Henke
Senior Vice President of Community Systems Innovation
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Senior Vice President of Community Systems Innovation
Tegan Henke
Tegan has a substantial background working in the public mental health system, both as a therapist and in policy and program implementation roles. She has witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by both families and service providers as they strive to obtain and deliver, respectively, the highest quality services. Tegan carries these experiences with her, and they continue to inform her approach to mental health system change.
Prior to joining the Meadows Institute, Tegan held several key positions within the Texas Health and Human Services System where she found her niche in system transformation efforts. She played a leadership role in the statewide implementation of behavioral health assessment tools for children and youth, several evidence-based and promising practices, and provided oversight to a restructuring of the behavioral health service delivery system serving Dallas, TX and surrounding counties. These experiences set the foundation for her to understand and help navigate the real-world challenges organizations—and the people within them—face when implementing system changes.
In her role at the Meadows Institute, Tegan combines her clinical expertise with her understanding of change management to support system transformation and implementation of innovative practices across multiple settings. She provides strategic leadership and support to initiatives aiming to: increase early identification of behavioral health needs in children and youth through their pediatric primary care provider; implement trauma informed care across entire health system settings; and increase the resources available to caregivers of children and youth with mental health needs. Tegan also provides leadership and support to the Meadows Institute’s postsecondary portfolio, which supports institutions across Texas as they work to reimagine ways to meet the increased need for mental health services and supports among students. She is particularly interested in effective implementation and supporting leaders as they implement and navigate change within their organizations.
Tegan has a Master of Science in Child Development and Family Science (emphasis: Couple and Family Therapy) from North Dakota State University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Health Leadership (DrPH) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jennifer Hughes
Managing Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment (OPA)
Texas Tech University
Jennifer Hughes
I’ve benefited professionally from the connections I’ve made as a result of participating with other colleagues across Texas and across the nation. From an assessment practitioner’s perspective, I have a more comprehensive understanding of assessing student wellbeing from an institutional lens. – Jennifer Hughes
Jennifer Hughes is Managing Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment (OPA) at Texas Tech University. She earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Research from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science in Communication from Illinois State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Speech from Northwestern University. Jennifer’s dissertation explored faculty compliance in academic assessment practices, specifically studying the ways in which assessment professionals collaborated with faculty members to achieve compliance. Jennifer’s philosophy for working alongside faculty is informed by her dissertation research, and she takes a collaborative and supportive approach to accreditation compliance.
Dr. Hughes began her career in the Office of Planning & Assessment as an Analyst in 2008. In 2011, she was promoted to Associate Director, and Managing Director in 2015. She has significant experience leading and supporting SACSCOC compliance efforts for the institution. Currently, Dr. Hughes is working on Texas Tech’s 2025 Reaffirmation of Accreditation.
In May 2019, Dr. Hughes was elected President of the Texas Association for Higher Education Assessment (TxAHEA). From 2011 – 2019, Dr. Hughes and the TTU Office of Planning & Assessment staff co-founded, developed, and managed the West Texas Assessment Conference, which ultimately morphed and grew into TxAHEA.
Prior to joining OPA, Dr. Hughes held full-time teaching positions in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech and South Plains College (Levelland, TX). Before moving to Texas, Jennifer worked in the Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System where she held positions in institutional research and marketing.
On a personal note, Jennifer is married with three children: Jack (22), Mary Kate (20), and Elizabeth (18). She has two children in college, and one in graduate school! Jennifer enjoys studying Spanish and Portuguese, Jazzercising on a daily basis, and traveling. Dr. Hughes is a breast cancer survivor and proudly serves as a friend to other women who are navigating their own diagnosis. She also serves on the Conference Planning Committee for Texas Women in Higher Education, and she’s on the Board of Directors for the Texas Evaluation Network. As an Alpha Phi alumna (Northwestern, Beta Chapter), she is the staff advisor to the Texas Tech chapter of Alpha Phi sorority.
Allison Smith
Director, Health Strategy and Outcomes
New York University
Allison Smith
Allison J Smith, M.P.A., is the director of health strategy and outcomes at New York University. Additionally, she co-leads the Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing (anew.nyu.edu).
Allison has an extensive background in designing and leading networks, igniting innovation, building capability and capacity for continuous improvement, facilitating equity-centered co-designed approaches, and guiding diverse teams toward outcomes-driven systemic change. Allison has led several groundbreaking national improvement collaboratives, which have engaged over 100 institutions of higher education and achieved measurable improvements across various indicators. She also developed the Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES).
In addition to Allison’s network leadership, she has a track record of guiding local systemic change at NYU, earning national recognition for innovation and excellence. Her recent accomplishments include facilitating university-wide efforts to address equity gaps among NYU students and developing strategies to activate students to be engaged in their own wellbeing and contribute to the wellbeing of their community.
Allison is an appointed member of the ACHA-NCHA Advisory Committee, served as Chair of the ACHA Healthy Campus 2020 Coalition, co-authored revisions to the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) Health Promotion Standards, and is a frequent speaker at national and regional conferences. Previously, Allison developed a nationally recognized school based asthma education curriculum, and she testified before a United States Congressional Committee about the importance of passing H.R. 2023—Asthmatic Schoolchildren’s Treatment and Health Management (ASTHMA Act) of 2004.
Jill Stangl
Assistant Vice Provost for Student Wellbeing
Texas Tech University
Jill Stangl
I have found the work with the collaborative to be invaluable. This work is too important to go it alone. The support and collegiality found in the collaborative is key to achieving improvement in our students’ well-being. – Jill Stangl
Jill Stangl began her career at Texas Tech University in 2000. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Student Wellbeing. In that role, she oversees Student Counseling Center, Student Disability Services, Student Legal Services, and Risk Intervention & Safety Education (RISE).
A native of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Stangl received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Texas (1994) and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University School of Law (2000). She is a licensed attorney with the State Bar of Texas and a 20+-year Fellow with the College of the State Bar.
Previously, she was a practicing attorney for Student Legal Services at Texas Tech University and began serving as Managing Director of the department in 2004. She has served as President of the University Student Legal Services Association – Western Region, as well as various leadership roles with local legal associations. Stangl has also served as an Adjunct Instructor in University Studies since 2014 teaching Employment Law in the Human Resource Development program (HRDV 3307) and has previously taught Higher Education and the Law (EDHE 5324).
On a more personal level, Jill is married with three children: Taylor (21), Avery (19), and Freddy (14). She has two working on their bachelor’s degrees at Texas Tech University and one entering high school in August! She is involved in the Lubbock community and has a passion for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra where she has services as a board member and is currently the Chair-Elect.
Robert Tirso
Data analyst, Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research
Texas A&M University
Robert Tirso
Being involved in this work is important to me because it is an opportunity for me to support those people who are best positioned to make a real impact on the lives of so many young people. At the end of the day, I know my efforts are going towards a good and worthwhile cause. – Robert Tirso
Robert Tirso, Ph.D., is the data analyst for Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research (SAPAR) at Texas A&M University. He uses his expertise in statistics and data science to support the assessment and continuous improvement of the 13 departments within the Division of Student affairs at A&M as well as recognized student organizations. Prior to joining SAPAR, Robert studied and earned his Ph.D. in experimental psychology with a focus on cognition and statistics at Texas A&M. During this time, he conducted and published academic research on both cognitive aging and the relationship between metacognition and student success. He also taught several undergraduate courses and labs in general and experimental psychology. Robert brings with him extensive experience in data visualization, measurement, and the collection, analysis, and interpretation of a variety of quantitative data on human behaviors.
Eric Wood
Director, Counseling and Mental Health Center
Texas Christian University
Eric Wood
Now more than ever is a time for schools to focus on working together, sharing knowledge, and exploring innovative ways to promote thriving among our students. This collaborative provides the opportunity for schools to discover ways to increase student wellbeing and to become thought leaders/models for other institutions. – Eric Wood
Dr. Eric Wood currently serves as the Director of Counseling & Mental Health at Texas Christian University (TCU). He founded TCU’s Comprehensive Collaborative Care Model, and is the author of the nationally award-winning eBook, “A New Narrative for College Mental Health: Four key objectives that every counseling center should obtain.” Dr. Wood has over 16 years of experience in college mental health, including previously serving on the governance board of the National College Depression Partnership, being elected the 2023-2024 president of the Texas University and College Counseling Directors’ Association (TUCCDA), and being a current executive board member for the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD). He’s a frequent presenter at national conferences and has trained over 100 colleges and universities on various aspects of college mental health. He has been mentioned in publications such as The Fort Worth Star Telegram, US News and World Reports, and The New York Times.