Together We Bring Innovation to Global Health Security
TEXGHS was founded in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with a mission to spearhead the creation and success of a health security innovation ecosystem in Texas where equitable, inclusive solutions launch locally and grow globally. Under the auspices of the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at UT Austin, the longest active technology incubator in the United States, the TEXGHS is growing and maintaining a health security innovation ecosystem that supports innovators and innovations fighting COVID-19 and future pandemics.
TEXGHS is an alliance of academia, public sector, and private sector partners, actively seeking solutions to pandemic preparedness challenges and advancing the best possible approaches to response and prevention efforts in Texas and beyond. The vision of TEXGHS is to achieve health security through readiness, response, recovery, and resiliency.
TEXGHS Ecosytem Partners
”TEXGHS benefits me because I can stay in touch with the latest innovation unfolding. It is a channel that keeps me up to date and an opportunity for collaboration. In fact, TEXGHS is a critical need to find collaboration.
Timothy SullivanTEXGHS Innovator, Zeteo Biomedical
Meet The Team
The TEXGHS Leadership team brings together diverse backgrounds, expertise, strengths and interests for a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Lisa E. McDonald, MD, MSTC
Director of Healthcare, Austin Technology Incubator, The University of Texas at Austin
Founder and Managing Director, Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium, The University of Texas at Austin
Co-founder, PandemicTech
Director of Healthcare, Austin Technology Incubator, The University of Texas at Austin
Founder and Managing Director, Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium, The University of Texas at Austin
Co-founder, PandemicTech
Lisa McDonald, MD, MSTC is the Director of Healthcare for the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at The University of Texas at Austin where she drives support for early-stage companies, including pipeline management and economic development collaborations beyond the university community. A physician by training, Dr. McDonald has spent her career in innovation and healthcare technology commercialization. She has founded numerous businesses focused on global health beginning with Endura Ventures in 2010, PandemicTech in 2016, Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium in 2020 and most recently the Global Health Security Fund in 2021. She has secured both non-dilutive funding ($951,150) and investment capital ($5M) to support her pursuits. Dr. McDonald supports local, regional, national and global entrepreneurial communities as a mentor, judge, speaker and board member for a variety of organizations including MassChallenge, Minority AIDS Research Committee, Nursing Innovation Hub, World Health Organization (WHO Africa Regional Office and Western Pacific Regional Office) and United Nations Health Innovation Exchange.
Nandita assists with strategy and operations at the Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS). She holds entrepreneurial experience in the oncology drug development, neuro-diagnostics and maternal and newborn health space. Formerly, she served as a neuroimaging researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital. She serves as an advisory board member of Pardada Pardadi Educational Society, an NGO based in India that work towards girl child empowerment.
Jes joined TEXGHS as a founding member in July of 2020 then became an employee of TEXGHS in July of 2021. He oversees the data systems for TEXGHS in addition to administrative responsibilities. After a fulfilling career running and overseeing business organizations and with retirement on the horizon, Jes was looking to for a change from the corporate world. He wanted to leverage his business experience and knowledge with volunteering or non-profit work. Jes was introduced to TEXGHS through a friend, and as they say, “the rest is history”. He joined TEXGHS and soon realized this was his passion. With his involvement he has aided in the continuous growth and development of TEXGHS.
Ashley Schlosser joined the TEXGHS team in 2022 serving as a strategic communications partner for the organization. Ashley brings a wealth of experience in public relations, communications strategy, multi-platform digital media and working with startups to the TEXGHS team. She is passionate about making a difference by helping the mission of TEXGHS by shining a light on the great work of the organization, as well as the innovation and partnerships, which result. Ashley has had the opportunity to support health tech PR for several years. When she was at Porter Novelli, she supported Luminex and the Silicon Valley startup conference DEMO. Recently, she served as communications manager for the Temple Health and Bioscience District, which focused on bringing health innovation to central Texas. She looks forward to supporting TEXGHS communications on a local and global scale as the organization continues to thrive and grow.
Mary Green joined the team as a strategic communications partner for TEXGHS and supports the team on all communications efforts.