Community Engagement

Director of Community Engagement, James C. Grotta, MD Chair in Neurological Recovery and Stroke at the McGovern Medical School. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992, completed her medical school, neurology residency and a combined vascular neurology and neurorecovery fellowship at the McGovern Medical School. Dr. Noser established the Stomp Out Stroke festival which is in its 7th year and one of the largest stroke community outreach and educational events in Texas. She Co-Chairs the Community Advisory Board to bring the voice of the community into our research efforts. Dr. Noser is dedicated to developing community partnerships to advance education, training and research to ultimately improve stroke awareness and prevention in the community.

Rachel experienced a stroke fifteen and a half years ago that left her with an expressive aphasia at the age of 24, just six weeks short of completing her Occupational Therapy Schooling. After a two year medical leave, she returned to successfully complete her Occupational Therapy training. She moved to Houston five and a half years ago to work at TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation hospital and recently completed her Clinical Doctorate of Occupational Therapy. Currently, she teaches at Texas Women’s University and continues to work at TIRR caring for stroke recovery patients. She enjoys travelling, volunteering and being a community advocate. Rachel has volunteered at the Stomp Out Stroke Festival for the last 4 years as well as hospitals and outpatient rehabilitation hospitals in the past.

Dr. Sean Savitz is a tenured Professor of Neurology, holds the Frank M. Yatsu Chair in Neurology, and is the Director of the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. He graduated from Harvard College, received his MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and completed neurology residency training and a cerebrovascular fellowship at the Harvard Medical School Neurology Training Program.  He and his team run one of the largest academic stroke programs in the world, testing novel treatments for patients with ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhage.  Dr. Savitz oversees a bidirectional, translational laboratory and clinical research program on cell therapies in stroke and is conducting some of the first clinical trials testing cell therapies in stroke patients.  He has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the American Heart Association, and is an author of over 100 publications in the biomedical literature.

Holly is a stroke survivor, a mentor, the founder of two Houston non-profit organizations, a dear friend and a loving mother. Holly suffered two strokes in April 2012 which left her and those around her feeling paralyzed. She has been recovering every day due to God’s timing, her faith in prayer and hard work. Since her stroke, she has been driven to educate others on stroke warning signs and stroke prevention. Her ability to overcome challenges has been an inspiration to many and she has often put the needs of others above her own. Holly’s stroke experience and passion to help others, led her to create Step Up 2 Stroke, a non-profit organization to help educate others by raising stroke awareness and encouraging people to Step Up 2 a healthier lifestyle. Step Up 2 Stroke is a journey of many miles, but it started with one single step.

Tom is a stroke survivor from a stroke suffered at the age 42 in October, 2006. Tom grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Houston with his wife and three children for 25 years. He currently works as Founder and President of Silver Ridge Energy, an oil brokering company. Since his stroke, Tom has spent most of his time away from the office working with boys and girls coaching soccer and softball. Tom is excited to have the opportunity to give back to the stroke survivor community by becoming a member of the Stroke Institute Community Advisory Board.

Dr. Anjail Sharrief is a stroke prevention neurologist who directs the UTHealth Stroke Transitions, Education, and Prevention Clinic. She completed her Neurology training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital then went on to complete a Masters in Public Health with a focus on health behavior change and stroke prevention. She has an active clinical practice as well as an innovative research program. Her research focuses on decreasing the risk of stroke and improving quality of life in stroke survivors. Dr. Sharrief and her team also participate in community outreach activities providing stroke education and performing hundreds of stroke risk assessments annually throughout Houston and surrounding areas.

Wanda’s mother passed away at the age of 54 from a massive stroke. Devastated and inspired by this life changing ordeal, she pursued a career in helping others while being a wife and mother of three. In 1988 after relocating to Linden, New Jersey, she received her training as a Physical Therapy Aide and subsequently received an associate degree as a Certified Medical Assistant. While working and being a mother and wife, she received her second associate’s degree as a Certified Drug Counselor.

In 1990, she returned to Texas to work for HCA, when she transferred to West Houston Hospital she was still focused and insistent on helping stroke survivors. She joined forces with the West Houston Medical Center Rehabilitation social Worker in 2005 and began a community stroke support group starting with 8-10 stroke survivors. In 2012, the social worker moved on and then began Wanda’s journey as the group facilitator who helped fill a great need in her community. Fast forward to 2017, Wanda continues to spear head this movement and her small stroke support group has grown into 120 stroke survivors and caregivers- overcoming their personal obstacles one day at a time.

Darrell earned his master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from George Washington University in 1982 and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from James Madison University in 1979. He has led a progressive career path over the past thirty-six years as a hospital administrator, a CEO of the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council in Houston and as a community leader. Darrell has led an array of hospitals including acute care, long term acute care, rehabilitation, and psychiatric facilities in rural, suburban and urban settings. He is well versed in various ownership models that have included the for-profit hospital industry, hospital districts, joint ventures, and a healthcare system where he was responsible for over forty facilities in Texas.

For the past seven years, Darrell has served as CEO of the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council which has united hospitals, EMS agencies, and community leaders across nine counties to embrace best practices. The population served rivals the size of the nation’s 21st largest state. The results have been commended and published and include improved stroke outcomes and millions of dollars saved by the timely delivery of the clot busting drug tPA across the region. Likewise, the organization was contracted by the Texas Department of State Health Services to lead the Healthcare Preparedness Program across twenty five counties. The coalition was recently commended for the preparedness, response and resilience of the Houston area healthcare industry following the epic storm, Harvey.

Darrell has also served in a variety of community leadership positions including Chairman of the Northwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, founder of an emergency services district, and board member with a local EMS agency and with a local school district foundation. He serves on the Governor’s Emergency Care Advisory Council’s stroke committee, he has served on the board of the Texas Emergency Trauma and Acute Care Foundation, and was recently appointed to the board of the Houston Better Business Bureau Foundation and as a consultant to the Harris County Medical Society’s Emergency Care Committee.

Patty is a Caregiver Facilitator for West Houston Stroke Warriors support group. She and her husband, Bruno, first attended this group in late 2009 following his stroke. After his passing in 2013, Patty chose to continue her association with “Warriors” in the capacity of a volunteer and friend, which later evolved into the Caregiver Facilitator. She also volunteered at the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center while her husband attended HARC and remained active as a volunteer though early 2017. Patty is the mother of three, a friend and cheerleader for six wonderful grandchildren! She graduated from the University of Texas School of Dental Hygiene in 1959 and became a registered Massage Therapist in 1994.

Gwen is the wife of Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. She is particularly interested in the behavioral and physical health of our citizens. She and the Judge want to encourage efforts that provide preventive care and programs that encourage real change in the people’s lives. Their hope is for a county of well-adjusted, healthy people living productive lives. Gwen is involved in numerous efforts to improve mental healthcare and preventive physical healthcare in our county.   She is a member of the Immunization Partnership Board, the Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Board, the Communities in Schools Board and the Mental Health America Board.  She also supports the Family Court program for moms and babies who are drug addicted.  With a vision for a regional health system that focuses on primary care and health homes for every citizen, Gwen supports many of the community providers, programs, and efforts that are currently in place in Harris County.  Judge and Mrs. Emmett grew up in Houston where they graduated from Bellaire High School.  She then graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and taught Texas History in HISD.  Gwen has also taught kindergarten and been involved in children’s education in various venues through the years. The Emmetts lived in Kingwood in the 1970s and 80s where they began raising their 4 children.  During this time, Ed served four terms as State Representative and Gwen founded and was active in the Kingwood Area Republican Women’s Club.   They moved to Washington DC as part of President George H.W. Bush’s administration in 1990 and moved back to Houston in 2003.  Gwen and Ed have been married for 42 years and have four children and thirteen grandchildren.

Lynn is the manager of patient and community relations at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Lynn joined the medical school’s Dean’s Office in 2001 to provide individualized nonmedical support to patients and their families. She had an illustrious volunteer career at Memorial Hermann where she established programs and was named Volunteer of the Year. Over these 16 years at UTHealth, she has helped to guide hundreds of patients through our complex medical system as a patient navigator. Lynn is an advocate for patients, providing a voice for patients and their families. She was called into this service when her college-age son suffered a catastrophic brain injury and went through three-years of rehabilitation. Lynn’s attention to service was recognized by the Medical School Advisory Council and UTHealth Development Board, which created a Lynn Cutrer Angel Scholarship Fund, which supports a deserving medical school student.

Dr. Sujatha Sridhar is Executive Director, Research Compliance at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The Research Compliance office provides administrative support for the human subjects research program, IACUC and the conflicts of interests committee. Sujatha leads the team that provides good clinical practice education for research coordinators. She is also responsible for coordinating the UTHealth AAHRPP accreditation of its human subjects' protection program. Sujatha is very interested in community engagement in research and is working with a team at UTHealth to promote community awareness of clinical college in India in 1992. She has over 20 years of experience in clinical research management and human subjects’ protection. Prior to joining UTHealth, she worked in the regulatory affairs department of a pharmaceutical company in India and at the National Healthcare Group in Singapore.