706 of the area's top physicians as chosen by their peers
+ The Obstetrician, the Gorilla, and the Historic Delivery
Dr. Jamie Erwin OB-GYN
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54
FEATURES
39 Arlington’s New National Medal of Honor Museum They came from all walks of life. At long last, their bravery is honored at the new National
By John Henry
By
46 Is Fort Worth Healthy?
From mental health to MMA vaccines, we’re getting the pulse (and blood pressure) on the state of Cowtown’s health.
By Brian Kendall
65
2025 Top Doctors
Meet Greater Fort Worth’s most trusted doctors — as voted on by their peers — in our annual compilation of top doctors.
Medal of Honor Museum.
Shilo Urban
Delivering Jameela
A team of human doctors, a top-secret mission, and a baby gorilla named Jameela — the remarkable story behind a groundbreaking C-section that made history and the OB-GYN who stepped into the animal kingdom.
DEPARTMENTS
THE FORT
16 City Dweller
Texas wins a 13th consecutive Governor’s Cup riding Fort Worth’s and Dallas’ long — and growing — economic coattails.
20 Calendar
Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Main Street Arts Festival, and the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship are must-do’s in April.
22 Fort Worthian
Meet Anette Landeros, who is helping shape Fort Worth transportation as chief strategy officer for Trinity Metro.
24 Cowhand Culture
One cotton-pickin’ writer shows some interest in the “ol’ Maje” — music producer Major Bill Smith.
28 Culture
A Fort Worth woman’s gown on the move as part of the National Black Debutante Project’s traveling exhibition.
32 State Lines San Elizario: pop. 10,164
36 The Reverie
Richard F. Selcer finds more of Fort Worth’s forgotten characters in history — some of them quite colorful oddballs.
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Where Science and Faith Converge
In the ever-evolving landscape of science and medicine, there are moments that remind us of the profound intersection of knowledge and humanity.
One such moment unfolded last year at the Fort Worth Zoo, where a team of veterinarians and human medical specialists came together in an unprecedented act of collaboration and compassion — unprecedented, that is, at the Fort Worth Zoo.
Their mission was to save the lives of a critically endangered western lowland gorilla and her premature newborn.
The birth of baby Jameela, delivered via cesarean section by Dr. Jamie Erwin, an OB-GYN, and a multidisciplinary team of specialists, was a medical milestone, as well as a testament to the boundless potential of teamwork.
Science provided the expertise, but it was compassion that fueled the determination to give this fragile new life the best possible start. The commitment of both the zoo’s veterinary staff and the volunteer medical professionals speaks volumes about the power of collaboration and partnership, particularly in the face of challenge.
Moreover, the story tells us something even more — the irreplaceable role of empathy in healing and caregiving.
There is little doubting Dr. Erwin’s inspiration in that regard.
It’s her walk of faith and the commandment to love one’s neighbor.
I recall some years ago a young student scientist telling me that faith had become less important to her as she began finding answers to the great questions of life in the knowledge of science and empiricism. What a tragic misunderstanding, I thought.
“You can’t have one without the other,” Erwin says. “I think the more you learn of science, the more you can see of God … the
closer you get to God. It’s a Venn diagram. They’re not mutually exclusive.
“I can’t do what I do without my faith. I can’t. The depth of hurting and pain and grief and suffering that I have witnessed women experience and have walked them through … I couldn’t do it without my faith. I couldn’t. I’d be burned out and I’d quit.”
Medicine, at its core, is not just about science. Rather, it’s about humanity, empathy, and the unwavering commitment to preserving life, even when that responsibility extends beyond humans and into the animal kingdom.
We have no better exemplar than Dr. Erwin, an OB-GYN whose practice is headquartered in the offices of Vivi Women’s Health in Fort Worth.
No story of the birth of Jameela is complete without a full accounting of the lessons reaffirmed during this remarkable convergence of science and compassion.
John Henry CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
ON THE COVER:
Dr. Jamie Erwin, the OB-GYN who performed a first-ofits-kind procedure for the Fort Worth Zoo, came by our studio for a photo shoot and interview for the this month’s cover story (which you can read on page 54). Note the lapel pin on her purple scrubs, which serves as an homage to her historic delivery. PhotobyRichardW. Rodriguez
CORRECTIONS? COMMENTS?
CONCERNS?
Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas.com.
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50 Ways to Beat the Heat in Fort Worth
The Pioneers of Cowtown Cuisine
No-Hope Candidates With Big Ideas
MORE THAN JUST BILLIARDS
S i n c e 1
F
p r e m i u m g a m e r o o m e s s e n t i a l s . F r o m p o o l t a b l e s & c u e s t o s h u f f l e b o a r d ,
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d i s c o u n t s f o r i n t e r i o r d e s i g n e r s .
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3 9 7 0 W V i c k e r y B l v d
F o r t W o r t h , T X 7 6 1 0 7
f t w o r t h b i l l i a r d
In honor of April Fools’ Day, what’s the best prank you’ve ever done or been the victim of?
It was the height of the swine flu scare (remember that bit of pre-COVID hysteria), and I was living in Austin with three other flatmates.
On April 1, I came home to a handwritten note on the door that read something like, “Hi all! Just FYI, I’m watching a friend’s pet pig. I have to run a few errands, so I’m keeping him in my room for now. Also, he seems a little sick.” In hindsight, I fell for an obvious prank, but not in the way you might think. The root of my subsequent embarrassment was not that I was horrified by sharing space with an animal likely to give me influenza, but, rather, that I was genuinely excited to have a pet pig as a houseguest. My disappointment has remained the source of a lot of teasing from my now-former flatmates..
Cockroaches. It’s all about cockroaches. Plastic ones. Putting them on coworkers’ desks, keyboards, chairs … anywhere to surprise them. Then just sit back and wait for the screams.
I was once the victim of Post-it Notes covering my entire office, including the ceiling. There was also the time my coworker snatched my Blackberry and hid it in the ceiling tiles above my desk and kept calling it. I could hear it but couldn’t find it.
owner/publisher hal a. brown
president mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
contributing editor john henry
digital editor stephen montoya
contributing writers malcolm mayhew, michael h. price, shilo urban copy editor sharon casseday
ART
creative director craig sylva
senior art director spray gleaves
contributing ad designer jonathon won contributing photographers richard w. rodriguez, thanin viriyaki
When our kids were young, they would prank my husband, a notorious food snatcher. One time, they put Braunschweiger in his Blue Bell ice cream. Instead of a sweet treat, he got a mouthful of pig liver.
At this fast-food place I worked in high school, there was a very old man that came in every Tuesday. One of the cooks stuck his finger in a hole he made in the bottom of a paper cup, stuffed a napkin around it, and dumped some ketchup in. The guys thought it was hilarious and showed it to that old man who had just come in. The old man jumped back, turned white, and when the guys started laughing, ran out. I was pretty angry. Needless to say, we never saw him again.
A coworker at the StarTelegram secured a large roll of industrial stretch wrap (like what they use to bind pallets of breakable products) and stretch-wrapped my entire car. It was parked in our company parking garage, and I almost missed an appointment with an advertiser because I had to run back to the office to get a large pair of scissors to cut my way into the driver’s side door! It took me a good 10 minutes to “unwrap” enough of my vehicle to get on the road and drove down I-30 with plastic wrap flapping in the wind like my vehicle was an oversized burrito.
DIGITAL EDITION:
The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.
FortWorthMagazine(ISSN 1536-8939) is published monthly by Panther City Media Group, LP, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, TX 76116. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fort Worth, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to Panther City Media Group, PO Box 213, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Volume 28, Number 4, April 2025. Basic Subscription price: $21.95 per year. Single copy price: $4.99
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THE FORT
PEOPLE TO KNOW THINGS TO DO PLACES TO GO
DIXIE’S TUPPERWARE PARTY
Kris Andersson is a fast-talking Southerner hell-bent on selling you Tupperware. This sounds like a party.
WHAT WE’RE WRITING ABOUT THIS MONTH:
On page 16 Texas’ economic dynasty reaches a new level, with Fort Worth and Dallas leading the charge. On page 22 Anette Landeros, chief strategy officer of Trinity Metro. On page 24 Eccentric (and shady) Major Bill Smith, music producer. On page 28 A Fort Worth woman’s gown is making the rounds on a traveling exhibition. On page 32 A trip to the outskirts of the West Texas Town of El Paso — San Elizario.
Comedian
by John Henry
DFW Go Boom
Texas rides DFW economic boom to a 13th straight Governor’s Cup.
The state of Texas’ economic dynasty has reached yet another level.
For the 13th consecutive year, Texas is the winner of the coveted Governor’s Cup, awarded to one of the 50 states for total capital investment in economic development projects over the course of a year.
Business is still boomin’ in Texas. At this rate, the streak might reach Oklahoma University’s 47 consecutive football wins. If that were to happen, I wouldn’t be the one telling you about it.
So, that Texas has won again is more yada, yada, yada than a news item worthy of breaking into “As the World Turns” to tell you about it
However, what is news is who is driving the growth.
It’s Dallas-Fort Worth, a region full
of decades-long rivalries but which has recently collectively amplified its status as one of the nation’s leading economic powerhouses.
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks as the No. 2 metro in projects, behind only Chicagoland. DFW had 489 projects to Chicago’s 582. And Fort Worth is more than pulling its weight for the team.
In the past two years, Fort Worth has generated $3.7 billion in capital investment, powered by investments from companies like Embraer, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and, more recently, Fort Worth-based Bell, which in December announced that it would make a $632 million investment in a new factory in its hometown in AllianceTexas to build the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.
The investments have all resulted
in more than 6,000 new jobs across Fort Worth and Dallas, according to Site Selection Magazine
“Texas is still the belle of the ball,” said Robert Allen, CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership. “And for Fort Worth, it’s a pretty strong statement that we’re here, we’re winning, and we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. We’ve got a great package.”
The great package includes Dallas Fort Worth International Airport — the most significant economic development project in our city and the region — a pro-business political environment, a good education foundation in TCU, UT Arlington, Texas Wesleyan, Texas A&M-Fort Worth, and Tarrant County College, as well as a stable political landscape. If the governor or the mayor makes a commitment, it’s a good one. Neither are going anywhere anytime soon.
“That kind of stuff matters to CEOs,” Allen said. “They want to know that the goalposts aren’t going to change in the middle of the game.”
With all that, believe it or not, is the psychological phenomenon of the fear of missing out — what the youngsters have turned to text shorthand: FOMO. Company leaders read the news headlines on news platforms and the social forums.
“They see all these corporate HQs [relocating or moving plants here], they see all these advanced manufacturing projects,” Allen said. “There’s a little bit of fear of missing out for those that are in other states — that are not real friendly to business, that don’t want ‘em — kind of scratching their heads going, ‘Man, what is going on over there in Texas? What is going on in Fort Worth? Why does Bell Helicopter choose to locate its most advanced manufacturing project that will service the United States military for the next several decades? Why do they land that critical component manufacturing in Fort Worth?’
“They start asking questions. And that’s exactly what we want them
to do. We want them to inquire. We want them to call their friends and say, ‘What’s up in Fort Worth? Is it really that good?’ Because the answer is yes.”
Robust population growth is another major factor for corporations who want to move here, Allen said.
Fort Worth, the fastest-growing big city in America, is quickly approaching 1 million in population. According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, Fort Worth has more than 978,000 people. Some forecasters have already put us over 1 million or a smidge under.
“I heard a comment one time that when a triple seven [Boeing 777] lands at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, everybody gets off and they never get back on,” Allen joked.
He also noted that Dallas and Fort Worth will soon become the only American metro with two cities with 1 million in base population within 30 miles of one another, Allen said.
“I’ve been asking a lot of people to disprove me on” the assertion, Allen said. “Nobody’s been able to do it.”
Currently, the metroplex has a population of 8.1 million.
To use a sports analogy, DFW is like Aledo or Southlake — big towns with just one high school, one football team, and a deep talent pool to draw from.
Fort Worth, the 11th biggest city in the country, two slots behind Dallas, is growing its able and willing workforce faster than anybody in the country. If companies can’t find them here, all they have to do is turn their binoculars east.
We’re the busiest ant mound going.
“We can prove to directors of HR COOs and to CEOs that we can deliver your workforce needs today. We can deliver them in five years, and then we’ve got a pipeline that can continue to deliver workforce needs for you down the road,” Allen said. “We’ve got it all.”
RIP, Big O
Oliver Miller, Southwest High School Star: 1970-2025
If Oliver
had his way,
“In all honesty, all I ever wanted to be was a Globetrotter,” Miller said years ago to me. “My uncle used to take me every year they came in town.”
Miller was our friend and Fort Worth’s giant, a standout basketball player whose big, soft hands and quick feet took him from stardom at Fort Worth Southwest High School to University of Arkansas, and finally the best basketball league in the world — the NBA.
The “Big O,” as he was called, with a frame of 6-foot-9 and 280 pounds — and more, depending on when he got on the scale — died the week of March 10 in Phoenix. Cancer was the cause, according to friends and associates on the social channels.
He was 54.
Miller was known around here as a character — always wearing a big smile, cracking a joke, and credited as the “inventor” of the full-court assist, effortlessly flicking a pass the length of the court for a layup after an opponent’s basket.
A 1988 graduate of Southwest, Miller played there under coach
James Wood. He was selected No. 22 overall in the 1992 NBA Draft after playing four seasons at Arkansas under coach Nolan Richardson. Playing with Todd Day and Lee Mayberry, Miller helped lead the program to three consecutive Southwest Conference regular season and tournament championships, as well as the 1990 Final Four.
In addition to the Suns, Miller played for the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 7.4 points and six rebounds per game over his career, which ended in 2003-04. As a rookie, the Suns advanced to the NBA Finals, losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who won the second of six titles.
The 6-foot-9 Miller was listed at 280 pounds and weighed more later in his career, but he also displayed a feel for the game that made him more than a typical ‘90s center. Miller left the NBA in 2000 and played in leagues in Poland, Puerto Rico, and China as well as the Continental Basketball League.
And, yes, the Big O had two stints with the famed Harlem Globetrotters in the early 2000s.
Miller
he would have grown up to be just like Sweet Lou Dunbar.
Oliver Miller signs his national letter of intent to attend Arkansas in 1988. With him, from left, are James Wood, his coach at Southwest, and his parents, Oliver Miller Sr. and his mother Annie Miller. Credit: UTASpecialCollections/StarTelegramArchives
by John Henry
Kay Granger: ‘Fort Worth Inc.’ Person of the Year
The
longtime public servant
is being honored by our sister publication.
Longtime U.S. Rep. Kay Granger has been named FortWorthInc.2025
Person of the Year, in recognition of her lasting impact on the city’s economic development, business community, and national influence.
As the first Republican woman to represent Texas in Congress and the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Granger has spent decades shaping policies that have fueled the region’s growth, from infrastructure and defense to education and small business support.
Her leadership as chair of the House Appropriations Committee has positioned Fort Worth as a hub for innovation and prosperity, benefiting industries across North Texas.
“Kay Granger’s legacy is one of transformation,” said Hal Brown, publisher of Fort Worth Inc. “Her leadership has helped shape Fort Worth into the thriving city it is today. From advocating for critical economic initiatives to championing Fort Worth’s role on the national stage, she has been a force for progress.”
The Fort Worth Inc. Person of the Year award recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact on the business and economic landscape of the city, typically in the past year.
Granger retired from Congress on Jan. 3 as one of Texas’ most impactful statesmen. Granger was an equal among the towering figures of the Texas delegation through the years, including Garner, Rayburn, Patman, Mahon, Gonzalez, and, of course, Jim Wright of Texas’ District 12.
“Her impact on her district and her region and the state is equal to any other Congress person in the last 20 to 30 years,” said former U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, a longtime Republican colleague of Granger’s. “She was all Fort Worth, all 12th District, all the time.”
Granger’s influence spans beyond politics, as she has worked tirelessly to elevate Fort Worth’s presence in the global economy, ensuring its position as a leader in aerospace, defense, and commerce.
Her commitment to public service and strategic vision has cemented her as a pivotal figure in the city’s history, as well as that of the state and Texas’ District 12.
Granger will be honored at a special event hosted by Fort Worth Inc. on May 15 at the Fort Worth Club, where business leaders, public officials, and community members will celebrate her contributions.
Around Cowtown in 8 Seconds
A smattering of things you might’ve missed
1. Fort Worth’s Top Teacher: The school board last month hired longtime district administrator Karen Molinar as the superintendent after a five-month stint serving on an interim basis. Literacy, she says, is her top priority. We wish you nothing but good things, Ms. Molinar.
2. Homeowners Join Suit: Fort Worth’s Heritage Homeowners Association has joined a lawsuit against the Keller school district, alleging that board trustees violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by conducting deliberations outside of public view during its plan to redraw the district’s boundaries. We wish you nothing but good things, Heritage Homeowners Association.
3. Measles and Weasels: Amidst an outbreak of measles in the state, Mercy Church and Pastor Landon Schott celebrated their school’s distinction as the worst vaccinated in Texas. Schott boasted on Instagram about how the school values “our HEALTH & FREEDOM.” “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” comes front of mind.
4. Taylor Sheridan Mania: “Landman” groupies got great news in March with reports that the series will be back for Season 2. The Taylor Sheridan hit, which debuted to rave reviews by the people who were captivated across the globe, has been renewed by Paramount+.
5. Hotel Rising in the West: The Fort Worth City Council approved the rezoning of 7.4 acres at the corner of Montgomery and Interstate 30 for a new 12-story hotel and mixed-used development on the site of the Montgomery Street Antique Mall. A standalone multifamily residential building is also planned by the developers, Phoenix Property Co.
6. Grand Distinction: The Grand High Court of the Heroines of Jericho building, at 3016 Fourth St., the headquarters of one of the oldest Black women’s fraternal organizations in the country, was designated a historical and cultural landmark by the Fort Worth City Council. With the designation comes protection from demolition.
7. That’s No Way to Fatten Up a Pig: Three live pigs being allowed to starve as part of a controversial art exhibit in Denmark were stolen by animal welfare activists. We wouldn’t have allowed that in Fort Worth either but for completely different reasons. We don’t waste food here.
8. It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane? No, that was a large balloon used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that got caught in in-like-a-lion gusts in March and traveled 600 miles before crash landing in Hunt County, Dallas. The aerostat system broke free from its tether during a “severe wind event” — that’s one way to put it — on South Padre Island.
Blazing Trails for 25 Years
Ebby Halliday Real Estate, LLC dba Williams Trew Real Estate
April
2 – 6
Dixie’s Tupperware Party
For those seeking a night out without the kiddos, this 21-and-up show features the comedic brilliance of Kris Andersson as a fast-talking Southerner hell-bent on selling you Tupperware.
McDavid Studio basshall.com
3 – 6
Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival
Fort Worth’s foodiest festival returns to Clearfork with four days-worth of delectable events where you can chow down on the best eats Cowtown has to offer, including tacos, burgers, BBQ, and more.
Clearfork fwfwf.org
3 – 6
Disney on Ice: ‘Let’s Dance’
The latest show in the long-running Disney on Ice series, “Let’s Dance” is a family-friendly show that will include some impressive ice-skating feats from an all-star cast of Disney characters.
Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com
5
Gala Concert Starring Garrick Ohlsson
Garrick Ohlsson, winner of the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition and one of the most celebrated pianists in the world, will be performing with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra for its annual gala. Bass Performance Hall fwsymphony.org
10 – 13
Main Street Arts Festival
From General Worth Square to the Tarrant County Courthouse, Texas’ largest arts festival is taking over downtown with hundreds of art vendors, live performances, retailers, and local bites. Downtown mainstreetartsfest.org
11 – 12
The American Rodeo
Part rodeo, part country music concert, this Teton Ridge-produced event showcases rodeo stars from around the globe who partook in qualifying events. This year’s country performers include Bailey Zimmerman and Riley Green. Globe Life Field americanrodeo.com
17 – 19
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
For the fifth straight year, Dickies Arena will host the top eight women’s college gymnastics teams as they compete across four different disciplines — vault, bars, beams, and floor — to become national champions.
Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com
Ubbi Dubbi
Cowtown’s biggest dance party, this two-day music festival event includes three stages and headline performances from Subtronics, Fisher, Seven Lions, and Adventure Club. Panther Island Pavilion | ubbidubbifestival.com
18 – May 11
‘Rift, or White Lies’
This two-man show based on the real-life experiences of playwright Gabriel Jason Dean, examines two brothers with opposing political views as they navigate their shared trauma and brotherly bond.
Amphibian Stage amphibianstage.com
25
Bellamy Brothers
While best known for their 1975 hit, “Let Your Love Flow,” the Bellamy Brothers — real-life brothers David and Homer Bellamy — have been consistently releasing new music for nearly 40 years, including 34 albums.
Billy Bob’s Texas billybobstexas.com
photos
Anette Landeros
CSO, Trinity Metro
By
Brian Kendall Photo by Olaf Growald
Anette Landeros is shaping the future of Fort Worth. In her new role as the chief strategy officer for Trinity Metro, the city’s public transit agency, Landeros is developing the vision and strategy that will result in more bus riders, rail riders, rideshare riders, and (eventually, fingers crossed) streetcar riders. And this demand will increase the need for a more robust public transit system, resulting in a city you might not recognize decades down the road.
However, making public transit believers out of Texans is no easy task. But, as the Trinity Metro CSO, this is Landeros’ main charge. And having spent nearly 20 years in the public sector and nonprofits, including a 12-year stint at the US Department of Transportation, it’s a task Landeros is well positioned to tackle.
Of all things, it was growing up watching heavy doses of TV news programs that led Landeros to her career in public service. Like most single-television households in the 1990s — when those were more of a thing — there was typically one person who monopolized the remote control. In Landeros’ childhood home in San Antonio, this distinction belonged to her father, a machine shop worker who wielded his power by incessantly watching news programs like “60 Minutes” and “Dateline.”
“I just remember asking a lot of questions,” Landeros says. “And [my dad is] not from here — he is an immigrant from Mexico — so he would explain the best he could. The gist of it, he would say, is that people in Washington, D.C., are deciding everything for the rest of the country.
“And I said, ‘Well, then I need to be there.’”
While it might be hard to imagine today’s bickering cable news programs inspiring such altruism, Landeros would eventually make good on her Washington, D.C., ambitions. After receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public policy at Indiana University and University of Texas at Austin, respectively, Landeros landed a job at the U.S. Department of Transportation in coveted D.C.
“But then, I didn’t like it,” Landeros says. “I think I didn’t realize how much of a Texan I was.”
Though she had never stepped foot in Fort Worth and was unaware it had buildings over four stories high (truthfully), Landeros accepted a transfer to the city’s DOT offices, assuming it would be a two-year pit stop. Eleven years later, not only is Landeros in Fort Worth, but her parents are, too. She, her husband, two children, and her mom and dad have more than settled into Cowtown, they’ve become an integral part of the community.
Landeros says her community involvement was the result of her looking for friends when she first moved to Fort Worth. “I didn’t have anything else to do,” she says. “So I was on committees and volunteered and, suddenly, I built this whole network of people who were equally as passionate about the city as I was.”
This passion and involvement would lead to her becoming president and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2019, leaving her position of 12 years at the DOT. Though initially uneasy with the position due to her lack of entrepreneurial experience, she and her husband, Joseph, would remedy this by opening Casa Azul, a North Side coffee shop, in late 2021. But she readily admits it was Joseph who spearheaded the idea.
“Everything seems possible to an entrepreneur,” Landeros says. “And I knew I was married to one. He was one of those guys who was always wondering what kind of business we should start. It wasn’t really for me; I always had a job and got it done — very linear. But one day I asked him, ‘If you could do anything, what would you do?’ And he said, ‘Open a coffee shop.’ And I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’”
With Joseph manning the coffee shop on a near-daily basis, Landeros remains focused on Trinity Metro and, ultimately, shaping the future of Fort Worth.
“I think it’s really important that the whole city sees a vision of how we are all going to be connected,” Landeros says. “And we’re really committed to getting that done.”
1. At a Texas Rangers game with husband, Joseph, and two children 2. With entire family, including father, who spent 12 years as a bus driver in San Antonio 3. Dressing up for a gala 4. Goofy photo op with the family 5. Riding sidesaddle with the Escaramuza at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo 6. Fellow Trinity Metro
by Michael H. Price
The Imitation Artist: A Life Story
Though one of the seediest music producers of his day — and after — Major Bill Smith still managed to record a pair of chart toppers right here in Fort Worth.
Ifirst encountered the name, purported rank, and 45-rpm serial number of Major Bill Smith during my schoolboy days of the early 1960s: Roy Orbison, a certified rock ’n’ roll star, visited my eighth-grade drama class in Amarillo as a guest of the teacher, Dan Johnson.
At that time, Bruce Channel and Delbert McClinton’s Fort Worth recording of “Hey! Baby” (1961-1962) — a gradual breakout hit — was ascending the charts. Orbison handed out copies of his recent hit, “Dream Baby
(How Long Must I Dream?)” (1962), and invited questions. I asked him how it felt to see his style imitated by some upstart — Channel and Orbison’s voices had struck me as similar.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say ol’ Bruce is imitatin’ me,” Orbison answered. “And you’ve got to remember, I don’t come from any big-time beginnings, my own self.” Orbison and I already were acquainted through our connections with country-rock producer Norman Petty in Eastern New Mexico, who
Orbison had outgrown to become a mass-market hitmaker.
“If anybody’s tryin’ to imitate my style,” Orbison said, “it’d be the guy who produced the record. Y’all ever heard tell of an ol’ boy named Major Bill Smith?” My keener interest lay in whatever Roy might reveal about this record-producing racket.
“So then, does Norman Petty know about this Major Bill guy?” I asked.
“I’m surprised Norm hasn’t mentioned him to you,” answered Orbison. “Bill Smith is downstate, in Fort Worth. I’m not even certain he’s a for-real military major — like [Elvis Presley’s handler] Colonel Tom Parker isn’t any kind of a colonel — but Bill presents himself that way. Tried to horn in on Norman Petty’s operations off and on, some years ago, in hopes of gettin’ himself a piece of that Buddy Holly action. Approached me, too, he did, but Norman warned me better…
“So, no, I don’t have any experiences with Major Bill Smith, although I’ve heard some stories ’bout him, cheatin’ this or that singer…, and he’s kind of semi-notorious for puttin’ out covers [imitations] and take-off records that’re intended to sound like other artists’ hits. So, any sound-alike business goin’ on — that’d have to be the doin’s of Major Bill.”
A major-label edition of “Hey! Baby” sold in ever greater numbers, eventually reaching the much-coveted No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. And for a stretch, William Arthur “Major Bill” Smith (1922-1994) managed to sustain a streak of Top Tenners. I recognized no consistency of style between “Hey! Baby” and follow-up, “Hey, Paula,” which featured vocalists Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson. Where “Hey! Baby” had sizzled, “Hey, Paula” merely wallowed in a saccharine oath of suffocating love, but, like its predecessor, it would attain the peak-of-peak positions at No. 1.
Smith’s third breakthrough of 19621964 was J. Frank Wilson’s version of “Last Kiss,” a morbid and sanctimonious lament that would have been
enough to sour me on Major Bill even without the flabby accompaniment of Wilson’s vocalizing. Of course, the basic rule of any form of appreciation is that there is no accounting for taste, and “Last Kiss” became a hit.
Major Bill Smith, born in Oklahoma, had grown up with a fondness for country and gospel music. He spent World War II with the Army Air Force and survived a shot-down combat mission over Germany.
“Guess I was more of a major on paper,” Smith told fellow journalist Jeffrey M. Guinn and me in 1981. “I was a sergeant... My promotion [was] somethin’ we negotiated as part of my retirement deal — the brass figured I’d have made major sooner or later, anyhow, and I was always pretty good at browbeatin’ people into goin’ along with me.”
At his basement storage-room office in a West Side hairdressing parlor, Major Bill Smith had greeted Guinn and me with this: “’Bout time y’all cotton-pickin’ Star-Telegram people started showin’ some serious interest in the ol’ Maje.” Our transcribed interview became lost in head-office limbo as the Star-Telegram’s proverbial powers that be pondered whether to allow a platform for one of the city’s more outspoken eccentrics.
Editor Jack Tinsley finally came clean: “We’re just not certain that we want to open that can of worms. If you make Major Bill look like a hero, then he’ll be pestering us for more... If you take a more critical tone, ... then he’ll be bad-mouthing us from sunup to sundown... [N]ot really a political force, [but] still he knows where some of the bodies are buried...” By the time a blander narrative had been green-lighted, the delays and fresher developments had left the text in need of updating. I let the pitch slide into nothingness. Not until the 1990s would the newspaper give Major Bill Smith a fuller brush with biographical justice, in a valedictory tone.
As an information officer during
the 1950s at Carswell Air Force Base, Smith also wrote songs in hopes of recording deals. A breakthrough came with Sonny James’ 1956 hit, “Twenty Feet of Muddy Water.” Smith left the military in 1959, but he used the honorific of Major Bill in all his later dealings. He achieved several local-radio hits, then scored nationally with those million-seller medalists “Hey! Baby,” “Hey, Paula,” and “Last Kiss.”
As the runaway hits dwindled, Smith’s LeCam label continued with regional releases and occasional national contenders, each pronounced “a cotton-pickin’ smash hit!” These included a batch from Lubbock-born vocalist Delbert McClinton — the ablest such talent Texas had yielded since the Depression Era heyday of Milton Brown.
By 1980, I had joined the Star-Telegram as a base of newsroom operations. Major Bill persisted with the record-cutting projects — some 3,000 platters over a 30-year stretch — and an evangelical attachment to Union Gospel Mission. “Us important people,” he would say, “have got us a natural-born moral duty to ... lend a hand to the scum of the earth.”
Onward into the 1980s-1990s, Smith developed a strange new platform: He announced that Elvis Presley remained among the living, incognito (and never mind the 1977 death notices), and had declared his
survival to Major Bill Smith, alone among humanity. This manifesto included new faux-Presley recordings, some featuring a persuasive impersonator billed as “the King,” as well as appearances by Major Bill on such daytime-television gossip programs as “The Montel Williams Show.”
Smith insisted that I was missing out on the Pulitzer-bait story of the century. He dropped in frequently on the newsroom, unannounced, to the extent that the Telegram’s security guard, Edna Turner, introduced a “Maje Alert!” message to the intercom system. Finally, I said: “Okay, then, Bill, how’s about an interview with your returned ‘King’? I’ve interviewed him a time or two, so he ought to remember me.”
Smith barked back: “Nope! The King says, first, you gotta believe... But how’s about you sign a paper up front, swearin’ that you trust in his presence, and then I’ll see whatall I can put together.”
“‘Trust in his presence’—?” I returned. “Whom are we talkin’ about, here, Bill?”
“We’re talkin’ ’bout the King, that’s who, boy, and you watch yo’ mouth, lest there be hellfire to pay!”
The telephone barrage persisted, now augmented with Smith’s news that he had fallen terminally ill. I attempted a sympathetic reply, and he snapped back with: “Just shut up and listen when I try to tell you somethin’! Okay?”
I sensed a terrible aloneness, there, but Smith’s abrasive crust was impenetrable. The rants now consisted of urgent developments in the clandestine comeback of Elvis Presley, grisly clinical details of Smith’s “struggle to the bitter end against the Grim Reaper,” and this recurring plea: “Reckon when you’re gonna wise up and publish the ol’ Maje’s life story before it’s too late?”
Too late.
Major Bill Smith
by Jenny B. Davis
Addressing Tradition
A Fort Worth woman’s gown helps to illuminate the history of Black debutante cotillions.
An exhibition opened recently in Montreal, Canada, that treats visitors to a very special historical artifact: a dazzling debutante ball gown.
The snow-white confection features a fitted lace bodice
with a sweetheart neckline, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a sweeping skirt lavished with lace appliques, pearls, and rhinestones. It belongs to debutante Nivea Jerry, who wore it when she was presented by the Fort Worth Assembly in December 2024. It now plays a key role in the National Black Debutante Project’s traveling exhibition, African American Debutante Cotillions: History, Culture and Traditions.
“Debutante cotillions represent an important rite of passage, but oftentimes the stories and lived experiences of European debutantes or white debutantes are the ones people see in movies and magazines, and the Black debutante experience is often untold, unknown or misunderstood, even within Black communities,” says Dr. Nikita Y. Harris.
Harris, a Fort Worth native and a University of Alabama professor, founded the nonprofit Black Debutante Project in 2019 and organized the exhibition. She is also a debutante — she was presented by the Fort Worth Assembly in 1989 — and with this exhibition, she hopes to use her insider’s perspective to “enlighten and inform the public about a rich and beautiful cultural tradition that many people just don’t know about.”
MEANINGFUL BEGINNINGS The first Black debutante cotillion dates back to 1895 when the newly formed Illinois Club organized a debutante presentation during Carnival. Now called the Original Illinois Club, it is the city’s oldest African American Mardi Gras club. The event showcased exceptional young women in the community, but it also served another important purpose. The Illinois Club was established by Pullman porters, railway employees now considered civil rights trailblazers, and the debutante cotillion represented a very deliberate protest against segregation, Jim Crow laws, and society’s opinions of Black women. With the event, Harris explains, club members were effectively announcing to white society that “our young women are just as graceful, beautiful, and accomplished, and we are going to present them to the community, too.”
THE FORT CULTURE
While Black debutante cotillions originated in the South, they aren’t a regional tradition — they are an American tradition. “There are Black debutante cotillions across the country, in California, New York, Missouri, Colorado, Washington, Michigan,” Harris says. Black debutante cotillions are sponsored by a variety of organizations across nearly every state that range from Greek-letter clubs to nonprofits, and there are opportunities to participate that are by invitation and also by application, she explains, adding that a national directory of Black debutante cotillions is currently in the works.
Another widespread and more concerning misconception, Harris says, is the lack of knowledge that Black debutante cotillions exist at all.
“Every time I post a debutante photo on Facebook or Instagram, I get a flood of messages like, ‘I had no idea this existed,’ and ‘How can I get my daughter involved?’” Harris says. “I want to let everyone know that this does exist — Black debutantes are real.”
A LOCAL LEGACY In Fort Worth, the Black debutante cotillion tradition began in 1941, and there are two annual cotillions still hosted by their founding civic organizations, the Fort Worth Assembly and the Ambassadors of Fort Worth. While the groups technically host separate cotillions, the events are linked, with debutantes welcomed at both presentations and parties, says Harris.
When Nivea Jerry was presented by the Fort Worth Assembly last December, she was participating in a family tradition. Harris, an Assembly debutante, is her aunt, and Jerry’s mother and two sisters were junior debutantes. In fact, Jerry’s Assembly debut held particular family significance because it was the 35th anniversary of Harris’ Assembly debut.
“I always knew I would be a debutante,” says Jerry, who is a junior at Xavier University in New Orleans studying public health on her way to medical school. “For me, it represented an important connection to my family, to my community, and to the history of African American women,” she explains.
That said, Jerry says she began the process not fully knowing what to expect. Learning the iconic debutante bow known as the “Texas Dip,” the center point of the cotillion presentation, was the biggest challenge, she admits. It was especially stressful because she had just one chance to execute it perfectly while in heels, on stage, and in front of an audience — which she did, before taking her father’s hand to rise and bask in the moment. The biggest surprise, she says, was the depth of the friendships she made with the other debutantes. “Together with my deb sisters, I joined a legacy of so many proud Black women,” she says, “and it was an honor.”
Her mother also uses the word “honor” to describe her lifelong involvement with Black debutante cotillions. “When I was growing up, they represented that you could be a
strong woman in society, that you could lead but still be a lady,” says ShelVonna Jerry, a Godley-based event planner and owner of Events by ShelVonna. But, she adds, debutante cotillions also were a lot of fun. “Everyone in my family was always excited about the preparation process, from learning the dances to finding the dresses.”
Harris is quick to point out that “the Black cotillion experience is bigger than just a dress.” Indeed, the exhibition includes a myriad of inspired finds arranged to educate viewers and to give them an insider perspective of what it was like to attend a ball. As they walk through the exhibition, they will encounter videos, photographs, newspaper articles, cotillion books, and even a debutante dress from the 1960s. Nivea Jerry’s dress awaits them as they approach the end of the exhibition. The placement, Harris says, was purposeful. “Nivea’s dress brings context to the history, reflecting both the past and the future,” she says. “This is a cultural tradition that still exists today — it’s ongoing, and Nivea is part of the next generation.”
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Population: 10,164 by
San Elizario, Texas
Whitewashed adobe walls whisper of a storied past in sleepy San Elizario, an age-old town on El Paso’s outskirts where the city gives way to cotton fields.
But for 300 years, this village stood at the vibrant crossroads of a busy thoroughfare for missionaries, merchants, and militaries who spread Spanish culture from the heartland of Mexico to the American South-
west. And maybe — it was the actual site of the first Thanksgiving.
Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate arrived here in 1598 after trailblazing from Mexico City with 500 people and 7,000 head of livestock. The 50-day expedition had not been easy. After running out of food and water while crossing the perilous Chihuahuan Desert, humans and animals alike were on
the verge of madness. They finally reached salvation: the Rio Grande. Oñate proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to celebrate their survival. They said prayers, staged a theatrical performance, and shared a feast of fish and game with the local Manso tribe. Twenty-three years later, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
Either way, the day marked a momentous occasion — the start of Spanish influence in the Southwest. After continuing his trek deep into New Mexico, Oñate’s 1,600-mile route became a vital main corridor between New Spain’s capital of Mexico City and Santa Fe, its farthest frontier.
You can sense this profound history at the San Elizario Presidio Chapel, whose curved belfry and white walls center the town with a tranquil presence. Called “San Eli” by locals and fronted by a leafy plaza, it’s still an active parish. The church was not built as a mission but as a place of worship for the military fort (presidio) established by the Spanish in 1789. Renovated and rebuilt countless times, its current structure largely dates from 1882.
Explore deeper into the past at Los Portales Casa Garcia, a history museum housed in an 1850s residence with whitewashed adobe walls. Numerous nearby buildings share similar architecture and date from the town’s heyday in the early 1800s. Pick up a walking tour map for
Built between 1877-82, the one-story adobe chapel was erected to replace the original chapel destroyed by a flood. It is constructed in the traditional Spanish Mission style.
Shilo Urban
Photos by
Glenn Nagel
Arturo M. Enriquez
William J. Chizek
the San Elizario National Historic District, which includes 18 sites like the Old Jail Museum — once broken into by Billy the Kid to free his incarcerated comrade.
After El Paso was established in 1873, much of San Elizario’s population drifted over to the new town and its railroad. The gunslingers and soldiers who once passed through here may be gone, but travelers and creative types have taken their place. Reinvented as an artist colony, this tiny Texas town with an oversized history is still a cultural crossroads where the past and the present meet.
Explore San Elizario
Savor: First things first: the cheese. For four generations, the Licon family has made delicious queso asadero, a melty semisoft cheese akin to mozzarella. Visit Licon Dairy to try round slices of asadero (which they call tortillas de leche), chile con queso, or ricotta-style requeson. Kids will love the petting zoo. For a caffeine fix or something sweet, Cafe Arte Mi Admore offers artisan coffee and fresh pastries in the heart of the Historic District. Head a couple of miles north to the town of Socorro to encounter an overflow of eateries selling barbacoa tacos, birria de res, and quesadillas dripping with gooey asadero cheese. Sofia’s Restaurant and La Flauta Taqueria are two of the best — and be sure to stop by Three Missions Brewery for the churro-inspired Ysleta Stout.
Shop: Almost two dozen artists have studios in San Elizario, and many more show their work in the art galleries and gift shops along Main Street. Many are housed in historic adobe structures from the 1800s. The museum-like Mi Casa is the gallery and studio of Gaspar Enriquez, known for his photorealistic portraits of Chicano culture (his work is in the Smithsonian). Several resident artists work nearby at Placita Madrid, where you can see Romy Hawkins’ intricate metal art, Alberto Escamilla’s impressionist landscapes, and color-rich portraits by Robert Dozal. Color is also in full celebration at Otomi boutique; browse a brilliant collection of Mexican textiles to enliven your home and wardrobe.
Enjoy: San Elizario hosts the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” from May 3 to June 15, and you can expect insightful displays and interactive initiatives throughout the Historic District. The city comes alive during special events, like the First Friday Art Walk and the Mission Trail Art Market, with live music and reenactments of Billy the Kid’s famous breakout (check Facebook for the schedule). You’ll also find free guided tours every fourth Sunday, historical conferences twice a year, and ghost tours during the fall.
Snooze: There are no hotels or short-term rentals in San Elizario, but never fear — downtown El Paso is 20 miles away and home to several luxurious abodes. Situated in a 1930s Art Deco high-rise, Plaza Pioneer Park is an iconic landmark that oozes Old Hollywood glamour and has an excellent rooftop bar. The Stanton House is also set in a renovated historic building, but the vibe is artsy and ultramodern. Rooms have industrial décor, and many of them overlook a moving light sculpture in a four-story light well. At Hotel Paso Del Norte, you can sip your margarita under an original Tiffany stained-glass dome ceiling. It’s just one of the stunning elements at this 1912 hotel, which evokes the grandeur of a bygone era with crystal chandeliers, marble columns, and elaborate carved mahogany.
How to Get There: Drive west from Fort Worth on Interstate 20 and past Abilene, Midland, and Pecos for about 435 miles until Interstate 20 merges with Interstate 10. Continue on I-10 for another 137 miles until Exit 49 for Ranch Road 793 toward Fabens. Exit and turn left on Fabens Road and drive for 2 miles, then turn right onto Alameda Avenue/Main Street. In 0.6 miles, take a slight left onto Socorro Road and continue for 8.4 miles to reach San Elizario. All in all, you’re looking at 584 miles and nine hours with no stops. Don’t let your gas tank get too empty on those long, lonesome West Texas roads, and heads up: San Elizario is in Mountain time zone.
The bell tower of the San Elizario Mission was built in 1877 and the newest of the three Spanish missions on the El Paso Mission Trail.
Buddhist relics and statues sit out on a walkway.
San Elizario Presidio Chapel
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Local Historian Finds More Great Fort Worth ‘Characters’
William Pendleton took office as mayor of Fort Worth on April 8, 1890, as the seventh mayor of what would become 135 years later the 11th largest city in the U.S.
On July 14 of the same year, he sent a telegram addressed to the “Honorable City Council of the City of Fort Worth.”
“Gentlemen: I herewith tender my resignation as Mayor, to take effect immediately.”
Pendleton was gone within three months of taking office. He sent that telegram from Buffalo, New York, where the 41-year-old was honeymooning with his new wife — his new 19-year-old wife, whom he had married while still in legal covenant with his initial beloved. (He thought he had gotten a divorce in Illinois while carrying on with his new lady.)
It’s what you call a salacious mess, one that made headlines around the country and that ultimately drove a mayor from office and the same man and his new lady right out of town.
One newspaperman called it a “fatal infatuation.”
The sordid tale has been retold by Richard F. Selcer, Fort Worth historian extraordinaire, in his new book, Fort Worth Characters 2, a sequel and expansion of a previously published work in 2009 examining “colorful, oddball” and mostly forgotten historical figures and stories in Fort Worth history. (The book is published by UNT Press.)
Did you know, for example, that John Birch — the martyred figure who
inspired the John Birch Society and its followers — was a graduate of Rev. J. Frank Norris’ Baptist Bible Institute, now Arlington Baptist College, in Fort Worth?
I was today years old when I found that out — extracted from Selcer’s book, another fantastically researched manuscript, characteristic of his expertise across 15 published works.
This book covers 31 individuals over 25 chapters. How in the world does he find all these people mostly lost to history?
“I spend countless hours reading, scrolling through old newspapers, and I come across a name that’s interesting or a story that’s interesting, and I’ll start researching and gathering material, and one thing leads to another, and pretty soon I’ve got a whole file,” Selcer says. “My whole condo is one vast file cabinet with stories.”
Selcer, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Austin College and a Ph.D. from TCU, has established himself as the official chronicler of Fort Worth history — and a fantastic storyteller to boot.
A history teacher at Paschal High School fed his interest.
Selcer says he went off the college with a plan to study veterinary science, but after a year and half of math and science, he found he despised math and science — and the feeling was mutual.
“I’ve never looked back,” Selcer says.
His dissertation at TCU was on amphibious naval operations of the Civil War. He continues to research the Civil War, but he discovered a love of the history of his hometown. His first book was Hell’s Half Acre, published by TCU Press, in 1991. It won an award for best Western nonfiction.
“I kind of found my way into local history,” Selcer says, before bringing the conversation back to Hell’s Half Acre. “I read the name in an old newspaper and got interested in it and began pursuing it, and it turned into a book. And so a lot of research since has started by finding something in an old newspaper that interests me, and I started chasing it down.”
Mayor Pendleton, a onetime member of the Texas House of Representatives, had a law office on the second floor of the First National Bank on the corner of Houston and Second. Nineteen-year-old Addie Cullen was the “telephone exchange girl” in the building. Her job was connecting callers to the phone numbers they wanted to reach.
Pendleton, married with five children, continued to play the role of dutiful husband even as he discovered love with the “Telephone Venus,” as a Dallas newspaper irreverently described her.
“I always wonder what happened to Pendleton,” Selcer says. “He becomes mayor in 1890, and he’s out in 1890. He didn’t die. He didn’t get abducted. When you start digging into it, you find out they kicked him out. He had an affair. He dumps his wife and runs off and marries the telephone girl.”
The new couple settled in Shawnee, Oklahoma Territory. Pendleton reinvented himself into an upstanding lawyer, jurist, and downright righteous man in the future 46th state. Pendleton and Addie remained married until her death in 1906 at age 35.
Upon the event of her demise, an Oklahoma newspaper praised her as “a lady of attainment and great personal beauty.”
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ARLINGTON’S NEW NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM
Elevated high off the ground, this deeply symbolic structure holds inspiring stories of valor and self-sacrifice
By Shilo Urban
THEY ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE: part-time mail carriers, Eagle Scouts, and immigrants. They worked at insurance companies and nursing homes, gas stations, and department stores. Some played basketball in high school. Others grew up in foster care. One was a former “problem child” who was so disruptive in class that his parents moved him to multiple schools. They are career military men and draftees, migrant workers and graduates of Harvard Law. They are fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons.
They are Medal of Honor recipients — and their extraordinary acts of courage are celebrated at the new National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington. Located in the heart of the entertainment district by AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, the $270 million museum will open on March 25, 2025, National Medal of Honor Day. The museum complex perches on five waterfront acres at Mark Holtz Lake and features 31,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, the building is nothing short of spectacular. The main exhibition hall seems to hover several stories above the ground, supported by five massive columns that represent the five branches of the United States Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard). The distinct design evokes the heavy burden that service members bear, as well as the uplifting stories inside. Two floating staircases and glass elevators link the sunken courtyard below with the upper exhibition hall, whose metal-clad exterior recalls the strength of steel as it emerges from the blazing fire of a forge.
(and one woman) who bear an award born when America itself was in the midst of a fiery forge: the Civil War.
Established in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln, the Medal of Honor is our military’s highest award for acts of valor. It’s presented to those who risk their lives above and beyond the call of duty to defend America and our cherished ideals. Stringent requirements must be met for a service member to earn the medal, the only American military decoration worn around the neck.
Army Air Corps
Major Horace Carswell – World War II
While piloting his B-24 bomber over the South China Sea, Horace Carswell landed multiple direct hits on a Japanese convoy, which returned fire and crippled his aircraft. With two engines destroyed and a third damaged, hydraulic systems shot, gasoline tank punctured, and his copilot wounded — Carswell still managed to reach friendly territory over China, where the crew could parachute to safety. But one man’s parachute had been riddled by enemy fire and rendered nonfunctional. Instead of bailing out with the rest of the crew, Carswell stayed in the cockpit to try to land his staggering plane and give his fellow soldier every possible chance of surviving. Both men died when the aircraft crashed on landing.
Recipients must distinguish themselves with outstanding acts of bravery that occur in one of three situations: while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces that are engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force. Thorough documentation must be submitted within three years of the act of valor, including two sworn eyewitness statements and detailed reports on the battlefield, the setting, and the act itself. Recommendations are approved by the President, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces, who bestows the award in the name of Congress (which is why it’s sometimes called the Congressional Medal of Honor).
“It’s unbelievably majestic,” says Chris Cassidy, president and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Foundation. “I think it will become an iconic building in our country, not just because it’s the Medal of Honor, but because it’s a really, really unique building. We’ve already had architecture tours sign up.” A former Navy SEAL and Chief Astronaut at NASA, Cassidy spacewalked on multiple space shuttle flights and earned two Bronze Stars for combat leadership in Afghanistan. He’s well suited for his new mission: preserving and sharing the legacy of Medal of Honor recipients. “It’s not just a museum for the military buff in your family,” he says. “This is not just an attraction for dad, who drags along his spouse and their begrudging kids. We have tried to make it interesting for all people because we’re telling stories of courage.” The building’s impressive architecture is simply a prelude to the riveting narratives of the people inside, ordinary men
Horace Carswell was a North Side High School graduate, a TCU football player, and a father who worked for an insurance company. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Fort Worth.
“There’s no other honor that has that same weight to it, so that’s why I think it’s important for Americans to know what the medal means,” says Cassidy. Recipients are a select few. Out of 40 million Americans who have served in the military since 1861, only 3,528 (less than .01%) have received the Medal of Honor. Almost half were presented during the Civil War when it was the only medal that existed; today there are many more. But the Medal of Honor stands above them all as the ultimate award for heroism. Recipients are never called winners, for the medal is earned, not won. It often weighs heavy on the necks of those who wear it, a symbol of the sacrifices they have made — and the sacrifices of all who have served, many of whom never came home.
THE ROAD TO ARLINGTON Now, 164 years after the Medal of Honor’s inception, we finally have a national museum that pays tribute to those who earned it … but it took a long journey to get here. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the fraternal organization of medal holders, has been headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, for decades. It was usually just presumed that any new National Medal of Honor Museum would be built there. But the land on offer was marshy and required a hefty investment simply to render it viable. Was there a better location?
By the Numbers: Medal of Honor Recipients
3,545 Medals of Honor awarded (this accounts for less than .01% of Americans who have served in war since 1861)
3,526 Recipients
19 Double recipients
61 Living recipients
685 Fallen in service recipients
35 Related recipients
75 Texas recipients
764 Foreign-born recipients
1 Female recipient (Civil War surgeon Mary Walker)
13 Age of youngest recipient (Civil War Army drummer William Johnson)
62 Age of oldest recipient (World War II General Douglas MacArthur)
Thoughts naturally turned to the nation’s capital for the national museum. “But it’s quite an endeavor to build a museum in Washington,” says Cassidy. “There’s not a ton of real estate, and it’s controlled by Congress. It’s a whole process to get authorized.” For example, the National African American Museum that opened in 2016 required 25 years from its conception to reality. But Medal of Honor recipients couldn’t wait that long. “They’re not getting any younger, and we wanted as many of them to be a part of it as possible. If we waited 25 years, or even 20 years, all the Vietnam guys would be gone.”
So the National Medal of Honor Foundation requested museum site proposals in 2018, and 20 cities submitted bids. It all came down to a contest between Denver and Arlington, and Arlington came out ahead. “The city of Arlington was super excited and effectively gave us the plot of land where we are now. And it’s just so patriotic here in the DFW metroplex that it was a no-brainer.” Arlington is in the center of the country with a major airport nearby, and millions of people already travel to the city every year for sports games and concerts. “It’s a great location, and, boy, was it ever a good decision. The city is so proactive at helping and accommodating to make the process go smoothly.”
Construction began in March 2022. Despite a few COVID-based snags with the international supply chain, construction proceeded apace on the museum, which is entirely funded by private donations. Major donors like Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Ken Griffin, John and Cami Goff, Alan and Bonnie Petsche, BNSF Railway, Lockheed Martin, and the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation helped the museum to achieve its $270 million fundraising goal.
shoots out the top of the museum at night to represent the sixth branch, the Space Force, which has no Medal of Honor recipients yet). Natural light fills the space from a circular skylight cut through the exhibition hall above. The gold Ring of Valor encircles you, inscribed with the names of all 3,526 Medal of Honor recipients.
Army Corporal
Charles Pendleton and his company had been tasked to protect a strategically vital hill. When a nearby unit was assaulted by a much larger hostile force, Pendleton and his comrades sprang into action. Pendleton emptied his machine gun and threw grenades into the attackers, killing about 15 of them. Unable to protect his group’s flank from the confines of the trench they shared, he removed his gun from its tripod and positioned himself on exposed ground and started firing. When an enemy soldier jumped into the trench, Pendleton took him out. A grenade landed nearby, and Pendleton quickly threw it back. Further grenade attacks destroyed his machine gun and wounded his chest and shoulder, but the 21-year-old refused medical care. Instead, he grabbed a rifle and continued to defend his company until he was hit by a mortar blast and killed.
This ground floor is free to access and houses the museum shop, café, education center, and event spaces. It’s also the headquarters of the Griffin Institute, a leadership organization whose programs feature Medal of Honor recipients as part of the courses. “They’re in the classroom with you,” says Cassidy. Three centers cater to adult professionals, military-focused college students, and K-12 schoolchildren. Youth initiatives address the nation’s character gap by developing integrity, courage, commitment, sacrifice, citizenship, and patriotism — values shared by all who wear the uniform, whose strength and protection we depend on yet far too often take for granted. Thirteen school districts have already signed up for field trips. “We don’t want there to be any barriers to entry for schools,” says Cassidy. “We’re aiming for, and on target for, all those programs to be free.”
Charles Pendleton graduated from R.L. Paschal High School, studied at the University of North Texas in Denton, and worked as a part-time mail carrier and at Montgomery Ward department store. He is buried in Laurel Land Memorial Cemetery in Fort Worth
“It doesn’t mean we take our foot off the gas pedal,” Cassidy says. “Ticket sales will go a long way, but they don’t fund the whole thing.” Hosting special events is another significant part of the museum’s business model. It has multiple state-of-the-art venues of varying sizes including a lecture space, an outdoor amphitheater, and a Great Hall with the capacity to seat and feed 400 people. More than 75 events are already scheduled for 2025, from corporate board meetings to birthday parties, to take advantage of the museum’s monumental setting.
A WALK THROUGH THE MUSEUM Feelings of reverence arise as you enter down a sloping ramp into a sunken glass atrium called the Rotunda of Honor. The five columns for the five branches of service ascend from the floor (a light cannon
To reach the main exhibit hall on the upper level, you’ll travel up one of the glass elevators or curved, floating staircases. But don’t expect to see a chronological account of America’s military endeavors. Many other museums do a fine job of walking you through our battles and wars — but this is something different. “This is not a military history museum,” explains Cassidy. “It’s a museum of stories about people who did something extraordinary when there was a need for it. We really want to highlight those individual people.” The museum includes all 3,526 Medal of Honor recipients in some way, focuses on 70 of them, and offers a deeper dive into 20 of their stories.
You’ll start by watching a six-minute video in an immersive 360-degree theater. “It’s a really moving video in recipients’ own voices,” Cassidy says. “You’ll have video and sound all around you.” After exiting the theater, you’ll discover more than a dozen circular display “islands” scattered through the square-shaped exhibition hall. They tell the narratives of recipients’ lives in robust detail through audiovisuals and interactive displays like scrolling touchscreens. Personal artifacts evoke each individual’s journey with touching insight, from footballs to movie posters. “Some artifacts pertain to military service, but many don’t. The focal point is not the medal itself; it’s about the items that tell that person’s story.”
Charles Pendleton – Korean War
You can also have virtual conversations with five Medal of Honor recipients through a cutting-edge, interactive video display powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Each person spent several days answering hundreds of questions on video while wearing the same clothes and sitting in the same chair. The AI software analyzes the recorded answers and integrates the data to create a life-size video image of the recipient that you can interact with. “They can have a conversation with you,” says Cassidy. “In fact, the more questions you ask it, the smarter the AI gets. What’s your favorite ice cream? How many kids do you have? Tell me about the day you got the medal.”
Coming face-to-face with a medal recipient, even a virtual one, is a powerful way to connect with these real-life heroes. “We wish we could record all 61 of the living recipients. In addition to being an interactive conversation, it’s a way for us at the museum to capture their story and their content so we have it forever, before they are no longer with us.”
Visitors can explore the museum’s collection further with the free Smartify app, accessible through your mobile phone and its camera. Smartify uses
augmented reality and image recognition technology to identify a scanned object and instantly provide additional details, such as its historical context or related artifacts. You can save interesting information on the app to read later at your leisure, and you can even generate a customized audio tour of the museum based on your interests and time available (Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum also uses the Smartify app).
The National Medal of Honor Museum officially opens on Tuesday, March 25, and will host a Grand Opening celebration the previous Saturday, March 22. Taking place on the museum’s grassy lakefront grounds, the festivities will begin a few hours before sunset with food trucks, national singing talent, and military musicians. Fireworks will mark the momentous occasion, and 1,500 drones will take to the sky for a synchronized, illuminated performance. The free, family-friendly event will also include plenty of kids’ activities, and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to better enjoy the show.
For children — and all of us — a trip to the National Medal of Honor Museum provides a vital counterbalance to the values promoted daily in the digital realm: self-centeredness and superficiality, sensationalism and outrage, the filtered and the fake. At the museum, the heroes are real, which makes them far better than any Marvel fantasy. These men had no magic hammers, no shapeshifting skills, no turbo-charged strength. But they had one another — and they each had the ability inside of them to live with courage, as do we all.
Most of us will never encounter the harrowing situations that these medal recipients faced, but bravery isn’t just for the battlefield, says Cassidy. “Every single one of us needs courage to have a hard conversation at home or at work, or to deal with a traumatic health condition that you or your loved one is going through. It takes courage to decide if you should move across the country or quit your job and take a different job. Courage comes in all different ways and sizes and shapes.”
Army Specialist Fourth Class Robert Law – Vietnam War
Deep in the jungle on a reconnaissance mission, young Robert Law and five comrades came upon an enemy patrol, setting off an intense firefight. Law took up an exposed position and launched a severe counterattack. His unit was running low on ammunition and suffering from a gas attack, but Law rallied his comrades with his spirited resistance. When a live grenade landed in the middle of the group, instead of diving to the safety of a stream beside him, Law threw himself on the explosive and sacrificed his life to save his brothers in arms.
By connecting us with the remarkable acts and profound humanity of those who serve, the National Medal of Honor Museum calls forth the hero within every one of us. Even amid life’s most difficult challenges, we can choose to act with courage and integrity — and to honor these ordinary people whose extraordinary sacrifices allow us to live free in the home of the brave.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is located at 1717 E. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, TX, 76011 and shares a parking lot with the Arlington Museum of Art and the Sheraton Hotel. Tickets and additional information are available at mohmuseum.org.
Robert Law was 24 years old, a graduate of Tech High School (now Trimble Tech High School), and an active member of Southcliff Baptist Church. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Fort Worth.
Is Fort Worth HEALTHY?
Fort Worth gets an annual physical courtesy of our editorial staff.
How does one measure the health of a city?
BY BRIAN KENDALL
And we’re not talking economic health. This is not an attempt to gauge the city’s public safety record or school district woes — though all of the above certainly factor into what we’re doing. No, we want to know the literal physical and mental well-being of those who call Fort Worth home.
others the responsibility of the Fort Worthian — we elected to narrow our focus to six aspects: life expectancy, obesity, cancer, mental health, and access.
While there is a lot that factors into answering such a query — some the responsibility of Fort Worth,
As a subject matter expert, we spoke to Dr. Brian Byrd, a family practice physician and former Fort Worth council member who currently serves as the Tarrant County Public Health Director. His incredible insights are all at once academic and common-sense straight talk. A classic Fort Worthian.
Life Expectancy
Where We Stand
By our account, it first happened in 2019: a report that 76104, the Fort Worth ZIP code that encompasses a large swath of the city’s southside, including, ironically enough, the medical district, had the lowest life expectancy in the state of Texas. Five years later, a similar headline started making the rounds — “76104 Has Lowest Life Expectancy in State.”
According to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center, the life expectancy of a person living in 76104 is 67 years, over 10 years less than the national average. However, Tarrant County’s overall life expectancy clocks in at 78.7, above both the national and Texas average. If one were to simply look at Tarrant County as a whole, he or she would presume it’s a reasonably healthy place to live with a good-to-average life expectancy — though falling significantly behind Austin’s Travis County at 82 years. Thus, the city contains pockets of lower life expectancy that bring the average down. While this points to large ZIP code discrepancies, this is nothing unique to Fort Worth.
By the Numbers
78.7 Average life expectancy in Tarrant County (6th among the 7 most populous counties in Texas)
77.4 Average life expectancy in U.S.
78.6 Average life expectancy in Texas
67 Average life expectancy in 76104 76002 (87.2 years) ZIP code with highest life expectancy in Fort Worth
How to Improve
• Improve economic circumstances — the upcoming Evans & Rosedale Redevelopment Project, an upcoming mixed-use urban village in the area, is a good start
• Increase healthy food access with grocers and community gardens
• Improve communication to earn medical trust
• The Roseto effect: Improve community togetherness, which leads to a healthier, longer life
Why?
There are many factors that contribute to low life expectancy, both cultural and economic. Affluent ZIP codes will typically have higher life expectancies, and, conversely, ZIP codes with high disadvantaged populations will have lower life expectancies.
According to Dr. Brian Byrd, 76104 is on the edge of being a food desert, meaning the area offers few grocers, which leads to “unhealthy food being bought at Dollar Stores.” Such unhealthy eating habits, which are simply the result of access and environment, can have a major effect on a community’s overall health.
With the medical district and, specifically, JPS and Mercy Clinic residing in 76104, access to medical care doesn’t appear to be a problem. And with government programs to assist in medical payments and Trinity Metro now offering On-Demand rideshares in the area, the obstacles to seek preventative care should be low. But, according to Byrd, there’s another issue at play.
“When I talk to leaders in the Black community, they’ll say, ‘Man, the distrust of the medical system is really high,’ which is understandable given what’s happened to African Americans in our country with the syphilis studies [the notorious 40-year CDC study on the effects of syphilis on Black men despite the disease being entirely treatable].”
And, according to Byrd, such distrust can get passed down from generation to generation.
“I don’t care where you live in Tarrant County,” Byrd says. “I don’t care what your ZIP code is. The formula for a healthy life is the same.”
Obesity
Where We Stand
According to the Global Obesity Observatory (yes, that is a real thing), the United States has the highest obesity rate of all developed Western nations, which stands at 40.3%. While Tarrant County can celebrate being below this national average — we clock in at 37.7%, according to Data Commons — over two-thirds of county residents are either overweight or obese. And the county’s obesity rate remains over 3% higher than the Texas average.
So, how does Tarrant County stack up to other high-density population counties in Texas? Not great. According to Data Commons, Tarrant County has the highest percentage of people with obesity among the five most populous counties — Travis (Austin) 29.4%, Harris (Houston) 35.2%, Dallas 34.8%, and Bexar (San Antonio) 37.3%. We mistakenly thought everything was bigger in Texas, not just Fort Worth.
Of course, the reasons for a community to combat obesity go well beyond waistlines and aesthetics, as this complex disease can lead to a myriad of health issues, including diabetes and heart disease, which remains the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S.
Why?
Let’s face it, Fort Worth likes to eat. And, when Fort Worth eats, it likes to chow down on burgers, barbecue, and Tex-Mex — the holy trinity of high-calorie cuisine. So, yes, food and unhealthy eating habits are an obvious source for weight gain, especially when a city called Cowtown prides itself on its ability to smoke a mean brisket.
Of course, one can have the occasional burger outing, as long as it’s part of an overall balanced diet. But Fort Worth isn’t even doing that well. According to Tarrant County for Wellness, only one in six county residents eat fruits and vegetables five or more times a day, the recommended servings from the American Heart Association.
But the remedy for obesity is both diet and exercise.
According to U.S. News & World Report’s Healthiest Communities, 23.5% of Tarrant County residents have no leisure time or do physical activity. This is below both national and state averages. And the city doesn’t do much to curb this problem, as green spaces and recreational areas remain sparse.
Compared to Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, all of which have over 2,900 square feet of green space per capita, Fort Worth sits at a mere 600 square feet of green space per capita. Add to this the city’s lack of walkable neighborhoods, and the couch-sitting epidemic becomes more understandable.
By the Numbers
37.7% Obesity prevalence in Tarrant County (highest among five most populous counties in Texas)
40.3% Obesity prevalence in the United States 34.7% Obesity prevalence in Texas
23.5% Tarrant County residents with no leisure time
1 in 6 Tarrant County residents that eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day
600 Square feet of green space per capita in Fort Worth (lowest among five most populous cities in Texas)
How to Improve
• Increase healthy food options, including vegetarian and vegan options
• Placemaking for more walkable communities
• Preserve green spaces and create parks and recreational areas
Healthy Dining Options: Righteous Foods, Boulevard of Greens, Local Foods Kitchen, Maiden, Vida Café, Flower Child, Magnolia Nutrition of Fort Worth
Where We Stand
Becoming one of the most triggering words in the English language, cancer remains the leading cause of death worldwide and second — to heart disease — in the U.S. In Tarrant County, cancer prevalence, which measures the number of people 18 and older who have ever been diagnosed with cancer, sits at 5.8%. The U.S. average is 6.2%, while the Texas average is 5.7%. And, among similar Texas counties, Tarrant bests only Travis County, which sits at 5.9% cancer prevalence.
And when looking at cancer death rates (number of deaths per 100,000 people per year), Tarrant County doesn’t measure particularly well against others. According to the latest five-year average from statistics compiled by the National Cancer Institute, Tarrant County’s cancer death rate is 148.4 per 100,000. This number is higher than the national average (146), Texas average (143.5), and the other counties in Texas with comparable populations: Travis (123.1), Harris (135.6), Bexar (142), and Dallas (140). If you’re doing the math, this also means that Tarrant County’s overall cancer outcomes — deaths per diagnosis — are worse than the other counties. Travis County, despite having the higher cancer prevalence, is far and away leading the pack in cancer outcomes.
That said, the above statistic marks an improvement in cancer death rates within Tarrant County by 1.5 per 100,000. While this is in line with national and statewide trends, including our fellow densely populated Texas towns, the improvement is notable.
Why?
Healthy lifestyles usually lead to healthy outcomes. So, if Fort Worth is lagging behind other counties in obesity rates, which it is, then cancer outcomes are likely to follow this trend. This would explain why Travis County, which boasts the best obesity rate among large Texas cities, also boasts more positive cancer outcomes despite having a higher rate of cancer prevalence.
A lack of early detection thanks to prevailing medical mistrust is another factor that contributes to poor outcomes.
Additionally, while Fort Worth has an incredible network of hospitals and the Moncrief Cancer Institute, a nonprofit that will assist in early detection for those who are disadvantaged, Fort Worth isn’t a medical hub in the same vein as Houston, Dallas, or Austin, where cutting-edge treatments become more of an option for locals. While the vast majority of cancer medications and therapies are administered in Fort Worth medical centers, the city’s lack of a clinic affiliated with a prominent medical school (a la UT Southwestern) means Fort Worthians have to travel for such treatments.
By the Numbers
5.8% Cancer prevalence in Tarrant County (fourth among five most populous cities in Texas)
6.3% Cancer prevalence in the United States
5.7% Cancer prevalence in Texas
148.4 Cancer death rate in Tarrant County per 100,000 (highest among most populous counties in Texas)
How to Improve
• Promotion of a healthier lifestyle and cancer screenings, perhaps even expand the mission of Moncrief Cancer Institute
• Incentivize cancer research in the city
• Improve overall environment and lower pollutants that increase exposure to carcinogens
Why?
In 2024, the federal government designated 246 of the state’s 254 counties as “mental health professional shortage areas.” This, of course, includes Tarrant County. According to the 2025 Community Health Assessment, Tarrant County had a population of 560 per one mental health provider. While this is a major uptick from where Tarrant County was in 2016 (population of 1,090 per one mental health provider), it’s still well below the current national average of one mental health provider per 320 residents.
The area also doesn’t have an inpatient psychiatric hospital. “We’re the largest county that doesn’t have a dedicated inpatient psychiatric hospital,” Brian Byrd says. “And there’s a push for that in the state legislature, which I
Mental Health
Where We Stand
There’s little choice but to present this with bluntness: When it comes to addressing mental health, Fort Worth is failing. This is not a controversial statement; it’s one acknowledged and admitted by all. Granted, Fort Worth is not alone. Mental health services have long been a state-wide issue, with Texas continually ranking toward the bottom in mental health services.
And this at a time when mental health of Tarrant County is far from being in good shape.
According to Tarrant County Public Health, 21% of Tarrant County adults reported their mental health being not good for five or more days during the previous 30 days, and 10% report having frequent mental distress. And, in 2024, the county experienced 13.7 suicides per 100,000 residents. While this compares favorably to the national rate of 14.2 and the Texas rate of 14.4, Tarrant has the highest suicide rate among the five most populous counties in Texas. And, according to the same data, suicide remains the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24.
think will help.
“But they also don’t address some of the underlying problems,” Byrd continues. “I do think that we’ve seen mental health problems and psychiatric illnesses being traced back to smartphones and social media use.”
The National Institutes of Health performed a study in 2023 that showed a correlation between depression and smartphone use. According to the study, depression scores among participants increased with elevated smartphone use. In 2023, Gallup News reported a new high of 29% of adults had been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime. Meanwhile, eMarketer has annually reported a steady uptick in daily smartphone usage in the U.S. It’s doubtful this is a coincidence.
Mental health is also linked to alcohol and drug abuse. According to a 2022 Tarrant County Public Health brief, 5.6% of Tarrant County residents said they partake in heavy alcohol use (more than two drinks per day), with 17.1% saying they take part in binge drinking (consuming more than four drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days).
By the Numbers
21% Tarrant County adults who report mental health being not good for five or more days during the previous 30 days
10% Tarrant County adults who report having frequent mental distress
13.7 Suicide rate in Tarrant County per 100,000 (highest rate among the five most populous counties in Texas)
560 Population per one mental health provider in Tarrant County (U.S. average: 320)
How to Improve
• Incentivize mental health providers to come to Tarrant County
• Open dedicated inpatient psychiatric hospital
• “I recommended that parents not give their kids smartphones until they’re at least 14,” Byrd says. “And no social media until they’re 16.”
Vaccines
Where We Stand
When Pfizer and Moderna unleashed their pair of COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020, with clinical trials showing they were safe and effective, most rushed to get a shot in their arms. Tarrant County, on the other hand, did not. When the vaccines became available, only 57% of Tarrant County residents elected to get vaccinated (and only 22% with a booster). This despite serious side effects being extremely rare (fewer than .01%) and the Commonwealth Fund estimating the vaccines likely saved 3.2 million lives. Tarrant County was the most populous county to achieve a less than 60% mark.
And this anti-vaccination trend has spread to most pediatric immunizations, including MMA, which largely irradicated measles, mumps, and rubella. Over the last five years, the rate of students who’ve received MMA in Fort Worth ISD fell from 95% in 2019 to 84% in 2024, the lowest among the five most populous cities. And, with a measles outbreak in nearby West Texas, this statistic has plenty of parents nervous.
Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy located on Oakhurst Scenic Drive, boasts that only 14.29% of their kindergartners were vaccinated for the 2023-24 school year — the most unvaccinated in Texas. And when we say they boast, we do mean they boast this statistic.
On March 7, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Republican state Rep. Nate Schatzline of Fort Worth’s District 93 celebrated this distinction by suggesting the school receive a “medical freedom award.”
Why?
Medical mistrust plays a significant role in why Fort Worth remains one of the most populous unvaccinated cities. Despite a mountain of evidence proving the safety and efficacy of vaccines, many simply do not trust the very medications that have eradicated so many deadly and harmful diseases.
“I highly, highly recommend the set of childhood vaccines that we’ve all been getting” Brian Byrd says. “They’re unbelievably safe and unbelievably effective. In fact, they’re a lot more safe than a lot of the antibiotics we pass around like candy, like amoxicillin vaccines. They’re a lot safer than amoxicillin.”
All 50 states require vaccines for entry into kindergarten.
However, many states also allow for medical and, in some cases, philosophical or religious exemptions that keep many children from being vaccinated. Texas is one such state that grants exemptions based on philosophical or religious reasons.
Concerning cost, CDC’s Vaccines for Children program provides vaccines at no cost, so one’s financial standing shouldn’t be an obstacle. Thus, to put it simply, the only thing keeping Fort Worthians or Fort Worth parents from getting themselves or their children vaccinated is purely a personal decision.
By the Numbers
84% MMA vaccine rate in Tarrant County
90.8% MMA vaccine rate in the United States
89.9% MMA vaccine rate in Texas
57% of Tarrant County residents elected to get COVID-19 vaccine
14.29% Percent of kindergartners at Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy vaccinated
How to Improve
• Combat misinformation concerning safety of efficacy of vaccines
• Increase community-led conversations around vaccines
• Partner with community organizations in areas of Fort Worth where vaccine rates are low to educate residents
Access
Where We Stand
The county hospital, which is JPS Health Network, has long remained one of the highest-rated hospitals in the country, even pulling in a first-place rating for teaching hospitals in a 2020 Washington Monthly article.
Hospital bed availability, which is a good measurement of whether a city has enough medical facilities, is higher in Tarrant County (3.6 hospital beds per 1,000 residents) than both the state (3.1) and national (2.7) averages. Among Texas’ five largest counties, this ranks third.
If one seeks medical care, there’s little doubt Fort Worth has it in spades. That said, there are barriers to access many Fort Worthians feel. According to U.S. News & World Report, 19.9% of Tarrant County residents do not have health insurance, which is 8.4% higher than the national average but does best the state average by a mere 0.4%. (Texas is the state with the highest uninsured rate in the nation.) This also ranks third among the five most populous cities in the state. According to the Texas Medical Association, “those who are uninsured are up to four times less likely to have a regular source of health care and are more likely to die from health-related problems. They are much less likely to receive needed medical care, even for symptoms that can have serious health consequences.”
Conclusion
At the end of my interview with Dr. Brian Byrd, I posed the very question this article is asking. “So, is Fort Worth healthy?” He paused, and I quickly reworded my query. “How would you grade Fort Worth? How are we doing in terms of health?”
“Yeah, the first question is the wrong question,” Byrd says. “I think we’re doing about average. We’re doing OK, but we
can always do better. And, as you know, there’s a lot to this. You can’t just say barbecue’s bad for you. I mean, it’s not good for you physically, but it is good for you emotionally. And it brings people together. And anything that brings human beings together, that’s a big promoter of health.”
Now how can you argue with that?
Why?
Many factors contribute to a resident being uninsured, including financial and political. When Texas chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which would have covered low-income adults deemed too poor for ACA subsidies but not eligible for Medicaid these people were caught in an in-between. According to Texas Impact, this lack of expansion is leaving 1.5 million Texans uninsured. Many of whom would undoubtedly be residing in Fort Worth.
Also, Fort Worth has a high percentage of small businesses, many of which are unlikely to provide health insurance due to cost. And, even when offered, the high premiums and deductibles can force employees to pass.
One must also remember that Fort Worth is, indeed, an urban area, where medical costs, and thus health insurance premiums, will be higher.
By the Numbers
3.6 Hospital beds in Tarrant County per 1,000 residents
19.9 Percent of uninsured in Tarrant County
11.5 Percent of uninsured in the United States
How to Improve
• If Texas really wants more residents insured, the expansion of Medicaid would be the ticket, but this is unlikely to happen
• Strengthen employer-based coverage with tax incentives
• Advocate for the state to set up a state-run marketplace instead of relying on the federal ACA marketplace
Delivering Jameela
The Fort Worth Zoo determined the best chance to save the lives of Sekani and her unborn infant was to perform a cesarean section, the first in the zoo’s history. This is the story of a local doctor, a historic procedure, and one heck of a resilient gorilla.
By John Henry
Fort Worth Zoo officials had spent weeks keeping the secret of this whopper of a big reveal, which when disclosed would be a groundbreaking moment for the zoo and the broader wildlife conservation community worldwide. The news would create headlines across the globe. But every precaution was taken to ensure secrecy, which was essential in the first several weeks of this new animal life, her unique arrival to her ecosystem on planet Earth, and for the recovery of her mother, who had wounds that required careful attention. Their well-being was the top priority, and with each passing day, confidence grew that a positive outcome would be achieved.
The secrecy caused, if only for a brief moment, some conflict in the home of Dr. Jamie Erwin, 44, an OB-GYN whose practice is headquartered in the offices of ViVi Women’s Health in Fort Worth. But the cat was let out of the bag on Feb. 14, a year ago — Valentine’s Day. The moment had lifted the veil on what had been going on in the clinic of the Fort Worth Zoo. Six weeks earlier, 33-year-old Sekani had delivered a premature western lowland gorilla by cesarean section, the first such procedure — conducted by a multidisciplinary team of veterinarians and physicians — in the 116 years of the Fort Worth Zoo.
The pregnancy, Sekani’s fourth, had been routine with an expected delivery of the middle of February. However, right
after the first of the year, zookeepers took notice of Sekani showing signs of discomfort, which only increased to the point of trembling, according to a zoo veterinarian, Dr. Sarah Cannizzo. The condition, Cannizzo and zoo staff feared, was preeclampsia, a serious condition involving high blood pressure during pregnancy that can occur in humans and primates.
One can’t merely ask a gorilla about her symptoms. Is it simply a headache? Maybe allergies? But the lip shaking was a giveaway that something more menacing was at play.
Subsequent testing supported the preeclampsia suspicions, and veterinarians determined that intervention was necessary to save the life of the mother
and give her baby the best chance for survival.
But that wasn’t all. To do this required more expertise than the zoo was able to provide. Cannizzo and staff called in a team of human doctors, led by Erwin, a board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology, to take the lead in the premature delivery.
Erwin has been the zoo’s consultant on primate OB-GYN matters since 2015. She took over the role from Dr. David Holmes, who was retiring. The zoo also had a cardiologist consultant. Erwin didn’t know anything about gorillas or any other nonhuman primates, but primates are humans’ closest living relatives in the animal kingdom with many biological similarities.
The job of consultant generally entailed taking a call or email from time to time. For example, she gave counsel on the course of action for a gorilla with an ovarian cyst.
This, however, was something altogether different.
“We told my daughter, but we didn’t trust Henry to not go to school and tell all his friends,” says Erwin, joking about her son, while acknowledging the limitations inherent in 8-year-olds keeping safe highly classified intel.
On the day of the news conference, Henry was both mesmerized by the news and a little miffed that he had been kept in the dark, says Erwin, who since 2023 has served as medical director at Baylor Scott & White Andrews Women’s Hospital.
“Henry is like, ‘Why are we going to the zoo?’” Erwin recalls with a smile. His father told him it was because Mom had delivered a baby gorilla. “Henry was like, ‘What!?’ He was so mad we didn’t tell him.”
There were complications with the mother bonding with the baby, zoo officials said, but, otherwise, Fort Worth’s precious little miracle infant was doing well with keepers providing aroundthe-clock care.
The entire operation was top-secret stuff. Erwin put together a team of human doctor teammates in a matter of hours under the cover of figurative darkness.
In addition to Erwin, Dr. Robert Ursprung and Dr. Chad Barber, both board certified in neonatal-perinatal medicine, were also on this team, as were Dennis Occkiogrosso, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and Andrew Coats, a licensed surgical assistant.
It was a dream assignment for them, this pro bono mission each willingly volunteered to take part in.
“I never dreamed I would be doing this,” Erwin says. “Never. For an OB-GYN, this is bucket list. I never imagined this.”
Each of the participants gathered in a room before the news conference — zoo staff and veterinarians, and Erwin’s human doctor team. Before they went out front to tell the story and take questions from media members, Erwin had a question that was met with some awkwardness: What is the name of the new baby?
They all deferred, telling her that they planned to announce the name at the news conference. It was a surprise.
More secrets.
“We’re naming her Jameela — J-A-ME-E-L-A,” said Linda Roberts, the zoo’s primate supervisor. “In Swahili it means ‘beautiful.’ And we think this baby is beautiful, but also Jameela is kind of like Jamie.
“We’re naming the baby Jameela for Jamie because of her assistance and her immediate response to our needs.”
Like her son, Erwin met the revelation of this secret with emotion.
She wiped a tear from her eye.
As it turned out, the real hero in the story of baby Jameela is Fredrika — Freddy — at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
The story is well-documented. Sekani failed to bond with her baby. Theories abound about why that happened. Zoo officials initially believed Sekani’s reaction was a result of her not experiencing the normal hormonal fluctuations that occur during a natural and full-term
birth. Still others believe it was because of the required separation of mother and baby because of the medical care they each demanded.
The zoo tried two surrogates for Jameela, but neither succeeded. Freddy, 50, is the oldest gorilla in the troop in Cleveland and had previously raised four infants. Freddy is also raising another as a surrogate, Kayembe, the first baby gorilla in Cleveland Metroparks’ history. Kayembe, meaning “extraordinary,” was born premature, too. When his mother failed to show a maternal bond, Freddy stepped in.
So, with that experience, only four years ago now, Fort Worth Zoo officials bet on Freddy, who willingly adopted Jameela as her own.
“To me, she is a hero, right?” said Erwin.
Officially, Jameela is “on loan” to Cleveland. So, there’s a possibility she will be returned to her home city one day, but “that would be years from now,” says Cannizzo, the Fort Worth Zoo veterinarian. Elmo, Jameela’s father, would either have to have crossed over to his eternal destination in the afterlife or be retired as the silverback.
Erwin’s role in Jameela’s story is all the more impactful perhaps because Fort Worth is Erwin’s home city. Like a lot of us, she grew up at the zoo. It almost certainly fed her curiosity about science and medicine as a career.
Erwin spent her first five years in and around Austin, born to Lindy and Margaret Walker. She started first grade at J.T. Stevens Elementary in southwest Fort Worth after moving with her family when Lindy was hired to help build Comanche Peak in Glen Rose.
She calls junior high school at William James Magnet School on the East Side a formative experience that put her on the path to a career in medicine.
“I absolutely loved it. It was so good,” she says. “And with my track and sports, competing with local kids, too, it just taught me so many life lessons. I loved it.”
Academics were advanced there — she was taking marine biology in one course — and she also began creating an
The team preps Sekani for Dr. Jamie Erwin
identity as a track athlete.
In 1999 as a senior at Paschal, Erwin was awarded the prestigious Davey O’Brien High School Scholarship Award of $25,000. The award is based on academic standing, citizenship, and athletic accomplishment. Erwin was a nationally ranked heptathlete being recruited by several NCAA Division I schools.
The interviews of the finalists were a preview of the busy life she would one day juggle. She was in Washington, D.C., the same week as the interviews with her advanced placement government class. She left the Pentagon on a Tuesday afternoon to fly home to Fort Worth for the interview on Wednesday morning. She was back in Washington by Wednesday afternoon.
Today, Erwin serves on the Davey O’Brien Board of Trustees and High School Scholarship Committee, where she shares with the world what the Davey O’Brien Foundation has meant to her. She has been the MC of the luncheon the O’Brien Board hosts to announce the winner of the high school scholarship. “I grew up very middle class. I did not come from wealth. My parents were both just self-made, and they created a great life for us. Never went without, but we couldn’t afford private school,” she says. “William James and Paschal were amazing. It’s what I needed. So, with the Davey O’Brien money, I was able to save that because I got a full ride to Arkansas, and I was able to use Dave O’Brien to pay for medical school. What a gift!”
Erwin went to the University of Arkansas on a full academic scholarship, though she also became an NCAA Division I All-American and a silver medalist in the Southeastern Conference Track and Field Championships. In 2000, she won the USA Track & Field Junior National Champion (19 and under) and qualified for the 2000 USA Track & Field Junior World Championships in Santiago, Chile.
The night she accepted the O’Brien Award, Erwin addressed the gala at The Fort Worth Club. Luminaries in attendance included Troy Aikman, the 1988 Davey O’Brien Award winner, presented to the top college quarterback in the
nation, and Peyton Manning, the 1997 winner. That year’s winner was Michael Bishop of Kansas State.
“It was a little intimidating,” she told a reporter afterward, but “everybody was so welcoming. So many people had nice things to say about me. I came away feeling really encouraged about my potential.”
After earning a degree in biochemistry at Arkansas, Erwin moved to Dallas to attend medical school at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She served her residency at University of Alabama Birmingham Obstetrics and Gynecol-
ogy in Alabama. She completed that phase in 2012. Her research was titled: “Post-Radiation Surveillance of Cervical Cancer: The Effectiveness of Cervicovaginal Cytology After Primary Curative Therapy.”
She has also contributed to numerous publications and presentations on a variety of topics in gynecology, showcasing her expertise and commitment to advancing women’s health.
I didn’t dare ask her about that. She would have needed days to explain it to me. But I did ask her about what drives her to show up to work every day. It’s rewarding certainly.
Jameela at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with surrogate mom, Freddy
“I knew very quickly that I wanted to do procedures, be in the [operating room], or so something surgical likely,” she says of her decision to pursue OBGYN. “I like working with my hands. I didn’t want to be talking all day long. I really wanted to be hands-on.”
She could narrow her focus to women’s anatomy — be an expert on women — “but it still had variety.”
“And I liked that continuity, and that long-term relationship was important to me. That connection. That connection is really what motivates me and keeps me in this.”
Erwin tells a story about a patient inquiring about her favorite part of the job. Erwin says she has two different answers. And “favorite” is the wrong word. The right word is “impact,” the most impactful and rewarding moments. Early in her career, she would have said her most rewarding moments are the happy, joyful moments — delivering healthy, happy babies to happy families.
“And that is amazing, no doubt about it,” she says, “but [now] I would say the most rewarding and the most impactful part of being an OB-GYN is actually the opposite. It’s showing up on the worst day of a woman’s life — the patient who is having her third miscarriage and she can’t get pregnant; having to tell her that news that there’s no heartbeat; or the couple, we just did their anatomy sonogram and their baby has a lethal anomaly. Their baby’s not going to live. Or telling a woman she has cancer. Fill in the blank.
“Those interactions have the most opportunity. I mean, you could be a robot doctor and show no empathy, and that would be the easier thing to do. Just get through it, not connect. Here’s this medicine. We will do this surgery. Here’s the referral. Bye.
“But I see this as a privileged conversation, intimate. I’m the one. I have been chosen to give this news and to walk alongside this woman and her partner or her family, and it literally is the worst day of their life. But I get to be there and I get to do that, and I get to help her through that. And then sometimes, God willing, I get to see the comeback.”
It is more than medical training, communication skills, or emotional intelligence that Erwin relies on for that part of the job.
Where is it, if at all, I ask her, that faith and science and medicine coexist? The doubting Thomas scientist approaches the questions of life from a rational, empirical, scientific perspective rather than a theological or philosophical one.
Both, however, are equally important and necessary to understand the world around us, Erwin says.
“You can’t have one without the other,” Erwin says. “I think the more you learn of science, the more you can see of God … the closer you get to God. It’s a Venn diagram. They’re not mutually exclusive.
“I can’t do what I do without my faith. I can’t. The depth of hurting and pain and grief and suffering that I have witnessed women experience and have walked them through … I couldn’t do it without my faith. I couldn’t. I’d be burned out and I’d quit.”
Erwin has traveled the world providing medical missionary care, including in Ambato, Ecuador, and Bangalore, India, where she has contributed to improving health care access and outcomes for underserved communities.
Erwin grew up at Travis Avenue Baptist Church, at the corner of Hemphill and Berry in south Fort Worth. Across the street on Hemphill, where the old Berry Theater once entertained the neighborhood before television sets became a typical household amenity, is the Mercy Clinic. The Mercy Clinic serves impoverished — and uninsured — adults residing in 76104, 76110, and 76115 ZIP codes.
Erwin serves on the board there, as well as the Lifeline Pregnancy Center and the Human Coalition.
Servant leadership: It’s what Davey O’Brien would have done.
The zoo had witnessed two live births of western lowland gorillas — Gus and Bruno, both offspring of Elmo and Gracie — since Erwin took over for Dr. David Holmes as OBGYN consultant in 2015.
Western lowland gorillas are listed
as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of hunting and disease. Gorillas also have a low reproductive rate, so even if there was a drastic decline in hunting and disease, it could take decades for population recovery to occur in best-case scenarios.
Gus was born in 2022.
“I don’t even think they let me know she was pregnant with Bruno because she had no problems,” says Erwin. “She did great. No issues whatsoever. I was on standby around Gracie’s due date, but really it was after it was all said and done, they just texted me [with something like], ‘She did great. Everything’s fine.’”
Erwin was out of town for a holiday vacation in Colorado Springs when the zoo called the first of January. It might have been New Year’s Day, Erwin begins to think as we talk.
The first call from Cannizzo, the zoo vet, was just to put news of Sekani’s approaching due date in mid-February on Erwin’s calendar. Shortly after that call, however, an email followed from the zoo.
Can we talk?
Sekani at 31 weeks pregnant was showing signs of discomfort. In cases of preeclampsia in the third trimester, “we deliver those women early,” Erwin says, adding that generally they try to get women to 34 weeks of a 40-week gestation period. In gorillas, gestation is 36 weeks.
What can be done as far as testing, Erwin asks the zoo.
“Some gorillas are trained — they’ll come up and let you draw their blood,” Erwin says. “Others, not so much. So, that was not an option. Sekani is kind of ornery, honestly. She’s kind of a feisty one. And she’s pregnant, so, I’m sure that changes things.”
The data on gorilla C-section births is foggy. It has certainly happened, most recently at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston in 2020. How often and how successful are different stories because if there’s not a good outcome, we don’t hear about it, zoo officials say.
Zookeepers, though, were able to get
a urine sample. That showed high levels of protein, which is a characteristic of preeclampsia. The concern was that it was severe. That meant they needed to deliver.
All of this unfolded over three days in early January. Erwin was still in Colorado, but on this particular Wednesday, the zoo and Erwin decided they would do the surgery at noon Friday — two days later. From Colorado, Erwin began assembling her team.
“Dr. Cannizzo asked me if I could get some anesthesia help and a neonatologist to come help,” Erwin says. “I was able to call my colleagues, and that was a really fun conversation.”
Oh, and this is top secret.
“You can’t talk about it. You can’t tell anybody. This is under the radar. It was really exciting.”
Erwin marvels at how well Cannizzo had everything orchestrated on the day of the surgery. All the participants — vet team and staff, Erwin, the neonatologists, Occkiogrosso, nurse anesthetist, and Coats — huddled for a briefing to line out everyone’s role. Everybody had name tags.
“Everybody knew [what to do],” Erwin says. “It was a like a military operation. It was really cool.”
Once briefed, they all got into vans and were transported the back route to the primate enclosure. Zoo staff darted Sekani to tranquilize her, and she was transported to another space where Occkiogrosso intubated her to secure an airway.
“I think the anesthesia aspect of this whole thing was probably the most important as far as I’m concerned,” Erwin says. “But he really went above and beyond doing his homework and research because mine was the same [role]. I had zero preparation. I just did what I usually do [because the anatomy is the same]. But he looked into metabolism. He also pulled up case reports on gorillas who had been under anesthesia.”
The team does its prep work: shave Sekani’s abdomen, place the catheter in her bladder, brush some swabs for typical testing.
There on the table lay the most unlikely patient in Erwin’s career. All so
human, but absolutely not.
“The smell was incredible,” Erwin says. “It was an intense animal odor that I’ll never forget. It was like the Stock Show times 20 when you go walk around Will Rogers. I mean, it’s not like she’s bathing. She didn’t get ready for us.
“So, we get her all ready, and then we move her into the actual operating room. And then it’s business as usual. It was like autopilot for us.”
From skin to skin — that is doctorspeak for the first incision made to the last incision being closed — the procedure took “45 minutes, maybe.”
Typically, in human cases, general anesthesia is not used in C-sections. When it is, doctors work expeditiously, getting the baby out within 60 seconds, Erwin says. It’s important that the infant not be exposed to the anesthesia.
Because of the circumstances, Jameela was very sedated at birth. And that was concerning at first.
Dr. Ursprung assisted with the immediate resuscitation and stabilization of the premature gorilla, including respiratory support, temperature regulation, serial examinations, and radiographs. After a bit with the neonatologists, in their makeshift NICU unit, Jameela came alive, discovering her new world — with shouts of joy or pure terror, who was to
know.
All the participants by that time knew they had delivered a live baby gorilla.
“It was incredible how similar this mother-infant pair was compared to what I see in the hospital for babies born under similar circumstances,” Ursprung says. “The baby needed critical respiratory support for a few hours postdelivery, but as she transitioned to life outside the womb, she stabilized quite nicely. She had so many features typical of a slightly premature human baby.”
The clever zoo staff, meanwhile, painted Sekani’s toenails and fingernails to distract her from her incisions. They’ll also put macaroni in their fur to distract them. The finger painting worked, however. “Sekani was a model patient,” Cannizzo says.
“I remember I left the zoo. I was there pretty much all afternoon,” Erwin says. “We had a dinner party that night. And I’m just exhausted and I want to go. And I want to tell these people … . This was mind blowing.
“We were thrilled, especially when she started doing great. We’re like, ‘This is the coolest thing. Did we just do [this]? The shock factor of what just happened. And then showing up to work on Monday and someone asks, ‘Well, how was your weekend?’ ‘It was fine.’”
F I GHT CAN CER
WITH AWARD-WINNING PHYSICIANS.
Cristi Lynn Aitelli, D.O. • Noelle Gillette Cloven, M.D. • Ajay K. Dubey, M.D. • Patrick Thomas Griffin, M.D.
Jennifer Hecht, D.O. • Henrik B. Illum, M.D. • Sanjay Philip Oommen, M.D. • Clinton S. Park, M.D.
Chi Pham, M.D. • Angela E. Seda, M.D. • Kathleen L. Shide, M.D. • Rachel L. Theriault, M.D.
When you’re treated at Texas Oncology, you can be sure you’re getting leading edge cancer care. In fact, Fort Worth Magazine recently recognized our expertise by presenting 12 of our physicians with the “Top Doctors” award. These doctors are part of our knowledge base of cancer specialists. That means at every Texas Oncology location, you have access to a team of award-winning experts. For more information on Texas Oncology or to find a location near you, please call 1-888-864-4226 or visit us at TexasOncology.com.
TOP DOCTORS 2025
From allergy to urology and pediatrics to psychiatry, we asked Tarrant County doctors to nominate their peers for inclusion in our annual Top Doctors list via an online ballot. With over 3,250 votes cast, the magazine staff vetted each physician through the Texas Medical Board and asked a panel of more than a dozen physicians to review our final selection and make recommendations. The result is a list of over 700 physicians in 75 specialties whom we deem leaders in their fields.
TOP DOCTORS 2025
Adult Reconstructive Orthopedics
Nathan Haile
Nicholas Martin
Vincent Moretti
David Taunton
Russ Wagner
Allergy/Immunology
James Russell Haden
Rene Leon
Alireza “Ali” Shakouri
Millard Tierce
Anesthesiology
Kathleen Bajaj
Oscar Ghelber
Kimble Horak
Maulik Parikh
Breast Oncology
Anita Chow
Cynara Coomer
Jennifer Hecht
Joseph Heyne
Angela Seda
Cardiology
Alpesh Amin
Neeraj Badhey
Rim Bannout
Jaya Bathina
Sukesh Burjonroppa
Sanjay Chamakura
Sreenivas Gudimetla
Vikas Jain
Sandeep Kamath
Geoffrey Kline
Nitin Kulkarni
Yuvaraj “Darren” Kumar
Vinit Lal
Juzar Lokhandwala
Aleem Mughal
William Nesbitt
Brijesh Patel
Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy
Senthil Thambidorai
Balaji Veerappan
Colon/Rectal Surgery
Jason Allen
Eduardo Castillo
Glen Hooker
Nezar Jrebi
Critical Care Medicine
Razaq Badamosi
Jonathan Besas
Steven Davis
Manuel Lois-Rodriguez
Mohamed Osman
Amanda Pientka
Anas Riehani
Ishwara Sankara
Jocelyn Zee
Dermatology
Amir Aboutalebi
Asma Ahmed
Sanober Amin
Angela Bowers
Michael Carletti
Kathryn Durham
David Hensley
Boris Ioffe
Patrick Keehan
Diego Marra
James McCarty
Roselynn Nguyen
Ryan Pham
Betty Rajan
Allison Readinger
Steven Richardson
Robin Roberts
Nicole Strickland
Uzoamaka Ukoha
Shalini Vemula
Molly Warthan
Stephen Weis
Dustin Wilkes
Emergency Care
Michael Barakat
David Fletcher
Katherine “Katie” Holmes
Christopher Houston
Charles Huggins
Curtis Johnson
Jessica Kirby
Heidi Knowles
Drew Lowry
Terence McCarthy
Chinmay Patel
Mayur Patel
Lisa Williford
Endocrinology
Madhuri Devdhar
Stella Hecker
Chandana Konduru
Vani Kotha
Kenneth Mair
Anjanette Tan
Foot & Ankle Surgery
William Crawford
Donald Stewart
Gastroenterology
Virat Dave
Josh George
Long Hoang
Charles Jaiyeoba
Scharles Konadu
Arthi Kumaravel
Douglas Mills
James Nackley
Nandini Nagaraj
Murali Pathikonda
Joseph Shelton
Kenneth Yang
Jay Yepuri
General Surgery
Hossein Bagshahi
John Birbari
Michael Brooks
Cathryn Coleman
Travis Corgan
Tai Do
Nathan Emerson
Andre Graham
Jennifer Grant
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to HSC Health’s Top Doctors! CONGRATULATIONS
HSC Health is the academic clinical practice of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, where quality care meets quality education. Our primary and specialty care clinics are focused on improving health outcomes in our community through a patient-centered approach. Our doctors have consistently been recognized during the past decade as top medical providers in the DFW area.
Musculoskeletal
TOP DOCTORS 2025
Amelia Gunter
Hyungmin Jung
Ashley Mekala
Forrest “Dell” Moore
Richard Novack
Victor Olivas
Arvind Patel
Denish Patel
Jay Patel
Paresh Rajajoshiwala
Leslie Reddell
Jay Roberts
Adam Smith
General/Family Practice
Jane Abraham
Tracey Angadicheril
James Aston
Daniel Casey
Laura Curlee
Justin Ezell
Triwanna Fisher-Wikoff
Grant Fowler
Christopher Gonzales
Yara Gonzales
Melanie Gray
Daria Greer
Amanda Brooke Hall
Malinda Hansen
John “Jay” Haynes III
Margaret Holland
Alfred “Al” Hulse
Masheika Jackson
Danica Jordan
Craig Kneten
Anjali Kumar
Allyson Matthys
Sarah Meredith
Cody Mihills
Brighton Miller
Nolan Mischel
Sandra Moreno
James Murphy
Mark Nelson
Bethany Norberg
Dante Paredes
Huong-Duong Phan
Elaine Phuah
Stuart Pickell
Joshua Richard
Robert Richard
Asfia Sayeed
Damon Schranz
Matthew Stine
Joyce Stroud
Lynne Tilkin
Michael Uselton
Jean Whitten
Jessica Williams
Geriatrics
Christian Burton
Nnyekaa Collins
Melissa Hudson
Janice Knebl
Brittany Love
Reena Mathews
Omolara Olajide
Sarah Ross
Gynecological Oncology
Noelle Cloven
Mark Messing
Hand Surgery
Barnard Barragan
Christopher Bates
Benjamin “Todd” Drury
Kristen Fleager
Michael Hahn
Kevin Honig
Hannah Kim
Nathan Lesley
Steven Niedermeier
William Pientka
Paul Tavakolian
Stephen “Steve” Troum
Eric Wroten
Hematology
Kathleen Crowley
Hospice/Palliative Care
Maria Asprilla
Alvin Mathe
Shawnta Pittman-Hobbs
Morvarid Rezaie
Infectious Diseases
Nikhil Bhayani
Anupama Chennupati
Wilder Diaz-Calderon
Saqib Hasan
Mandeep Matta
Cheryl McDonald
Mallikarjun Mukka
Aarthi Narasimhan
Priya Subramanian
Pooja Tolaney
Bryan Youree
Internal Medicine
Nadia Alawi-Kakomanolis
Enedina Alcantara
Gloria Anding
Krishnaveni Bethi
Denise Bruckerhoff
Stephen Buksh
Elizabeth Chandy
Marc Chapman
Ronald Chio
Sumeesh Dhawan
Roger Eppstein
Tapati Ghosh
Navneet Gill
Sreevani Gudiseva
Hari Kakarlapudi
Suresh Kankanala
Michael Karing
Sunil Kongara
Jason Ledbetter
Amber Lesley
Joseph Martin
Rebeca Mayol-Sharp
Charli Mella
Eva Mina
Dorris Morrissette
Sana Muntajibuddin
ThuThuy Nguyen
Mauricio Ruiz-Baron
Rajbir Sandhu
Mai Sharaf
Omesh Singh
Sunitha Siram
Sakthiraj Subramanian
Leon Tio
Phu Truong
Basanti Vrushab
Soumya Yemme
Because of your dedication to children and their families, you help us to fulfill our Promise and connect to what’s possible.
Let’s connect! Congratulations to all of our top doctors!
TOP DOCTORS 2025
Interventional Cardiology
Gurpreet Baweja
Maternal Fetal Medicine/ Perinatology
April Bleich
Tracy Papa
Nephrology
Oladapo “Dapo” Afolabi
Michael Babigumira
Eldrid Baez Matos
Samatha Chandupatla
Sudharani Dikkala
Ira Epstein
Nishant Jalandhara
Prasad Kannaeganti
David Martin
Geethanjali Ramamurthy
Daniel Richey
Dar Shah
Angelito Yango
Neurology
Sharique Ansari
Horacio Chiong-Rivero
Charlece Hughes
Hamid Kadiwala
Mike Liu
Vinit Mehrotra
Claudia Perez
Ratna Reddy
Lei Wang
Neurosurgery
Olaide Ajayi
Grant Booher
Thomas Ellis
Domenico “Dominic” Gattozzi
Robert “Rob” Hruska
Anthony Lee
Yinn Cher Ooi
Ahmed Shakir
Christopher Shank
Abdolreza Siadati
Gregory Smith
Cyrus Wong
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Lori Atkins
Linda Bernstein
Laura Bradford
Stephanie Carson-Henderson
Shena Dillon
Jamie Walker Erwin
Noushin Firouzbakht
Jacqueline Garda
Ashita Gehlot
Martha Guerra
James “Jay” Herd
Christine Hoang
Mickey Hooper
Angalene “Angela” Jackson
Sarah Jordan
Robert Krombach
Beatrice Kutzler
Melanie Lagomichos
Rachel Lusby
Carolyn Moyers
Heather Neville
Jaime Obst
Joseph Pallone
Manisha Parikh
Martin Read
Cynthia Robbins
Gladys Tse
Elisabeth Wagner
Kaitlin Wagner
Ruth Wiley
Rita Wood
Robert Zwernemann
OMM
Matthew Barker
Stephen Fung
Kendi Hensel
Yein Lee
David Mason
Ryan Seals
Oncology
Cristi Aitelli
Prasanthi Ganesa
Bassam Ghabach
Patrick Griffin
Henrik Illum
Muhammad Isa
Anuradha Lingam
Mary Milam
Kalyani Narra
Latha Neerukonda
Sanjay Oommen
Albert Parra
Chi Pham
Vinaya Potluri
Bibas Reddy
Jeremy Ross
Rachel Theriault
Henry Xiong
Robyn Young
Ophthalmology
Musa Abdelaziz
Alexandria Chaulk
Courtney Crawford
Mayli Davis
Kourtney Dwyer
Aaleya Koreishi
Shaam Mahasneh
Andrew McClellan
Hiren Parekh
Patricia Ple-Plakon
Jawad Qureshi
Ann Ranelle
Johnathan Warminski
Joshua Zaffos
Orthopedic Surgery
Brook Adams
Gurpreet Bajaj
Eric Barcak
Katherine Bartush
Bret Beavers
Michael Boothby
James Bothwell
David Brigati
James Burnett
Curtis Bush
Tyler Caton
Kerry Donegan
John Drkulec
Von Evans
Andrew Freese
G. Keith Gill
Mark Greenberg
Jonathan Guevara
Howard Harris
DIANE BLAISING, AU.D., ADA, ABA, FAAA
CITYVIEW AUDIOLOGY & HEARING AIDS, INC. By Meredith Knight
Diane Blaising: A Passion for Better Hearing
It should have been no surprise to Diane Blaising’s family when she found her calling in helping others improve their lives through better hearing. Even in elementary school, Diane wowed her classmates with a science project demonstrating bone-conduction hearing.
“This was back when we had portable record players,” she recalls. “I took the record player to school, and instead of using the needle on the record, I had a sewing needle stuck into a pencil eraser. We’d hold the wooden end of the pencil between our teeth, place the needle on the turning record, and hear the music through our teeth and skull bones. It wasn’t coming through our ear canals—it was boneconduction hearing.”
Her fascination with the human auditory system never faded. Now, as a board-certified doctor of audiology, Diane has found that she enjoys the human side of audiology even more than the medical or scientific aspects.
“I love the patient contact and making a difference in the lives of my patients the most,” she says.
A Commitment to Total Hearing Care
With more than 30 years of experience as an audiologist—17 of them in her own practice— Dr. Blaising has built a trusted resource for
comprehensive hearing care.
“I want my office to serve as a resource center for everything hearing-related,” she says. “I opened Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids because I wanted to do more for my patients. For instance, we offer a free aural rehab class for those who want to learn coping strategies for hearing loss, including education for family members on better communication techniques.”
At Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids, Dr. Blaising and her team are on a mission:
“Our goal is to help patients achieve a better quality of life by improving their ability to communicate with loved ones, leading to deeper, more meaningful relationships.”
“We love helping working professionals succeed in their careers. We love helping grandparents communicate better with their grandchildren. Today’s hearing aid technology is incredibly advanced, allowing us to treat every hearing loss successfully. Every patient is different, so we stay up to date with the latest programming software to ensure the best fit for each individual.”
The Connection Between Hearing Loss & Cognitive Health
Recent research shows that hearing loss is a
major contributing factor to dementia. In response, Cityview Audiology now offers cognitive domain screenings to help patients as they address their hearing loss.
About Dr. Diane Blaising
Dr. Blaising began her audiology career in 1995. She earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from the Arizona School of Health Sciences and her Master’s in Audiology from the Callier Center for Communication Disorders at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her extensive experience includes working with hearingimpaired adults and children in otolaryngologists’ offices and serving as a pediatric audiologist at the Louisville Deaf Oral School.
She is board-certified in audiology by the American Board of Audiology and has twice received the ACE Award for Continuing Education.
Visit Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids
» 5701 Bryant Irvin Road, Suite 202
» Fort Worth, Texas 76132
» 817.339.6974
» cityviewhearing.com
Improving Health Together Congratulations to Our 2025 Top Doctors!
We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our incredible Acclaim Health doctors who have been honored with the Top Doc award. The unwavering commitment to compassionate care and exceptional values has made a profound impact on our community. This recognition is a testament to your hard work, expertise, and the difference you make every day.
Adult Reconstructive
Orthopaedics
▪ Vincent Moretti
▪ Russell “Russ” Wagner
Cardiology
▪ Jaya Bathina
▪ Rim Bannout
▪ Sandeep Kamath
▪ Juzar Lokhandwala
Critical Care Medicine
▪ Razaq Badamosi
▪ Steven Davis
▪ Manuel Lois-Rodriquez
▪ Amanda Pientka
▪ Anas Riehani
▪ Jocelyn Zee
Dermatology
▪ Asma Ahmed
General/Family Practice
▪ Daniel Casey
▪ Laura Curlee
▪ Grant Fowler
▪ Christopher Gonzales
▪ Yara Gonzales
▪ John “Jay” Haynes III
▪ Masheika Jackson
▪ Anjali Kumar
▪ Joseph “Joe” Martin
▪ Nolan Mischel
▪ Sandra Moreno
▪ Mark Nelson
▪ Bethany Norberg
▪ Joshua Richard
▪ Robert Richard
▪ Asfia Sayeed
▪ Jean Whitten
General Surgery
▪ Forrest “Dell” Moore
▪ Victor Olivas
Geriatrics
▪ Christian Burton
▪ Nnyekaa Collins
▪ Melissa Hudson
▪ Reena Mathews
▪ Omolara Olajide
Hand Surgery
▪ Hannah Kim
▪ William Pientka
Hematology
▪ Kathleen Crowley
Hospice Palliative Care
▪ Maria Asprilla
Infectious Diseases
▪ Saqib Hasan
▪ Mandeep Matta
▪ Aarthi Narasimhan
▪ Pooja Tolaney
Internal Medicine
▪ Nadia Alawi-Kakomanolis
▪ Navneet Gill
▪ Rajbir Sandhu
Nephrology
▪ Samatha Chandupatla
▪ Sudharani Dikkala
▪ Geethanjali Ramamurthy
Neurology
▪ Horacio Chiong-Rivero
▪ Ratna Reddy
200 W. Magnolia, Fort Worth, TX 76104 817-702-2450 teamacclaim.org
Neurosurgery
▪ Domenico “Dominic” Gattozzi
Obstetrics/Gynecology
▪ Stephanie CarsonHenderson
▪ Christine Hoang
▪ Joseph Pallone
Oncology
▪ Bassam Ghabach
▪ Muhammad Isa
▪ Anuradha Lingam
▪ Kalyani Narra
▪ Latha Neerukonda
Orthopaedic Surgery
▪ Eric Barcak
▪ Tyler Caton
▪ Bryan Ming
▪ Arvind Nana
▪ William Pipkin
▪ Mayme Richie-Gillespie
▪ Brian Webb
Otolaryngology
▪ Peter Wickwire
Pain Management
▪ Ricardo Miranda
▪ Anupa Seth
Pediatrics
▪ Suzanne Kelley
▪ Maria “Pilar” Levy
Pediatric Psychiatry
▪ Nanette Allison
Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
▪ Patrick Chen
Podiatry
▪ Alan Garrett
▪ Lena Levine
▪ Travis Motley
▪ Brady Rhodes
Psychiatry/Neurology
▪ Helene Alphonso
▪ Dustin DeMoss
▪ Malik Farooq
▪ Seth Huffhines
▪ Mehreen Khan
▪ Nekesha “Nikki” Oliphant
▪ Michelle Oyeka
▪ Paul Schneider
▪ Ryan Seaver
Pulmonology
▪ Salam Jarrah
▪ Mohammed Megri
▪ Gbonjubola Onawunmi
▪ Paras Patel
▪ Carmen Rosario
Rehabilitation/Physical Medicine
▪ Michael Wimmer
Spine Surgery
▪ Cezar Sandu
Sports Medicine
▪ Alex Autry
▪ Karen Kirk
▪ Jason Mogonye
▪ Travis Rhodes
▪ Gregory “Kyle” Youngs
TOP DOCTORS 2025
Scott Hrnack
Walter Hurt
George LeBus
Andrew Lee
Joseph “Joe” Milne
Bryan Ming
Jeff Moffett
Gregory Moore
Ryan Mulligan
Arvind Nana
Michael Nguyen
Shiv Patel
Joshua Payne
Pat Peters
William Pipkin
Bryan Reyes
Mayme Richie-Gillespie
David-Alan Rubin
Robert Runner
Thomas Schott
David Shau
Manuj Singhal
Eric Stehly
Brian Straus
Casey Stuhlman
John Thomas
Stephen Timon
Bing Tsay
Daniel Wagner
Torrance Walker
Brian Webb
Nathan Williams
Otolaryngology
Tahir Ali
Yadranko “Yadro” Ducic
John Fewins
John McIntyre
Timothy Ragsdale
Jeremy Watkins
Peter Wickwire
Jonathan Wu
Pain Management
Michael Balderamos
Mark Dirnberger
Artee Gandhi
Christian Gulde
Thomas Hong
Riley Johnson
Ramanjot Kang
Bradley Keneson
Raul Llanos
Mike Martinez
Robert Menzies
Ricardo Miranda
Melissa Murphy
Cindy Ng
Thomas “Tim” Ratino
Karthik Sabapathy
Damian Sacky
Anupa Seth
Bryan Skulpoonkitti
Chris Tucker
Pathology
Janet Miles
Collin O’Hara
Swetha Paluru
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Napoleon Burt
Michelle Craven
Chandra Reynolds
Pediatric Behavioral Health
Mary Zelime Elibol
Pediatric Cardiology
Gregory Barker
Robert Loar
Steve Muyskens
Deborah Schutte
Anna Venardos
Kevin Wilkes
Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
Vincent Tam
Pediatric Critical Care
Kyle Brown
Javier Gelvez
Kristen Meulmester
Vinai Modem
Raymond Nkwantabisa
Pediatric Emergency Services
Daniel Guzman
Taylor Louden
Pediatric Endocrinology
Kristin Favela
Sani Roy
Paul Thornton
Pediatric ENTs
Lisa Buckmiller
Allison Chisholm
Michelle Marcincuk
Patricia Purcell
Natalie Roberge
Charles Saadeh
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Anthony Anani
Samson Cantu
Clifton Huang
Jane Keng
Sherief Mansi
Bankole Osuntokun
Danny Rafati
LaQuatre Rhodes
Pediatric Genetics
Heather Crawford
Alexandra Garza Flores
Ryan Gates
Pediatric Gynecology
Shanna Combs
Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology
Donald Beam
Chelsee Greer
Olaide Ajayi, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Claudia Perez, M.D. Neurocritical Care Associates
Mohamed Osman, M.D. Neurocritical Care Associates
Sreenivas Gudimetla, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Nitin Kulkarni, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
David Shau, M.D. Texas Hip and Knee Center
Alpesh Amin, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Ishwara Sankara, M.D. Neurocritical Care Associates
Gurpreet Baweja, M.D. Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists
Congratulations to these doctors who have been recognized by their peers as top physicians in their respective fields. Visit THPG.org or call 800-916-8080 to schedule an appointment.
Jennifer Grant, M.D. Texas Health Surgical Specialists
Gregory Smith, D.O. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Ahmed Shakir, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Christopher Shank, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Robert Hruska, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Yinn Cher Ooi, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
Cyrus Wong, M.D. Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists
TOP DOCTORS 2025
Kenneth “Ken” Heym
Clarissa Johnson
Timothy McCavit
Syed “Taha” Muntajibuddin
Anish Ray
Kelly Vallance
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Mary Suzanne Whitworth
Pediatric Nephrology
Badreldin Bedri
Celina Cepeda
Robert Gillespie
Ketan Patel
Randa Razzouk
Pediatric Neurology
Rachelle Herring
Cynthia Keator
Rebecca Luke
Saleem Malik
Brittney Rhem
Dave Shahani
Kristen Taylor
Linh Tran
Pediatric Neurosurgery
Daniel Hansen
Johnnie “John” Honeycutt Jr.
Richard Roberts
Pediatric Orthopedics
Taylor Dodgen
Matthew Mayfield
Pediatric Pain Management
Meredith Brooks
Pediatric Plastic Surgery
Larry Reaves
Pediatric Primary Care
Sandra Arca
Indran Liu
Bradley “Brad” Mercer
Rebecca Olvera
Krista Putty
Caryn Pyle
Vanita Shori
Justin Smith
Jason Terk
Kevin Wylie
Pediatric Psychiatry
Nanette Allison
Justin Dyniewski
Paresh Jaini
Maria Lopez-Rosario
Kristen Pyrc
Ross Tatum
Amelia Villagomez
Pediatric Rheumatology
Ricardo Guirola
Maria Perez
Leigh Anna Stubbs
Pediatric Surgery
Kanika Bowen-Jallow
Chad Hamner
Marty Knott
John “Chip” Uffman
Pediatric Urology
Matthew Christman
Pediatrics
Diane Arnaout
Priya Bui
Julie Crawford
William “Kirk” Davis
Raheela Hafeez
Natalia Hanson
Eriel Hayes
Tamara Hayward
Suzanne “Sue” Hood
Shelby Jacob
Mark Jones
Suzanne Kelley
Anne Kirk
Maria del Pilar Levy
Kim Mangham
Devona Martin
Sarah Matches
Heather Miller
Marcus Ozaeta
Suchi Parikh
Alice Phillips
Kristina Reed
Jenica Rose-Stine
Ankita Singh
Hannah Smitherman
Bianka Soria-Olmos
Caroline Spalla
Kara Starnes
Erik Templeton
Amani Terrell
Kathryn Wheeler
Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
Casey Anderson
Robert G. Anderson
James Boehmler
Patrick Chen
Mark A. Daniels
Nabil Habash
Jonathan Heistein
Emily Kirby
Kelly Kunkel
Theodorus “Jon” Kurkjian
Danielle Le Blanc
Candis Lovelace
Yukihiro Nakamura
Sacha Obaid
Maxim “Max” Pekarev
Kiran Polavarapu
Jordan Rihani
Vishnu Rumalla
Jesse Smith
Matthew Steele
Louis Strock
Podiatry*
Dharmesh “Dan” Bhakta
Marc Delara
Robert Dominguez
Gary Driver
Alan Garrett
Vincent Inglima
Dr. Elisabeth Wagner leads MY Midlife Women’s Health & Menopause program at MY Texas Heath Care OBGYN specializing in midlife women’s health, perimenopause, and menopause. She focuses on prevention, offering personalized screenings and specialized programs, including pre-pregnancy care, complex menopausal management, and post-cancer care.
BS, Biomedical Science, Texas A&M | DO, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences | OBGYN Chief Resident, Wayne State University | Board-Certified, Obstetrics & Gynecology | ACOG Fellow | MSCP Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Daniel Wagner, fellowship-trained in Sports Medicine and Total Joint Replacement, provides expert hip and knee care. Prioritizing patient-first treatment, he recently joined The Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute to offer advanced surgical techniques that restore mobility and quality of life.
BS Biology, Hope College, Michigan | DO Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine | Orthopedic Resident Botsford Hospital, Michigan State University | Sports Medicine Fellow Institute, Institute for Bone and Joint Disorders, Phoenix, Arizona | Total Joint Fellow Texas Hip and Knee, Fort Worth, Texas | Diplomate American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery | Fellow American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Congratulations to 47 of our physicians for being recognized as a Fort Worth Top Doc!
Together, we’re transforming healthcare, enhancing the patient experience, and driving better outcomes.
Breast Oncology
Dr. Anita Chow
Dr. Joseph Heyne
Colon & Rectal
Dr. Eduardo Castillo
Dr. Glen Hooker
General Surgery
Dr. John Birbari
General & Family Practice
Dr. Triwanna Fisher-Wikoff
Dr. Lynne Tilkin
Hand Surgery
Dr. Christopher Bates
Dr. Nathan Lesley
Dr. Stephen “Steve” Troum
Dr. Eric Wroten
Internal Medicine
Dr. Wilder Diaz-Calderon
Dr. Jason Ledbetter
Dr. Amber Lesley
Dr. Dorris Morrissette
Dr. Mauricio Ruiz-Baron
Neurology
Dr. Mike Liu
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Dr. Lori Atkins
Dr. Jacqueline Garda
Dr. Ashita Gehlot
Dr. Martha Guerra
Dr. James “Jay” Herd
Dr. Mickey Hooper
Dr. Beatrice Kutzler
Dr. Rachel Lusby
Dr. Jaime Obst
Dr. Martin Read
Dr. Elisabeth Wagner
Dr. Kaitlin Wagner
Dr. Robert Zwernemann
Orthopedic Surgery
Dr. James Bothwell
Dr. David Brigati
Dr. Jonathan Guevara
Dr. Andrew Lee
Dr. Joseph “Joe” Milne
Dr. Bryan Reyes
Dr. Torrance Walker
Otolaryngology
Dr. Tahir Ali
Dr. Yadranko “Yadro” Ducic
Dr. John Fewins
Dr. John McIntyre
Dr. Jeremy Watkins
Podiatry
Dr. Gary Driver
Rheumatology
Dr. Rajni Kalagate
Spine Surgery
Dr. James Brezina Jr.
Sports Medicine
Dr. Gregory Bratton
Dr. Steven Meyers
It’s a symbol of compassion, responsibility and a ray of hope.
Congratulations to all our Top Docs throughout our hospitals and clinics. These incredible individuals exemplify dedication to innovation and compassion every day. The white coat represents a commitment to our patients, and you all wear it well.
Doctors to Know
The doctor-patient relationship is one of life’s most important partnerships, and choosing the right practitioner can make a marked difference. To help you select a practitioner who will meet your needs, the following doctors want to tell you more about themselves, their practices, and how partnering with them will improve the quality of your life.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
Accent On You
Cosmetic Surgery Center and Medical Spa
Y. Anthony Nakamura, M.D., P.A.
Sameer H. Halani, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. EDUCATION: Dr. Nakamura – B.A., UT Austin; Surgical Training, LSU (General Surgery) and UTMB (Plastic Surgery). Dr. Halani – B.A., Emory University; M.D., Emory University School of Medicine; Surgical Training, UT Southwestern (Integrated Plastic Surgery). CERTIFICATIONS: Dr. Nakamura – Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon. Dr. Halani – BoardEligible Plastic Surgeon. RISING STAR: Newly joined Dr. Halani heads the facial aesthetic surgery of Accent On You. In this role, Dr.
Halani has demonstrated the ability to set a clear and compelling vision for the team in providing natural, elegant results for their patients. OUR PRACTICE – WHAT SETS US APART: Meticulous in nature with a combined 35+ years of experience focusing on aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body. COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER SERVICES: Aesthetic facial surgery, breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, body contouring, tummy tuck, waist tuck, and mommy makeovers. MEDI SPA SERVICES:
Nonsurgical facial rejuvenation with injectables including neurotoxin, facial fillers, lip enhancement, Sculptra/Radiesse, SkinPen Microneedling, SaltFacial, ZO Skin Health, Revisions Skincare. PATIENT CARE: Our goal is to rejuvenate you with an elegant, beautiful, and natural appearance. Our state-of-the-art facility includes a surgery center that is QUAD A accredited, with a medical spa, ensuring the highest level of patient care. PICTURED: Sameer H. Halani, M.D., and Y. Anthony Nakamura, M.D.
Accent On You
3030 S. Cooper St. • Arlington 76015
817.417.7200 | Fax 817.417.7300 accentonyou.com
FOCUS DOCTORS TO KNOW
Executive Medicine of Texas
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Concierge Medicine, Executive Physical Exams, Age Management. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS:
Dr. Gaman – M.D. and degree in infectious disease, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada; Board Certified and Fellow of the American Board of Family Medicine; studied Strategic Management, Harvard Extension School. Dr. Anderson –M.D., the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Board Certified and Diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine; master’s in public health, the University of Michigan; Certified, Age Management Medicine Education Foundation. Dr. Feehery – D.O., the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine; Board Certified American Academy of Family Physicians; Assistant Professor, Family Medicine at the TCU Burnett School of Medicine. Dr. Patel – M.D., UT Southwestern and degree in Neurobiology from Harvard University; Board Certified Internal Medicine. Dr. Tupper – D.C., Parker College of Chiropractic; Certified by the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Doctors Top Physicians, 2018-2020; Tops in Tarrant, 2019- 2023, DFW Favorites, 2024; Top Docs in America, 2024. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Our founding partners (Drs. Mark Anderson and Walter Gaman) are published authors and co-host the Stay
Young America! podcast. INNOVATIONS: We are dedicated to bringing new and exciting options to our clients including, but not limited to: Peptide Therapy, Virtual Colonoscopy, DNA Testing, Red Light Therapy, Brain Mapping, and Neurofeedback.
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Executive Medicine of Texas helps busy individuals get their energy and health back so that they can do more of what they were meant to do. FREE ADVICE: Investing in your health today ensures you’ll be there for your loved ones tomorrow. PICTURED: (left to right) J. Mark Anderson, M.D., MPH; and Walter Gaman, M.D., FABFM; Terrance Feehery, D.O., Roshni Patel, M.D., Chris Tupper, D.C.
Executive Medicine of Texas 2106 E. State Hwy. 114, Ste. 300 Southlake 76092
817.552.4300 Fax 817.552.4301 EMTexas.com
Key-Whitman Eye Center
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology – adult eye care including treatment for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, and dry eyes. Also offering laser vision correction and high-tech lens implants for reduced dependence on glasses and contacts, as well as cosmetic eyelid surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: ChianHuey “Amy” Hong, M.D. – cum laude, Columbia University; B.A., pre-med and economics; medical degree, UT Southwestern Medical School; internship, ophthalmology residency and glaucoma fellowship, Tulane School of Medicine. Ronald Barke, M.D. – undergraduate and medical school, University of Southern California; internship, Los Angeles County University
of Southern California Medical Center; fellowship, Jules Stein Eye Institute in lens and cataract biochemistry; training, UT Southwestern Medical School, fellowship in oculoplastics and residency in ophthalmology; currently on staff as a clinical volunteer at UT Southwestern Medical School. Lauren May, M.D. – Northwestern University in Chicago; medical degree, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; two-year fellowship in oculoplastics. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Key-Whitman is one of the few eye centers that offers the full range of options to improve your vision, with customized LASIK and high-tech lenses for cataract procedures. INNOVATIONS: The advances
in high-tech lenses like the Light Adjustable Lens, Vivity, PanOptix, and Symfony using the latest techniques with Femtosecond laser, which give many patients a wide range of vision for near or far distances with less dependency on glasses or contacts. FREE ADVICE: Everyone needs to have regular eye health exams. Oftentimes, permanent vision loss can be easily prevented with early diagnosis and treatment of conditions before any symptoms are present. PICTURED: Mingi Choi, O.D.; Ronald Barke, M.D.; C. Amy Hong, M.D.; Rosmary Sanchez, O.D.; (not photographed) Lauren May, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Orthopedic Surgery; Sports Medicine; Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery of the Shoulder, Hip, Knee, Foot and Ankle; Shoulder, Hip and Knee Replacements; Robotic Arthroplasty; Interventional Pain Management. AWARDS: Top Docs awards for more than a decade. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Surgicare Fort Worth, Mansfield; Park Hill Surgery Center; Baylor Surgical Hospital Fort Worth; Texas Health Downtown Fort Worth, Southwest, Cleburne, Mansfield; Texas Health Orthopedic & Spine Center Willow Park ; Methodist Hospital Mansfield, Midlothian; Methodist Mansfield ASC; Medical City Hospital Fort Worth,
Decatur; Medical City ASC Argyle. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: State-of-the-art care including robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements; reverse total shoulder replacement technique; fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. INNOVATIONS: Orthopedics Today, walk-in clinic for same-day treatment of orthopedic injuries, provides convenient, expert care on-site at OSMI Fort Worth and OSMI Mansfield. Physical therapy at Fort Worth, Willow Park, and Mansfield delivers expert rehabilitation by highly experienced therapists. Adjustable depth, Hydroworx Pool with underwater treadmill for training and rehab
is available at Fort Worth. PATIENT CARE: OSMI’s philosophy is to provide professional athlete level of care to all who seek it.
ADVICE: Determine your personal goals for your health care. Seek that level of care and trust until you find the physician who meets your needs and expectations. PICTURED: Robert Achilike, M.D.; G. Keith Gill, M.D.; Vincent Inglima, DPM; Michael H. Boothby, M.D.; William Polachek, M.D.; Bret D. Beavers, M.D.; Daniel Wagner, D.O.; Nicholas Martin, M.D.; G. Todd Moore, D.O.; (not pictured) I. Riley Pena, M.D.
The Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute 2901 Acme Brick Plaza Fort Worth 76109
817.529.1900
1320 US-287 Mansfield 76063
817.968.5806
1000 Medical Center Drive Decatur 76234
940.626.2410
OSMIFW.com othopedics2day.com
FOCUS DOCTORS TO KNOW
WHAT SETS THEM APART: Texas Eye and Laser Center (TELC) has been delivering cutting-edge eye care in Tarrant County for nearly 50 years. They introduced LASIK and PRK to Fort Worth in 1997 and have remained at the forefront of laser vision correction ever since. In 2011, TELC introduced LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery to the metroplex. As clinical investigators in numerous FDA studies, they have also pioneered in each generation of intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataract, presbyopia, and astigmatism, including the PanOptix trifocal implant, Envy, Tecnis Odyssey, Vivity extendeddepth of-focus lens, Tecnis Eyhance lens, ClearView by LensTec and light-adjustable-lens by RxSight, among many other state-of-the-art intraocular implants. In 2019, they brought to Fort Worth the most advanced laser vision correction — SMILE (aka no-flap LASIK). Advanced technologies aside, what makes Drs. Hu and Cherne truly special is their emphasis on personal touch and exceptional patient experience. AREAS OF SPECIALITY: TELC offers a complete range of eye-care services including Blade-Free Customized LASIK; SMILE (no-flap LASIK); LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery; premium cataract implants including PanOptix, Envy, Vivity, Tecnis Odyssey and Eyhance, Toric IOLs, light-adjustable lens by RxSight, EVO™ Phakic ICL; cornea collagen crosslinking (CXL), Intacs intracorneal rings, corneal transplants; MIGS; glaucoma care; treatment of macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease. EDUCATION: Jerry G. Hu, M.D. –Duke University School of Medicine; fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA; Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. Scott A. Cherne, M.D. ‒ Loma Linda University Medical School, American Board of Ophthalmology. PICTURED: D’Laine Heisterkamp, O.D.; Keith Head, O.D.; Megan Solis, O.D.; Jerry G. Hu, M.D.; Stacey Webb, O.D.; Scott A. Cherne, M.D., and Mark Zebrowski, O.D.
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery. EDUCATION: Undergraduate, University of Kansas; M.D., University of Kansas; Ophthalmology Residency, Mayo Clinic; Ophthalmic Plastic Fellowship, UT Southwestern. AWARDS/HONORS: “Top Docs” 2005–2007, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2018, Fort Worth Magazine PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Medical Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Texas Medical Association. AFFILIATIONS: Plaza Day Surgery Center, Medical City Fort Worth, Calloway Creek Surgery Center. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Davis is pleased to offer a variety of treatments to help you look your best. In addition to our specialty, eyelid and brow surgery, we offer Botox, Xeomin, Jeuveau, and dermal fillers including Sculptra. Dr. Davis further enhances your personalized treatment plan with laser treatments and our newest addition, Total Skin Solution, which combines radio frequency microneedling with a gentle laser resurfacing.
Advanced Eyelid Surgery and Laser Center 6208 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 100 Colleyville 76034
817.329.4480 Fax 817.488.5993 drmaylidavis.com
Bagshahi Bariatrics and General Surgery
SPECIALTY: Bariatric, General Surgery and Medical Weight Loss. CERTIFICATIONS: American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American Board of Surgery, MBSAQIP. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Health Systems, Texas Health Resources, HCA Healthcare. RECENT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Appointed as medical director of bariatric surgery at Baylor Trophy Club, Associate Professor at TCU Burnett School of Medicine, nationally recognized for bariatric surgery excellence, and a destination center for bariatric surgery for not only patients in Texas but nationally and internationally.
INNOVATIONS: We remain on the forefront of innovative procedures in bariatric surgery and perform most surgery with minimally invasive techniques including robotic surgery, leading to better outcomes and faster recovery and less downtime. In addition to bariatric surgery, we have a medical weight loss program in a supervised safe environment. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Despite being one of the busiest bariatric surgery practices in DFW, we approach each patient as an individual in a caring and compassionate manner and devise treatment plans according to their unique scenario and needs. FREE ADVICE: Don’t live with obesity; treat it! PICTURED: Rachael Trujeque, Dr. Hossein Bagshahi, Lauren Isbell; (not pictured) Aundrea Juarez.
Bagshahi Bariatrics and General Surgery 1101 W. Rosedale St., Ste. 1 Fort Worth 76104 817.289.4200 Fax 817.289.4201 dfwweightlosssurgery.com
Cornea Associates of Texas
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology – Specializing in Premium Lens Cataract Surgery, Refractive Surgery including LASIK, PRK, and EVO ICL, Corneal Crosslinking, and Corneal Transplantation. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATION: C. Bradley Bowman – M.D., University of Oklahoma School of Medicine; Residency, Ophthalmology, The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute; Fellowship, Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Emory Eye Center; Licensed, Texas Medical Board; Board-Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. Joshua Zaffos – M.D., Medical College of Georgia; Residency, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore/Krieger Eye Institute; Fellowship, Cornea and Refractive Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute; Licensed, Texas Medical Board; Board-Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. Andrew C. Bowman – M.D., University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio; Residency, University of Florida Health, Gainesville; Fellowship, Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Duke University Medical Center; Licensed, Texas Medical Board; Board-Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. AWARDS/HONORS: America’s Best Ophthalmologists, Newsweek; Best Doctors, D Magazine; Top Doctors, Fort Worth Magazine; DFW Top 100 Places to Work, Dallas Morning News INNOVATIONS: For more than 40 years, Cornea Associates of Texas has been a leading provider of eye care for patients in need of medical and surgical cornea treatment. Cornea Associates is dedicated to achieving exceptional eye care results and providing first-class service to its patients. PICTURED: (left to right) Andrew C. Bowman, M.D.; C. Bradley Bowman, M.D.; and Joshua Zaffos, M.D.
Cornea Consultants of Texas
Cornea Associates of Texas 1101 Sixth Ave., Ste. 100 Fort Worth 76104
3455 Locke Ave., Ste. 220 Fort Worth • 817.529.3100
817.850.9282
Fax 817.850.9218
801 W. Road to Six Flags St., Ste. 131 Arlington • 817.987.1248
Multiple other locations corneatexas.com
4825 Alliance Blvd., Ste. 100 Plano • 469.246.1824 corneaconsultantstx.com
SPECIALTY: Drs. Koreishi and Ple-plakon are fellowship-trained ophthalmologists providing compassionate, cutting-edge specialty care in cornea transplantation, cataract, refractive surgery. We are experienced in advanced cornea transplant techniques, refractive and complex cataract surgery/intraocular lenses, and LASIK. We perform multiple officebased procedures including crosslinking for keratoconus.
EDUCATION: Dr. Koreishi — B.S. and M.D., University of Michigan; ophthalmology residency, Johns Hopkins; fellowship Cornea, External Disease, Refractive Surgery at Bascom Palmer in Miami. Dr. Ple-plakon — B.A., Rice; M.D. and ophthalmology residency, University of Michigan; fellowship Cornea, External Disease, Refractive Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. PATIENT CARE: We are committed to providing quality, state-of-the-art care. Patient education is the key to successful treatment, and we strive to educate patients so they can play an active role in their treatment.
Cornea Consultants of Texas
3455 Locke Ave., Ste. 220 Fort Worth • 817.529.3100
801 W. Road to Six Flags St., Ste. 131 Arlington • 817.987.1248
4825 Alliance Blvd., Ste. 100 Plano • 469.246.1824
corneaconsultantstx.com
Cornea
Aaleya
SPECIALTY: Spine Surgery. EDUCATION: Dr. Tinley attended Medical College of Georgia on full scholarship and completed his training at the H.H. Bohlman Spinal Surgery Fellowship in Cleveland, Ohio. MEMBERSHIPS: Cervical Spine Research Society, North American Spine Society, Tarrant County Medical Society, Texas Orthopedic Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Doc, 2020-2025. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Surgical FW, Baylor Surgicare ASC, Med City FW, THR Harris downtown, and Willow Park ASC. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Disc replacement FDA approval teams, Outpatient Spine Surgery innovation, Hospital and ASC Board Direction. INNOVATIONS: Around 85% of our surgical cases are outpatient, with a focus on motion preservation in the spine. We do everything we can to address the problem but minimize risks of future surgery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: “I have a more practical view of spine surgery, with an effort to treat the patient like a member of my own family. I discourage surgery unless it’s the only thing left that can help and have a great referral network of practitioners that offer conservative care directed by me as the spine specialist.” FREE ADVICE: Spine surgery is only necessary around 15% of the time. Focus on a highprotein, low-inflammatory diet and core strengthening and flexibility on an ongoing basis. If symptoms radiate down the arms or legs, get an MRI sooner than later. PICTURED: Jason Tinley, M.D.
DFW Center for Spinal Disorders
6900 Harris Parkway, Ste. 310 Fort Worth 76132
817.916.4685
dfwspinecenter.com
SPECIALTY: DTC is honored to provide the highest quality endocrinology care to the Fort Worth community. CERTIFICATIONS: Our physicians are all board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. Drs. Lackan and Tan are also Fellows of the American College of Endocrinology and Endocrine-Certified Neck Ultrasonographers. WHAT SETS US APART: We are committed to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care using the most advanced medical treatments available. Our personalized approach includes comprehensive diabetes management with an in-house certified diabetes educator, in-office thyroid ultrasonography, ultrasound-guided fineneedle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules, and radioactive iodine treatment. We also offer microwave ablation therapy, a cuttingedge, office-based procedure for treating thyroid nodules. DTC actively participates in clinical research trials focusing on diabetes, lipid management, cardiovascular health, and thyroid disorders, giving our patients access to emerging therapies. APPROACH: Our teambased approach ensures that we provide thorough, individualized care to prevent and manage complications of diabetes, osteoporosis, pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid conditions. We are excited to welcome patients to our new, state-of-the-art medical office building and are pleased to announce that Dr. Farheen Saeed will be joining our practice and seeing patients starting May 2025. PICTURED: (left to right) Darren Lackan M.D., Sara Matani, M.D., Anjanette Tan, M.D.
Diabetes and Thyroid Center of Fort Worth, PLLC
6844 Harris Parkway, Ste. 300 Fort Worth 76132
817.263.0007
info@dtc-fw.com
dtc-fw.com
Eighth Avenue Obstetrics & Gynecology
SPECIALITY: OB/GYN. WHAT SETS UP APART: With many years of experience, we value every woman in every stage of her life and provide each one with the time and care to listen, diagnose, and formulate a treatment plan specialized just for her. AWARDS/HONORS: All voted “Top Doc” Fort Worth Magazine; Patient Choice Award; “Top Docs” Texas Monthly; Compassionate Doctor Award, “Top Docs” 360 West Magazine. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Andrews Women’s; Texas Health Harris Methodist. PRACTICE INNOVATIONS: Our physicians are committed to providing personalized care solutions for a wide range of women’s gynecological and obstetrics needs. UNIQUE EXPERIENCES: Our goal is to become your health care partner for a lifetime. We can help you make the best decisions about contraception, fertility, pregnancy, menopause, and gynecological care. FREE ADVICE: Participate in your health care and seek a physician who is interested in you as an individual. PICTURED: Cynthia Robbins, Heather Neville, Noushin Firouzbakht, Rita Wood, Natalie Hughes, Pattyann Hardt, and Laura Bradford. (Picture location: Westbend)
Eighth Avenue
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Robbins, Bradford, Hardt and Wood 1425 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth 76104 817.926.4118 • obgynson8th.com
Neville and Hughes 1307 Eighth Ave., Ste. 602 Fort Worth 76104 817.926.4118 • obgynson8th.com
Firouzbakht, NFMDPA 1125 S. Henderson St Fort Worth 76104
817.878.2667 • drfobgyn.com
Ashita Gehlot, M.D., FACOG
Empower Gynecology
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Dr. Gehlot offers comprehensive gynecologic care with tailored services for women of all ages. Partnering with her patients in their health from adolescence through post menopause, she is committed to providing personalized care to each patient’s unique needs and concerns. EDUCATION: B.S., University of Delaware; M.D., Medical College of Georgia; Residency, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. AWARDS/HONORS: DFW Magazine Mom-Approved Doctor, Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctors, Privia Health Clinical Leadership Program graduate. MEMBERSHIPS: American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Methodist Southwest Fort Worth.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Offering patients cutting-edge, evidence-based technological solutions for medical and surgical care such as the Acessa-radio frequency ablation of fibroids for uterine sparing management. PATIENT CARE: Dr. Gehlot is the patient’s biggest cheerleader. She focuses on shared evidence-based decision-making to help patients feel empowered to take control of their health and well-being. PICTURED: (left to right) Soledad Hernandez, Medical Assistant; Ashita Gehlot, M.D.; Aya Barriz, Medical Assistant; Joan Trevino, Office Director.
Empower Gynecology
7100 Oakmont Blvd., Ste. 220 Fort Worth 76132
682.250.8400
empowergynecology.com
SPECIALTY: Otolaryngology. EDUCATION: Callahan – University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas; residency, University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas. Watkins – Louisiana State University of Medicine; residency, University of Tennessee. McIntyre – University of Oklahoma Health Science Center; residency, University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas. AFFILIATIONS: Park Hill Surgery Center, Baylor Surgical Hospital, Baylor Scott & White, Medical City Surgery Center, Chisholm Trail Surgery Center. MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Medical Association, American Academy of Otolaryngology, American Board of Otolaryngology, American Rhinologic Society, American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.
INNOVATIONS: In-office balloon sinuplasty, minimally invasive sinus surgery, minimally invasive thyroid surgery, comprehensive allergy management (medications, allergy shots, and allergy drops), state-of-the-art hearing aids. OUR MISSION: To offer cutting-edge treatment for head and neck disorders using the latest techniques and advanced technology, specializing in both adult and pediatric care.
BEDSIDE MANNER: We strive to care for each patient from a multidisciplinary perspective and treat each patient as if they were our own family. PICTURED: (left) Jeremy P. Watkins, M.D.; (seated) Sean M. Callahan, M.D.; and (right) J. Brad McIntyre, M.D.
Fort Worth ENT 5751 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 200 Fort Worth 76109 817.332.8848
Fort Worth ENT
SPECIALTY: Our physicians provide a wide range of services including RxSight™ Light Adjustable Lens for cataract surgery, comprehensive eye exams for children and adults, contact lens fitting, eye muscle surgery, glaucoma care, diabetic eye exams, and dry eye treatment. The doctors also provide cosmetic injections including Botox Cosmetic,® Kybella,® Juvederm,® Volure,® and Volbella.® EDUCATION: Ann Ranelle, D.O. –Saint Mary’s University, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Tyler Moore, M.D. – University of Texas, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Kacy Pate, O.D. –University of Oklahoma, Northeastern State University College of Optometry. AWARDS/ HONORS: Ann Ranelle – Tarrant County Medical Society Physician Humanitarian Award. MEMBERSHIPS: Ann Ranelle – Boardcertified member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Tyler Moore – Board-certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Medical Center of Fort Worth, Texas Health Surgery Center–Park Hill and Cook Children’s Medical Center. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Celebrating 50 years of serving the greater Fort Worth area with warm, compassionate, and professional care. FREE ADVICE: Be an active participant in your health care – ask questions! PICTURED: Ann Ranelle, D.O.; Tyler Moore, M.D.; Kacy Pate, O.D.
MEDICALSPECIALTY: Reproductive Endocrinology. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: M.D., Sackler School of Medicine; board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist; board-certified Obstetrics and Gynecology. AWARDS/HONORS: DFW
Favorite Fertility Clinic 2024, America’s Best Fertility Clinics 2023, Newsweek; Mom Approved Doctor, 2012 - 2024. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor All Saints Fort Worth; Baylor Surgicare Fort Worth. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: The number of patients who trust us to help create their families. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our goal is to provide patientcentered care no matter the diagnosis or financial situation. Our front desk greets you by name, each patient has a nurse dedicated to her care, and all sonograms and clinical procedures are performed by your physician. FREE ADVICE: Understand your fertility options and then follow your heart. PICTURED: Dr. Robert A. Kaufmann.
Fort Worth Fertility
1800 Mistletoe Blvd.
Fort Worth 76104
817.348.8145
Fax 817.348.8264
fwivf.com
Worth Obstetrics & Gynecology
SPECIALTY: Obstetrics and Gynecology.
EDUCATION: Taylor Bradley, D.O. – B.A., UT Austin; M.S., D.O., UNT Health Science Center; Residency, UT at Houston; Board-Certified. Cynthia English, D.O. – B.S., UNT; D.O., UNT Health Science Center; Residency, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; BoardCertified. Traci Bartkus, D.O. – M.P.H., UNT Health Science Center; D.O., UNT Health Science Center; Residency, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; BoardEligible. Shannon White, NP – B.S.N., Western Governors University; M.S.N., UTA. Niveen Joulani, PA-C – B.S., UTA; P.A., University of Texas Southwestern. Katie Burnett, PA-C – B.S., UT Austin; P.A., UNT Health Science Center.
AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Resources – Harris Methodist Southwest; Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Oakmont. INNOVATIONS: Leaders in opioid-free, gentle cesarean deliveries and minimally invasive procedures in both office and hospital settings. PRACTICE
PHILOSOPHY: We provide compassionate, patient-centered care. Every woman’s journey is unique, and we ensure they feel heard, valued, and supported. Our expertise in routine and complex care empowers patients with informed choices. We prioritize trust, comfort, and advanced medical solutions at every stage of life. FREE ADVICE: Take care of yourself so you can be there for others.
PICTURED: (front) Shannon White, NP; Niveen Joulani, PA-C; (back) Dr. Cynthia English, Dr. Taylor Bradley, Dr. Traci Bartkus; (not pictured) Katie Burnett, PA-C.
Fort Worth Obstetrics & Gynecology 6317 Harris Parkway, Ste. 400 Fort Worth 76132 817.423.2002 fortworthobgyn.com
Fort Worth Plastic Surgery & MedSpa
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Robert G. Anderson, M.D. – American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology –Head & Neck Surgery. Tony Daniels, M.D. – American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dustin C. Derrick, M.D. – American Board of Surgery; American Board of Plastic Surgery - Board Eligible. AWARDS/ HONORS: Voted Top Docs 2001–2024 by peers in Fort Worth Magazine; voted Top Docs 2017–2024 by peers in 360 West Magazine; awarded a “Best Companies to Work For” by Fort Worth Inc.; honored by Forbes magazine as Top 10 Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgeon in the U.S., and Newsweek magazine as a Texas Plastic Surgeon You Should Know. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Working as a team to care for lifelong patients who continue to choose us each year. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our commitment to the total well-being of our patients. Looking good is only one piece of the puzzle. Our physicians and team offer the complete package of looking and feeling your best, offering skin care, medial weight loss, and surgery striving to create lifelong relationships with our patients. FREE ADVICE: Cosmetic surgery is a personal choice. Consultations can feel overwhelming; create a list of questions in advance so you stay prepared. We are dedicated to educating patients and strive to create the most comfortable environment.
Fort Worth Plastic Surgery & MedSpa 800 12th Ave., Ste. 100 Fort Worth 76104
SPECIALTY: A board-certified plastic surgeon, specializing in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast, and body, and breast cancer reconstruction. EDUCATION: Undergraduate, Notre Dame; M.D., University of Texas Medical Branch; Plastic Surgery, Oregon Health and Sciences University. AWARDS/HONORS: Kunkel has been listed by Fort Worth Magazine as one of the area’s Top Docs 24 times, by Texas Monthly magazine as a Texas Super Doctor 20 times, by 360 West Magazine as a Top Doctor six times, and by Castle Connolly as a Top Doctor nine times. He was also named a Health Care Hero by Fort Worth Business. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Texas Medical Association, and Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, Texas Health Southwest Fort Worth Hospital, Texas Health Fort Worth Hospital. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: We have created a remarkable culture of compassion, care, education, and service in our office. BEDSIDE MANNER: We treat you like you are a person who has desires and needs; you’re not just another surgical procedure. OFF HOURS: Kunkel enjoys travel, playing golf, taking photographs, and blogging about murals found around Fort Worth. FREE ADVICE: In cosmetic surgery, experience matters. Find someone who not only understands your needs but can also demonstrate experience with a variety of techniques.
Kelly R. Kunkel, M.D., P.A.
1830 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth 76110 • 817.335.5200
SPECIALTY: Plastic Surgery, subspecializing in cosmetic surgery of the face and body. EDUCATION: Aesthetic surgery fellowship, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital; plastic surgery residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; medical school, UT Southwestern Medical School, summa cum laude; undergraduate, University of Oklahoma, B.S., microbiology, summa cum laude. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Face lift, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, breast augmentation, nonsurgical facial rejuvenation. CERTIFICATION: Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. AFFILIATIONS: UT Southwestern, Adjunct Assistant Professor; Baylor All-Saints Medical Center; Harris Methodist Fort Worth; Baylor Surgical Hospital; Texas Health Surgery Center Fort Worth Midtown. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Building a busy clinical practice from the ground up while maintaining a focus on academic pursuits including the education of both current and future plastic surgeons. UNIQUE BEDSIDE MANNER: We always aim to fulfill the golden rule: Treat every patient as we would want to be treated ourselves. The rest falls into place. PICTURED: (left to right) Heather Self, LE, CLP, LSO; Heather Koplin, RN, BSN; Kimberly Lopez, LE, CLP, LSO.
Jon Kurkjian, M.D.
5801 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 200 Fort Worth 76109
817.870.5080
Fax 817.870.5064 jkplasticsurgery.com
Danielle Le Blanc, M.D., FACS
Le Blanc Plastic Surgery
SPECIALTY: Board-Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION: B.S., University of Texas at Austin; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Breast reconstruction featuring direct to implant and pre-pectoral breast reconstruction, revision reconstruction, breast augmentation, breast lift and body contouring, fat grafting and facial injectables. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons, Tarrant County Medical Society, Fort Worth Plastic Surgery Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Harris Methodist Fort Worth; Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center; Texas Health Surgery Center Fort Worth Midtown. DURING OFF-HOURS: I find joy in spending time with my husband and our 15-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. I also enjoy flyfishing, hiking, skiing, traveling to exotic places, and photography. PICTURED: (seated) Danielle Le Blanc, M.D.; (left to right) Brandi Weston; Chelsea Gould; Kate Harvey, RN; and Tracy Skinner.
Le Blanc Plastic Surgery 800 Eighth Ave., Ste. 406 Fort Worth 76104 817.698.9990
info@drleblanc.com drleblanc.com
Metroplex Dermatology
SPECIALTY: Board Certified Dermatologist and Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Facial Reconstructive Surgery. EDUCATION: David Hensley –M.D., Texas Tech University; P.A., fellowship, UT Houston. Stephen Blum – Southwestern Medical School. Aatman Shah –MIT and Stanford Medical School; fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Facial Reconstructive Surgery, University of Cincinnati. Richard Brandt – Doctorate, Texas Tech University; P.A.-C, Hahnemann University; MPAS, University of Nebraska. Debbie Slay – PA-C, MPAS, graduated summa cum laude, Texas A&M University; master’s degree in physician assistant studies, UNT Health Sciences Center; master’s in dermatology, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Josie Karl – Dermatologic P.A., UTMB, Galveston. Holly Glover – PA-C, BS, Exercise and Sport Science; MS, Exercise Physiology, Baylor University; MPAS, UT at Southwestern Medical Center. Ray C. Vaughn, PA-C, MPAS, retired Air Force Captain, graduated Interservice Physician Assistant Military program; MPAS, University of Nebraska of Medicine. AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Resources Arlington. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Serving patients and their families locally and abroad on our medical mission outreach. INNOVATIONS: Xtrac Laser, Blue-U (PDT) for medical treatments, Body Sculpting, Moxy/ BBL, HydraFacial, and new state-of-the-art lasers. FREE ADVICE: Be smart when enjoying outdoor activities — wear sunscreen and protective clothing. Watch for new and changing spots on yourself and loved ones. PICTURED: (left to right) Ray Vaughn, PA-C; Richard Brandt, PA-C, Ph.D.; Josephine Karl, PA; David Hensley, M.D.; Stephen Blum, M.D; Aatman, Shah, M.D.
Metroplex Dermatology
300 W. Arbrook Blvd., Ste. D Arlington 76014
817.704.4777
metroderm.com
New Leaf Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
SPECIALTY: Plastic and reconstructive surgery with a focus on cosmetic procedures of the breast, body, and face. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: B.S., Stephen F. Austin State University (summa cum laude); Medical School, St. George’s University School of Medicine; Plastic Surgery Residency, University of Oklahoma; Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery. AWARDS/ HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Docs, 2014 – 2021; Fort Worth Magazine Top Plastic Surgeons; Living Magazine Top Healthcare 2021. MEMBERSHIPS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
AFFILIATIONS: THR Alliance, North Hills Hospital, Medical City Alliance, Medical City Decatur, and Medical City Denton. SURGICAL SERVICES: Body contouring, breast reconstruction, breast reduction, Brazilian butt lifts, breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tucks, arm/thigh lifts, face lifts, brow lifts, neck lifts, MyElevate, FaceTite, BodyTite, eyelid rejuvenation, otoplasty, mommy makeovers. SPA SERVICES: FaceTite; BodyTite; laser services for brown spots, vessels, hair removal, cellulite, skin tightening, and skin resurfacing. Skin care products, Botox®, Daxxify, facial fillers (Juvederm®, Voluma®, Vollure®, Volbella®, Redensity, RHA 2®, RHA 3®, RHA 4®), KYBELLA®, eyelash/brow services, wraps, medicalgrade chemical peels, microdermabrasion.
BEDSIDE MANNER: We combine compassion, confidentiality, experience, and safety with personalized attention to your individual needs.
New Leaf Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
4400 Heritage Trace Parkway, Ste. 200 Fort Worth 76244
SPECIALTY: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Our physicians specialize in all aspects of rehabilitation including neck and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, sports medicine, orthopedic rehabilitation, amputee care, and occupational medicine. Our physicians perform EMG and nerve conduction studies, baclofen pump management, botulinum toxin injections, peripheral joint injections, and Visco supplementation. We provide comprehensive inpatient and outpatient therapeutic management. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Omar Selod, D.O. – Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine; residency, Baylor University Medical Center. Lan Le, D.O. – UNT Health Science Center; residency, Baylor University Medical Center. Austen Watkins, D.O. – UNT Health Science Center; residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center. Neha Shah, D.O. – UNT Health Science Center; residency, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital/University of Chicago. Benecia Williams, D.O. – UNT Health Science Center; residency, Baylor University Medical Center; Sports Medicine fellowship, JPS. Hayden Smith, D.O. – UNT Health Science Center; residency, Baylor University Medical Center. AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth, Kindred Southwest. PICTURED: Hayden Smith, D.O.; Benecia Williams, D.O.; Austen Watkins, D.O.; Lan Le, D.O.; Omar Selod, D.O.; (not pictured) Neha Shah D.O.
PMR Fort Worth
New Office: 5632 Edwards Ranch Road Ste. 100
Fort Worth, 76109
817.336.7188 Fax 844.231.8865 pmrfortworth.com
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: American Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Fellowship Trained in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard teaching program) (General Surgery); Louisiana State University (Plastic Surgery) and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (Aesthetic Fellowship). AWARDS/HONORS: Compassionate Doctor Recognition, Super Doctors Texas Rising Stars, Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctors, Patients Choice Award, America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine, Texas Monthly Top Doctors. MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and American Society of Plastic Surgeons. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Closing a practice in Chicago and moving to New York City to train under world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Donald Wood-Smith to complete an Aesthetic Fellowship. INNOVATION/SPECIAL INTERESTS: Dr. Polavarapu specializes in facial rejuvenation with personally compounded chemical peels and creates a “natural look” with her approach to anti-aging, fillers, neuromodulators, and lasers. She is one of the handful of female plastic surgeons in Texas who offers both DIEP flap and expander-implant breast reconstruction. Breast cancer patients should know all their options. She is also certified in the hidden scar approach to breast reconstruction. She has a unique approach on breast augmentation, tummy tucks, body contouring, and otoplasty. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Ability to relate to all patients and treat them like family.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Interventional Pain Medicine, Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine, and Sports Medicine. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Jason Butler, M.D. – medical degree, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C.; residency and fellowship, JPS, Fort Worth. Mark Dirnberger, D.O. – medical degree, Texas College of Osteopathic Medical, UNTHSC; internship, Medical City Fort Worth; residency, OMCT Hospital Fort Worth. AWARDS/ HONORS: Regency doctors have repeatedly been named Top Doc and Best Of for Interventional Pain Medicine across the DFW area. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Surgicare, Mansfield; Methodist Mansfield Medical Center; USMD Hospital, Arlington; and Baylor Surgical Hospital, Fort Worth. INNOVATIONS: Regency doctors utilize multiple modalities when treating pain patients. One treatment option unique to Regency is Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments. SERVICES: Regency Pain & Therapy Institute provides a full range of treatment options and services for patients suffering from chronic and acute pain. The practice is all inclusive, utilizing education, medications, physical therapy, injections, and various procedures to treat pain. And for patient convenience, everything is available under one roof. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Regency doctors are well known for their thoughtful and attentive approach to providing care, and they share a personal and professional “Commitment to Excellence” in all areas of patient care delivery. PICTURED: Mark Dirnberger, D.O.; Jason Butler, M.D.
Regency Pain & Therapy Institute
74 Regency Parkway Mansfield 76063 817.419.6111
RegencyPain.com
Reinke Eye and Laser Center
Martin Reinke, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology: cataract surgery, premium lens implants (Toric Lens, PanOptix, Vivity, Tecnis, Envy), diseases of the retina and vitreous, diabetic retinopathy/ lasers, macular degeneration, glaucoma treatment. EDUCATION: B.A., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1986; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, 1990; Ophthalmology Residency, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 1995; Vitreoretinal Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1997. CERTIFICATIONS: Board Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. AWARDS: Physician’s Recognition Award, American Medical Association.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Texas Ophthalmological Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White Surgical Hospital Las Colinas, Baylor Scott & White-Irving, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Texas Health Surgery Center Arlington. PATIENT CARE: A commitment to excellence in eye care is enhanced by our outstanding, caring staff. Dr. Reinke is a uniquely talented surgeon who personally provides all preoperative and postoperative care. PICTURED: Dr. Martin Reinke.
Reinke Eye and Laser Center
1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. • Southlake 76092 817.310.6080 • Fax 817.310.6014 1916 Central Drive • Bedford 76021 817.283.6607 • Fax 817.283.2674
SPECIALTY: Retina specialist; board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologists specializing in the most advanced treatments for medical and surgical diseases of the retina including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membrane, and intraocular tumors. EDUCATION: The physicians have trained at leading institutions, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital Wilmer Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School, Duke University Eye Center, Wills Eye Hospital, University of Southern California, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, Associated Retinal Consultants/Beaumont Health, and the Georgetown University/Retina Group of Washington. PATIENT CARE: We believe the most important qualities of the doctor-patient relationship are communication, trust, and compassion. As physicians, we should know more than our patients about their disease; our goal is to have them understand their disease at least as well as we do. We are humbled by our patients’ trust and feel that trust is a strong foundation upon which our relationship is built. Our goal is to heal; often, that healing comes from soothing the mind or the heart through compassion. We advise our patients to take an active part in their treatment.
Retina Center of Texas
3455 Locke Ave., Ste. 310 Fort Worth 76107
305 Morrison Park Drive, Ste. 100 Southlake 76092
3804 W. 15th St., Ste. 130 Plano 75075
12222 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 250 Dallas 75243
SPECIALTY: Rheumatology. EDUCATION: Internal Medicine residency at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey; fellowship in Rheumatology at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California. CERTIFICATIONS: Board-certified in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine; certified in Medical Humanities, Drew University; certified in rheumatological procedures under ultrasound guidance by the Ultrasound School of North American Rheumatologists (USSONAR). AWARDS/ HONORS: Top Doc, 2017-2025; Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars, 2020-2025; 360 West Top Doc, 2020-2025; Assistant Professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University; Barbara Sloan Patient Comfort Award for outstanding compassion and care of patients; Assistant Chief Medical Resident. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American College of Rheumatology (ACR), American Medical Association (AMA), Texas Medical Association (TMA). AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Huguley Hospital. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Rajbhandary specializes in treating both common as well as rare rheumatic conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, gout, fibromyalgia, etc. She performs steroid and Visco supplementation injections, injections for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and bursitis. PATIENT CARE: Dr. Rajbhandary is known for her empathetic approach toward patients, providing unwavering support and understanding to all those who are suffering from acute and chronic pain due to their autoimmune disease.
PICTURED: Rosy Rajbhandary, M.D.
Rheumatology Clinic of DFW, PLLC 11803 S. Freeway, Ste. 104 Fort Worth 76115
817.551.3812
Fax 817.551.3813
rheumatologyclinicofdfw.com
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: OB-GYN — Menopause, Sexual Medicine, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment.
EDUCATION: Texas Woman’s University, BS; University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine – Doctor of Osteopathy, MS in Clinical Research and Education, Predoctoral Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Fellowship; Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, OB-GYN Residency.
AWARDS/HONORS: Texas Top Doc, 2021-2024, DFW Child Mom Approved, 2021-2024, 2024 DFW Favorites Winner Gold for Best Women’s Clinic, 2022-2024 Global Excellence Awards: Best Full-Service Gynecology Practice 2024 –Texas. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center; Baylor Surgicare; Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: My proudest professional accomplishment is founding Sky Women’s Health. By stepping outside the box, I strive to fill a crucial gap in women’s health care — specifically in menopause and sexual medicine — by providing my patients with a more comprehensive and personalized level of care. PATIENT CARE: What sets my patient care apart is the emphasis on providing women with the time and space they need to feel truly heard and valued. In a health care system where women often feel dismissed or rushed, I prioritize creating an environment where patients feel respected and understood. PICTURED: Carolyn Moyers, DO, MS, FACOG, MSCP, IF. PHOTO BY: Amber Tice.
Sky Women’s Health
1125 S. Henderson St. Fort Worth 76104
817.915.9803
carolyn@drcarolynmoyers.com
SPECIALTY: Both Drs. Heistein and Rumalla specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, facelift, eyelid lift and more. CERTIFICATION: Both Drs. Heistein and Rumalla are boardcertified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. OUR FACILITY: The Southlake Surgery Center is a state-of-the-art, AAASF-certified ambulatory surgery center designed to cater to the needs, desires, and privacy of our patients. PATIENT CARE: Our philosophy is to provide each patient with a first-class surgical experience. We deliver the highest level of integrity and expertise in all of our cosmetic procedures. From the first phone call, and all the way through the post-operative visits, we assure that each patient will receive kind and compassionate care. We have an experienced and professional team who are dedicated to helping each patient feel better inside and out. PICTURED: Jonathan Heistein, M.D.; Vishnu Rumalla, M.D.
Southlake Surgery Center
521 W. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 175 Southlake 76092
Dr. Heistein • 817.820.0000 Fort Worth and Southlake offices drheistein.com
Dr. Rumalla •817.334.0030 Fort Worth and Keller offices tarrantplasticsurgery.com
Matthew H. Steele, M.D.
SPECIALTY: Plastic Surgery. EDUCATION: B.S., M.D., University of Florida; Board Certified, American Board of Otolaryngology, LSU Health Sciences Center; Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Doctor, Fort Worth Magazine, 2013–2016, 2024-2025; RealSelf 100 Award; Exemplary Teacher Award, University of Florida, College of Medicine; Outstanding Young Alumnus, University of Florida Alumni Association. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American Society of Plastic Surgeons; American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Being accepted into a prestigious accelerated medical school program at the University of Florida and teaching young residents and medical students at my alma mater. INNOVATIONS: We offer virtual reality 3D breast imaging so that patients can get a more realistic visualization of their results after breast augmentation. Additionally, Dr. Steele offers awake, in-office procedures such as liposuction with Renuvion J-plasma, blepharoplasty, and skin cancer repair under local anesthesia for a speedy recovery. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Our team prides itself on providing an individualized, first-class experience. We take the time to build a trusting, collaborative relationship with each patient. FREE ADVICE: Always check for board certification and get a few opinions from several plastic surgeons. PICTURED: Dr. Matthew Steele, Keri Steele, Jessica Garcia, Sheniqua Lawson, Jennifer Geyer, and Victoria Puff.
Matthew H. Steele, M.D.
5656 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 202 Fort Worth 76109
SPECIALTY: Cosmetic surgery of the breast, body and face, and breast reconstruction.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: B.S., Amherst College; M.D. and residencies in Surgery and Plastic Surgery at UTMB Galveston; Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. MEMBERSHIPS: The Aesthetic Society, American Association of Plastic Surgeons, Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons.
INNOVATIONS: Dr. Strock is an internationally recognized authority on breast implant surgery. He is widely known for his expertise in the treatment of complications from previous breast implant surgery, including both implant replacement and removal, with use of the patient’s own tissue to create optimal breast shape. He is also well known for his expertise in first-time breast enhancement, including transaxillary endoscopic breast augmentation, an approach that allows patients to have silicone gel implants placed using a short incision in the armpit, avoiding any incisions on the breast. Dr. Strock teaches the latest concepts and techniques in breast implant surgery at The Aesthetic Society’s Sponsored Symposia and Annual Aesthetic Meeting. He currently serves as a Traveling Professor for the Aesthetic Society and Adjunct Faculty at UTSW and previously was president of The Aesthetic Foundation (Education and Research). This dedication to education and his specialty gives him access to the latest information that he routinely applies to help his patients.
PICTURED: (standing) Kelly Sheldon, Patient Coordinator, and Hannah Bagstad, Clinic Coordinator; (sitting) Dr. Strock.
SPECIALTY: Spine Surgery. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Spine research, teaching, and training, participating in the advancements in spine surgery. INNOVATIONS: TBI research arm, which participates in FDA studies and trials. Research and education are the foundations on which TBI was built, and they continue 45 years later. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The depth of the practice allows the surgeons to sub-specialize in different advanced techniques and technology. TBI employs the use of artificial disc, ultra-minimally invasive, robotics, and endoscopic procedures. ADVICE: Michael F. Duffy, M.D. – If you are told you need a fusion, ask about disc replacement. Uche Davidson, M.D. – Arm and/or leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness when associated with neck or back pain could be a sign of nerve compression and should be evaluated by a spine specialist. Brian Braaksma, M.D. – Get all your questions answered. You should understand what is going on in your body, your treatment plan, and your expectations from recovery. Adewale Adeniran, M.D. – Don’t delay seeing a spine surgeon for an evaluation if you are losing balance, developing weakness in your arms or legs, or having more and more difficulty walking long distances. PICTURED: Top Docs (front, left to right) Michael Duffy, M.D.; Uche Davidson, M.D.; Brian Braaksma, M.D.; (back ) Adewale Adeniran, M.D.
Texas Back Institute
Alliance • Fort Worth • Mansfield
972.608.5100 texasback.com
SPECIALTY: Cardiac Electrophysiology.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: M.D., FHRS ‒Cleveland Clinic Electrophysiology. AWARDS/ HONORS: Best in Texas, EP Fellowship Director. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Heart Rhythm Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth, Medical City Heart & Spine. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Helping patients live a healthier lifestyle. INNOVATIONS: Pulse Field Ablations, LAAO for stroke prevention. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: At Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, Senthil Thambidorai, M.D., provides technical expertise in all aspects of cardiac electrophysiology with a deep understanding of patients’ anxieties about heart rhythm disorders and procedures. FREE ADVICE: Put your health first! PICTURED: Senthil Thambidorai, M.D.
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia
1650 W. Rosedale, Ste. 105 Fort Worth 76104
972.566.4822 Fax 972.566.4170 tcaheart.com
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia
Senthil Thambidorai, M.D.
Texas Center for Urology
SPECIALTY: Urology/Urologic Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Todd Young – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency, Michigan State University. Michael Waters – D.O., Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Urology Residency, Michigan State University. James Kelley IV – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency, Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia. Jay Carpenter – D.O., UNTHSC; Urology Residency, Rowan University. AFFILIATIONS: Texas Health Huguley Hospital, Texas Health Huguley Surgery Center, Texas Health Mansfield Hospital, Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Fort Worth, Medical City Fort Worth, Medical City Weatherford, Baylor Surgical Hospital of Fort Worth. PRACTICE INNOVATIONS: Our doctors are committed to providing leading-edge, minimally invasive, and solutions-oriented treatments for a wide range of urological needs. We work closely with each patient to come up with a treatment plan that considers all aspects of a patient’s life. PICTURED: Todd Young, D.O.; Michael Waters, D.O.; James Kelley IV, D.O.; and Jay Carpenter, D.O.
Texas Center for Urology
2900 Acme Brick Plaza
Fort Worth 76109
817.871.9069 • Fax 817.871.9067
11797 South Freeway, Ste. 330 Burleson 76028
817.769.3370 • Fax 817.769.3377
1759 Broad Park Circle, Ste. 101 Mansfield 76063
817.769.3370 • Fax 817.769.3377
136 El Chico Trail, Ste. 102 Willow Park 76087
texascenterforurology.com
Texas Health Care Bone & Joint Clinic
SPECIALTY: Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement, Spine Surgery, Hand Surgery, Foot and Ankle. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Board-certified orthopedic surgery, fellowship-trained sports medicine, hand, total joints, spine, arthroscopy, foot and ankle.
AWARDS/HONORS: Team physicians, Fort Worth Country Day School and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo; TCU’s official orthopedists and team physicians, 58 years until 2015; Fort Worth Magazine Top Docs; Texas Super Doctors; Fort Worth Business Press Heathcare Hero. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Established in 1958, the Bone & Joint Clinic is the oldest and largest orthopedic clinic in Fort Worth. INNOVATIONS: Hip arthroscopy, minimally invasive total hip replacement, regenerative orthopedic injections with patients’ own platelets and stem cells. PATIENT CARE: With highly specialized physicians and integrated, on-site physical therapy, we can diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate any orthopedic condition, either a degenerative condition or injury, including traumatic sport and overuse injuries to any part of the body. PICTURED: David P. Brigati, M.D.; Gary Driver, D.P.M.; Andrew Lee, M.D.; James Brezina, Jr., M.D.; Torrance A. Walker, M.D.; Steven J. Meyers, M.D.; (not pictured) Joseph C. Milne, M.D.
Texas Health Care
Bone & Joint Clinic
1651 W. Rosedale St., Ste. 200 Fort Worth 76104
817.335.4316
Fax 817.336.2504
thcboneandjoint.com
Texas Oncology
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We provide comprehensive care to women with cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, genetic counseling, nutrition assessment, and social services. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Noelle Cloven, M.D. – Gynecologic Oncology; M.D., Baylor College of Medicine; Residency, UC Irvine; Board-Certified in Gynecologic Oncology. Jennifer Hecht, D.O., FACOS – Breast Surgical Oncology; D.O., Oklahoma State, Breast Surgical Oncology, Grant Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Board-Certified in General Surgery. Cristi Aitelli, D.O. – Medical Oncology; D.O., UNT-HSC; Residency, BUMC; BoardCertified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Kathleen L. Shide, M.D., FACR –Radiation Oncology; M.D., UT Southwestern Medical School; Residency, Mayo Clinic; Board-Certified in Radiation Oncology. Rachel Theriault, M.D. – Medical Oncology; M.D., Baylor College of Medicine; ResidencyInternal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine; Board Certified in Medical Oncology. Chi Pham, M.D. – Medical Oncology; M.D., UT Southwestern; Residency - Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern; Board Certified in Medical Oncology. Reagan Street, M.D. – M.D., Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; Residency, University of Texas Medical Branch; Board Certified in Gynecologic Oncology. INNOVATIONS: Minimally invasive surgery, genetic counseling and testing, molecular profiling to allow for targeted therapy, clinical trials through NCI and Gynecologic Oncology Foundation. MOTTO: More breakthroughs. More victories.® PICTURED: Chi Pham, Reagan Street, Jennifer Hecht, Cristi Aitelli, Noelle Cloven, Rachel Theriault, and Kathleen L. Shide.
Texas Oncology
Fort Worth Cancer Center 500 S. Henderson St. Fort Worth 76104 817.413.1500
Southwest Fort Worth 6500 Harris Parkway Fort Worth 76132 817.263.2600 texasoncology.com
Ultimate Bariatrics
Rich Novack, M.D.
Adam Smith, D.O.
Jay Roberts, D.O.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Bariatric and Abdominal Surgery. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: All the surgeons are fellowship trained and are experienced in minimally invasive, laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: When surgery is the answer, they work with the patients to determine the right technique for their specific needs. No two patients are the same, so each patient deserves a customized treatment plan for their specific needs. At Ultimate Bariatrics, we offer everything for lifelong weight loss at one practice, with both medical and surgical weight loss options. Our doctors and staff are here to help the patients, giving them the support and information they need to make wise decisions when it comes to weight loss, weight management, and a healthy lifestyle. WHAT SETS US APART: The weight loss process can be complicated, but we make it easy and give our patients the tools they need to succeed. That’s the ultimate difference.
FREE ADVICE: Weight loss surgery marks the start of a lifestyle change. Ultimate Bariatrics recommends post-op support groups for their benefits and to boost your success.
Ultimate Bariatrics
2501 Parkview Drive, Ste. 560 Fort Worth 76102 6121 N. Highway 161, Ste. 225 Irving 75038
4031 W. Plano Parkway, Ste. 100 Plano 75093
817.850.1100 Fax 817.870.2553
ultimatebariatrics.com
Dr. Molly M. Warthan
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Board-Certified Dermatologist and Board-Certified Mohs Surgeon. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Medical school, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston; Dermatology residency, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; Fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Tallahassee, Florida. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American College of Mohs Surgeons (ACMS); American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS); American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Pioneered research on tanning addiction, gaining worldwide recognition (featured on NBC TODAY, New York Times, Washington Post); published multiple papers in dermatology medical journals; participated in numerous FDA clinical trials, helping approve new medications, including BOTOX, biologics for psoriasis, and acne treatments. INNOVATIONS: Specializes in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, a technique ensuring complete skin cancer removal while preserving healthy skin; offers advanced cosmetic dermatology treatments, including CoolSculpting, laser hair removal, BOTOX®, Dysport®, Juvéderm®, Restylane®, RevitaBrow, RevitaLash®, and microneedling. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Committed to providing the best dermatologic care in a warm, friendly environment, ensuring patients feel comfortable and well cared for. FREE ADVICE: Regular skin self-exams and early detection are key to treating skin cancer effectively. PICTURED: Dr. Molly Warthan.
Warthan Dermatology Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery Center
5751 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 101 Fort Worth 76109
817.923.8220 mohsdermatology.com
Warthan Dermatology Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery Center
We Care Clinic
SPECIALTY: Specializes in internal medicine/functional medicine and wellness services. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATES: MD, MBBS, weight loss certificate, hormone therapy certificate, IV nutrition therapy certificate, and other wellness modalities. AWARDS: Top Doc in WellMed; Blue Ribbon in other insurance providers. MISSION STATEMENT: Providing professional care to patients like they are family with nothing less than the best for them. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: My proudest accomplishment is the relationships of 25 years that I have with my patients; they are like family. MEMBERSHIPS: TMB, TMA. INNOVATIONS: We offer menopausal support and treatments for low T in men, chronic fatigue, weight loss, allergy treatment, and Botox and fillers. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: The policy of the clinic is to treat everyone the way we want to be treated. We spend extra time listening to their complaints and try to address issues like social factors and emotional factors that may be affecting the health of the patient — a holistic approach. FREE ADVICE: Please have yearly checkups even if you’re not sick. You want to prevent sickness and not treat it after the fact. Prevention is the modern way. PICTURED: Shabnam Qasim, M.D.; Afsheen Jamal, NP; Mary Alex, NP; Jeanine Takla, NP.
wecareclinicdfw.com
FOCUS DOCTORS TO KNOW
Baylor Scott & White Signature Medicine - Fort Worth
SPECIALTY: Drs. Craig Kneten and Daria Greer – Family Medicine physicians. EDUCATION: Dr. Kneten – degrees in chemistry, psychology, medicine, and population health; board-certified in Family Medicine. Dr. Greer – medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; residency at JPS Hospital; board-certified in Family Medicine. AWARDS/HONORS: Baylor Scott & White Signature Medicine – Fort Worth earned the Press Ganey Pinnacle of Excellence Award® in 2022 and 2023 for outstanding patient care. INNOVATIONS: Dr. Kneten integrates innovative approaches like the Collaborative Care Model, lifestyle medicine, and Blue Zones principles to support patients’ long-term well-being. UNIQUE PATIENT
CARE: Dr. Kneten –Known for his empathetic bedside manner, Dr. Kneten emphasizes open communication and patient-centered care. Dr. Greer is an active listener who strives to be a partner with her patients to improve their health.
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE SIGNATURE MEDICINE FORT WORTH
900 W. Magnolia Ave, Ste 202, Fort Worth 76104 817.912.8090
Denise Bruckerhoff, D.O.
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Internal Medicine. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine. AWARDS/ HONORS: ACOI Fellow of Internal Medicine; 2014 American College of Osteopathic Internists Fellow; 2011, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Fort Worth Magazine Top Doc, Internal Medicine; 2009 American College of Osteopathic Internists Board Certification; 2020 Inner Circle Executive Top Doc, Internal Medicine; 2022 and 2024 TX Top Docs, Internal Medicine; 2023 Top Doctors in America, Internal Medicine. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: AOA, TOMA, ACOI. Assistant Professor TCU Burnett School of Medicine. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Methodist Mansfield, Texas Health Resources, Reunion Rehab Arlington.
Denise Bruckerhoff, D.O.
1900 Matlock Road, Building 6, Ste. 604 Mansfield 76063
817.755.1005 bimadr.com
DOCTORS TO KNOW
Connections Wellness Group
SPECIALTY: Debra Atkisson, M.D. – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; General Psychiatry. Casey Green, M.D. –Addiction Medicine; General Psychiatry. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Dr. Atkisson –Texas Tech University School of Medicine, M.D.; board certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; International Coaching Federation (ICF)- Professional Certified Coach. Dr. Green –University of Texas Medical Branch, M.D.; board certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. AWARDS/HONORS: Dr. Atkisson – Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctor; Texas Monthly Super Doctor; AACAP Distinguished Mentor and Fellow. Dr. Green – Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctor 2024. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Dr. Atkisson – “In my book, Master Your Storm, you will find a unique blend of coping skills, strengthening resilience, accountability, and other holistic interventions together.” Dr. Green – “I am uniquely positioned to bridge the gaps between biological medicine, psychotherapy, spirituality, and community support to help each patient find their recipe for recovery.”
PICTURED: Debra Atkisson, M.D.; Casey Green, M.D.
6101 West Plano Parkway Plano 75093
877.747.4294
connectionswellnessgroup.com
DFW Infectious Diseases, PLLC
SPECIALTY: DFW Infectious Diseases is part of an integrated health care delivery system comprised of physicians, hospitals, case managers, community clinics, managed care partners, and other health care professionals, all of whom work together as a team to deliver the integrated care that is more effective to managing patient infections.
MISSION: Our mission is to develop and maintain a patient care environment that enhances our ability to provide comprehensive care in a sensitive and caring setting.
PHILOSOPHY: Our philosophy is to approach each patient as an individual and address his or her concerns through proper research and examination, effective and accurate diagnosis, proper treatments, early prevention. and up-todate education. We constantly strive to significantly improve the health and quality of life of our patients, decrease the duration of illness, and have more positive outcomes.
PICTURED: Dr. Nikhil K. Bhayani and Dr. Priya Subramanian
SPECIALTY: Dermatology. EDUCATION: Angela Bowers, M.D. ‒ Texas A&M, summa cum laude; M.D., U.T. Southwestern; internship, Baylor University Medical Center; residency, U.T. Southwestern. AWARDS/HONORS: Texas Monthly Super Doctor; Fort Worth Magazine Top Doc; Healthcare Hero; AOA Honor Society; chief resident. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Past-president, Dallas Dermatological Society; American Academy of Dermatology; Texas Dermatology Society. HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White - Grapevine; Southlake Methodist Hospital. ACHIEVEMENTS: Founded Southlake Dermatology in 1999; mother of two. HOPES FOR MEDICINE: Less government and insurance interference. Encourage healthy choices with incentives. INNOVATIONS: Early adopter of Potenza for youthful skin. UNIQUE BEDSIDE MANNER: Advanced care with a patient-first approach. CHARITY: Supports Grace Community Medical Clinic and others. FREE ADVICE: Wear sunscreen with zinc oxide daily.
SOUTHLAKE DERMATOLOGY
431 E. State Highway 114, Ste. 300 Southlake 76092 817.251.6500
southlakedermatology.com
Star Retina
SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology — specializing in treating diseases of the retina and vitreous. Our newest physician Dr. Alexandria Chaulk is a board-certified vitreoretinal surgeon specializing in macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, floaters, and secondary intraocular lens implantation. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Dr. Chaulk –M.D., UT Southwestern; residency, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; board certifications: American Academy of Ophthalmology & American Society of Retina Specialist. AWARDS/HONORS: Star Retina has won DFW Favorite Best Eye Surgeon, Fort Worth Magazine Top Doctors, Texas Monthly Super Doctors, Super Doctors of Texas, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors. INNOVATIONS: Retinal diseases are a leading cause of vision loss and blindness, affecting millions of people worldwide. Drs. Chaulk and Crawford perform medical missions worldwide and conduct clinical trials vital to the development of new treatments and therapies for retinal conditions. PICTURED: Alexandria Chaulk, M.D., and Courtney Crawford, M.D., FACS. Star Retina
2780 SW Wilshire Blvd.
Burleson 76028
817.378.4777
starretina.com
Texas Bone and Joint
Brook Adams
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Dr. Brook Adams is board-certified in orthopedic surgery with additional fellowship training in sports medicine. Areas of interest include prevention and treatment of sports injuries, nonoperative treatment of arthritis as well as joint replacements of the hip, knee, and shoulder. Level I musculoskeletal trauma trained.
EDUCATION: M.D., University of Texas Houston; residency at University of New Mexico; sports fellowship in Jackson, Tennessee, where training was completed in 2012.
AWARDS/HONORS: Board certified and current fellow American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. HOSPITAL
AFFILIATIONS: Medical City Fort Worth. Current office locations in Fort Worth, Burleson, and Willow Park.
PATIENT CARE: Dr. Adams strives to devote quality time and give compassionate care to patients.
Texas Bone and Joint 1650 Rosedale Road, Ste. 120 Fort Worth 76104 682.286.7011 brook.adams@hcahealthcare.com
CHOWTOWN
LOCAL EATS AND RESTAURANT NEWS
Northeastern Star
Who says northeast Tarrant lacks in the fine dining department? Certainly not Deborah Williamson, owner of the “fine-casual” spot James Provisions in Hurst.
WHAT WE’RE CHEWING OVER THIS MONTH:
On page 142 Two new globetrotting restaurants have opened in the tiny Funky Town Food Hall in the Near Southside. On page 144 Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival attendees will get a sneak peek of the new Don Artemio spinoff, Dos Mares.
by Malcolm Mayhew
Photos by Thanin Viriyaki
Northeastern Star
A featured chef at this year’s Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Deborah Williamson is living her best life — and cooking her best food — at a cool little spot in Hurst called James Provisions.
Nearly 30 years ago, North Texas native Deborah Williamson moved to the East Coast, chasing a new life and a new career. After a few years of working in the marketing industry, she landed in Brooklyn, where in 2008 she and her chef husband opened James, a farmto-table restaurant that became a local sensation, beloved for its thoughtfully
sourced dishes that were Instagram-ready before Instagram even became that much of a thing.
Fifteen years into running James — the name of which she upgraded to James Provisions during the pandemic when she began selling packaged meals and baskets of food — she came back home to North Texas.
“Work brought me to New York City, but I moved to Brooklyn for love,” she says, adding that she and her husband eventually divorced. “I adored my time in New York. It definitely formed me personally and professionally. That said, I’m a Texan through and through and am thrilled to be home.”
Luckily, she brought her restaurant with her. James Provisions opened a year ago, nearly to the day, in the northeast Tarrant suburb of Hurst, not far from where Williamson was born and raised. There, she picks up where she left off in Brooklyn, serving artfully presented, highly personal takes on American classics from the land and sea. Local foodie types have taken notice, including the organizers of this month’s Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival; Williamson is one of the featured chefs at this year’s fest.
Bathed in natural light from floor-toceiling windows, the 2,500-square-foot space feels breezy and bright. Minimalist design, featuring natural textures like steel and stone, creates a serene ambiance. Outside, when the weather’s nice, the patio is flush with culinary herbs and plants, including yuzu, avocado trees, and rosemary, a nod to the original Brooklyn location’s unique, pick-your-own garden.
As was also the case at the Brooklyn original, the self-taught chef is practically a one-woman show, the first one there, the last one out. Prepping, cooking, cleaning, greeting and visiting with guests — that’s her, doing it all, quietly and subtly, making the chaos of running a restaurant look easy, not to mention elegant.
Credit that to her food — one plate after another of beautifully crafted and presented American classics: smoked carrot soup, butcher’s steak served with crushed potatoes, charred onions, and chimichurri; a creamy beet dip; and a fantastic burger.
The menu includes several gluten-free, keto-friendly and vegan and vegetarian options, too.
Williamson emphasizes natural, whole foods that are thoughtfully sourced. Black angus beef for her
Deborah Williamson
seasonal burgers, for instance, comes from a ranch in the tiny Texas town of Cameron. It checks all the eating-right boxes: pastured, grass-fed, grain-finished, hormone and antibiotic free.
“While we’re a scratch kitchen with healthy fare, I don’t think of us as health food restaurant per se,” she says. “Our brioche is made with butter. We make our mayo and ricotta in house, filter our cooking and drinking water, use cast iron and carbon steel instead of Teflon. But those are just adjuncts. We’re really about delicious, craveable food that’s fun and approachable.”
Service at James Provisions is unique in that diners order at the counter, then seat themselves in the spacious dining room or on the patio — a slightly unusual style of service for food of Williamson’s caliber; she calls it “fine-casual.” “It’s the best of both worlds,” she says. “Fine dining food in a more relaxed atmosphere.”
Born in Euless, raised in North Richland Hills, and schooled at UTA, Williamson first developed an interest in food through her mother, with whom she often cooked side-by-side. In 1996, she decided to pursue a life elsewhere, packing up her life and heading to New York, where she spent several years working in marketing departments for Vanity Fair and GQ.
In 2008, she and her then-husband opened their farm-to-table restaurant James, its name an homage to a family member. “It was one of the first farmto-table restaurants in Brooklyn,” she says. “We were situated in a century-old Prospect Heights brownstone in the neighborhood we loved.”
In 2020, at the start of COVID, Williamson, now divorced, changed the name to James Provisions to reflect the fact that the store now sold groceries and take-home meals. But a year later, as her lease was coming to an end and after the death of a family member, she made the decision to come home.
“My father passed away in 2021,” she says. “I just felt the universe was calling me home, so I packed up and drove back to Texas. I spent the next six months thinking about what my next chapter would look like, and the only thing that interested me was feeding people.”
While Fort Worth and Dallas might have seemed like better options to open a cheffy restaurant, she landed on a space in Hurst, close to home. “It’s a bit of a ‘Field of Dreams’ spot,” she says. “We’re in the midst of an area that needs good food. There’s not much like it in the area, but we’re close enough to appeal to folks in Dallas and Fort Worth, and maybe most importantly,
it’s 15 minutes from my house. I’m in the restaurant seven days a week so it has to be close to be feasible.”
Williamson is very much attached to the area: She has family in northeast Tarrant, and she has involved her restaurant with local schools and businesses; she also serves on the Hurst Economic Development Board.
Moving to New York to pursue a new life, coming home for a fresh start — it was all meant to be, she says.
“I love the beauty of food and the alchemy of restaurants, the way it can transform a day and a life, the fundamental goodness of it all,” she says.
James Provisions’ spring burger with garlic pesto sauce and pickled red onions
All Day Eggs (left) with whipped ricotta and miso butter baby potatoes, and Favorite Bowl with poached chicken and a smear of beet hummus.
by Malcolm Mayhew
Culinary Crossroads
Two new eateries inside a food hall in the Near Southside area take diners around the world, one globetrotting bite at a time.
Two of the city’s best new restaurants are not only located in the same neighborhood but also on the same street, in the same building, about, say, five or six feet from one another, give or take an inch or two.
Beren Mediterranean Empire Kitchen and Karino’s Piri Piri
Chicken are located next to one another in the Funky Town Food Hall, located underneath Wabi House near the intersection of Magnolia Street and Eighth Avenue.
Over the past few years, the food hall has been home to several concepts that shy away from
the ordinary. Cafecito, a Mexican restaurant that specializes mainly in breakfast dishes, many made with pink tortillas, is perhaps its most well-known occupant. It recently upgraded to its own brick-and-mortar location further east on Magnolia.
The hall’s other widely known vendor was Ober Here, which served Filipino food.
Now in their places are these two new concepts, both family-run by self-taught chefs and owners whose food pays homage to their families and heritages. Karino’s is owned by Deon Stein, whose menu is made up of Mozambique-style chicken dishes, stews, and other items. Likewise, the owners of Beren — the Erhan family — specialize in Mediterranean classics, affordably priced and stylishly presented.
Photos by Thanin Viriyaki
Beyti kebab at Beren Mediterranean
Karino’s namesake piri piri chicken
Along with well-known Med dishes such as lamb kebabs, gyros, falafel, hummus, and baba ghanoush, Beren’s menu features dishes you don’t always see, including kavurma, tender, braised beef shoulder served on a bed of rice, and cyprus, a decadent walnut and coconut flake cake topped with sweetened cream and a touch of orange. There’s a variety of baklava, too, as well as housemade bread.
Beren is the only restaurant in Fort Worth to serve Turkish breakfast. During breakfast hours, they serve two styles of bagels: simit, a twisty, sesame seed-covered bread ring that resembles a pretzel, and pogaca, which resembles an American bread roll. They can be ordered individually or as part of breakfast plates that also include sujuk, a spicy sausage, menemen (a scrambled eggs dish made with tomatoes), and assorted cheeses and vegetables.
A few feet over, the star of Karino’s menu is the restaurant’s namesake dish: piri piri chicken. Portuguese in origin, the dish features whole chicken or chicken pieces coated in a spicy sauce made with African bird’s eye peppers, which carry the nickname “pili pili.” Each piri piri chicken dish is made to order; there will be a bit of a wait, about 20 minutes or so.
The chicken is served in whole, half, or quarter portions, along with sides such as rice, fries, coleslaw, and Portugese rolls, light and airy bread rolls.
There are chicken and beef stews, too, along with a handful of breakfast items such as an egg and grilled chicken pita.
Both restaurants are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
FunkyTownFoodHall,1229EighthAve.,FortWorth
The Chowtown Lowdown
Campo Verde, the Arlington Tex-Mex restaurant known for its blitzkrieg of Christmas decorations, closed in January. But the restaurant’s 200,000 lights will twinkle once again, thanks to Mouhssine “Moose” Benhamacht, the globetrotting chef and restaurateur who opened the excellent Farena Italian restaurant at the Loews Hotel in Arlington and now mans the controls of the equally great Cafe Americana in downtown Arlington. Moose, who has worked in restaurants around the world and now calls Arlington home, recently took over the restaurant and is in the process of revamping both its interior and menu, including its sacred queso, the recipe for which has been changed over the years, much to the chagrin of longtime fans. Moose told me he’s even looking into doing a community-wide queso taste test, to make sure the new version is to everyone’s liking. Look for a reopening sometime this summer.
Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, the super-cool ‘cue joint in Aledo run by Dayne and Ashley Weaver, is now hosting monthly classes in which pitmaster Dayne shares various tricks of the ‘cue trade. For April, he’s hosting a four-hour brisket class wherein he’ll walk participants step-by-step through his process of cooking his excellent brisket, from sourcing quality meat to pit management to trimming and seasoning. Price of the class, $175, includes much, much food, along with three complimentary drinks. The class will be held 4:30 - 8:30 p.m., Sunday, April 27, at Weaver’s restaurant at 100 S. Front St. in Aledo. daynescraftbarbecue.com
Capitalizing on the arrival of patio season, Emilia’s at The Crescent Hotel, recently named Texas’ top hotel by Condé Nast Traveler, has launched a brunchy/beachy weekly event called Patio Brunch with DJ Steffi. Held on the restaurant’s patio the first Saturday of every week through May from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event will feature exclusive dishes, such as a bagel board and a build-your-own yogurt parfait, snazzy cocktails, and lively tunes from well-heeled Dallas DJ Steffi Burns. emiliasfortworth.com
Paco’s Mexican Cuisine, which served excellent Mex Mex and Tex-Mex on the Near Southside for nearly a decade, quietly closed earlier this year. But owner Francisco “Paco” Islas will launch a new concept in the same space by the beginning of April, he says. Shogun Taqueria, he’s calling it, and he’ll serve a unique style of food: a fusion of Mexican and Asian cuisine. We’re talking kimchi quesadillas, shiitake mushroom tacos, and menudo ramen. Keep an eye out for it at 1508 W. Magnolia Ave.
My good friend Scotty Scott’s Abe Fromage cheese-focused food truck can now be found on a regular basis at Tulips, the Near Southside bar and music venue. A lot of great stuff has happened to Scott’s homage to all things cheesy since I last talked to him. Twice he’s been featured on “The Today Show,” TexasMonthlywrote a rave review, he’s been mentioned in other fine pubs like this one — good stuff, all. For the uninitiated, Abe Fromage’s menu is made up of cheffy sandwiches and entrees in which cheese is often the star, like a gouda grilled cheese with truffle butter and honey crisp apples, and a smash burger with havarti cheese and caramelized onions. Some of his other dishes include a duck bacon BLT and a pickled shrimp po’boy. instagram.com/a.b.e.fromage
The Erhan family owns Beren Mediterranean
by Malcolm Mayhew
Sea You There
Attendees of this year’s Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival will get a sneak peek of Dos Mares, a much-anticipated, seafood-focused spinoff of lauded Fort Worth Mexican restaurant Don Artemio.
At this year’s Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Fort Worth restaurateur
Adrian Burciaga will celebrate the three-year anniversary of one restaurant and the birth of another.
Along with business partner and chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas, Burciaga has spent the past three years building a name for Don Artemio, the pair’s award-winning Mexican restaurant in the Cultural District.
Opened in 2022, the restaurant has won acclaim near and far, from snagging local and regional culinary trophies to landing a nomination for the coveted Best New U.S. Restaurant Award in the 2023 James Beard
Restaurant and Chef Awards.
Now, the two are hard at work on another concept, Dos Mares, a seafood-driven restaurant slated to open late spring/early summer, right next door to Don Artemio.
Burciaga says the two restaurants will be very different from one another. While Don Artemio culls its culinary inspiration from Northeast Mexico land and sea cuisine, Dos Mares will put a clear emphasis on seafood from both the Baja and Gulf beaches of Mexico. Its name, after all, translates to “two seas.”
“The two restaurants will complement one another,” he says. “We do a
few seafood dishes at Don Artemio. At Dos Mares, seafood will be our main focus.”
Dos Mares’ menu will include dishes such as a potato-crusted sea bass served with guajillo chipotle butter sauce on a bed of cauliflower rice; grilled, butterfly-cut branzino garnished with avocado mousse and black bean puree; and baja tacos filled with beer-battered striped bass, red cabbage slaw, serrano aioli and a charred ranchero salsa, all served on a housemade tortilla.
Cardenas’ son Rodrigo is also involved in Dos Mares, as he’s helping dad and Burciaga with the development of the menu, along with other restaurant-opening plans.
Burciaga says an executive chef will soon be in place to execute the menu and help launch the restaurant sometime in the next few months. In the meantime, attendees of this year’s Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival will get to sample some of Dos Mares’ forthcoming dishes.
“It’s a special year at the festival for us,” Burciaga says. “To celebrate the anniversary of one restaurant and the beginning of another — that just means so much to us.”
Dos Mares, 3260 W. Seventh St., instagram.com/dosmares.restaurant
Photos by Thanin Viriyaki
Coming later this year, Dos Mares will feature butterflied branzino with avocado mousse and black bean puree.
Adrian Burciaga, Rodrigo Cárdenas
Richard Rodriguez
A Simple Plan
Scott Sangalli of Morrison Group, the home designer of the 2025 FortWorthMagazineDream Home, infuses the annual showcase of homebuilding and design with efficiency and livability.
When making a blueprint for anything — whether it be the operations of a supply company or the plans of a luxury home — Scott Sangalli has a knack for finding the most pragmatic and efficient design.
Initially an accountant by trade, Sangalli moved to Texas from his homebase in Illinois after taking over Morrison Supply Co., a plumbing, HVAC, and utility products retailer. According to Sangalli, he “made some dramatic changes really quick and turned a $17 million business into a $1 billion business in a few years.” Thanks to the implementation of a self-made computer system — one that has since become an industry standard — Sangalli was able to increase Morrison Supply Co.’s productivity to 30% above the industry average.
It's a gift, really: the ability to look at a project with a discerning eye and detect precisely what it needs to be successful. And Sangalli applies this same eye to every home he designs.
Despite the successes of Morrison Supply Co., in the early 1980s, Sangalli simultaneously financed a homebuilding project with a friend, which included a whole neighborhood of low-square-footage homes with rear-entry garages that Sangalli himself would design. The homes would have steep-pitched roofs and deed restrictions on parking within 25 feet of the curb. The result was a handsome row of affordable houses that sold like hotcakes.
“We never finished a home that wasn't sold,” Sangalli says. “We did 40 houses when nobody else was selling anything. Then, we went and did another neighborhood. So that's how it all started.”
and built a custom home for the 1992 Street of Dreams in southwest Fort Worth’s Mira Vista neighborhood.
“Well, we won all the architectural awards, both public and private,” Sangalli says of the competition. “Won the landscape award, won the decorating award, won the customer's favorite home, and all that. And I got, like, 15 build jobs off that thing. Next thing I know, we're in business.”
According to Sangalli, he continues to design 99% of the homes Morrison Group builds, which includes the 2025 Fort Worth Magazine Dream Home. The project partners some of the industry’s top professionals to build a one-of-a-kind home that will highlight the latest trends in homebuilding, design, and technology. Concerning design, the home, a single-story ode to Napa Valley luxe, comes stocked with the Morrison Group stamp of flow, pragmatism, and livability.
“An architect or a home designer will tell you, if they do it right, that everything’s there for a reason,” Sangalli says. “Our designs are a very personal thing. Every wall is there for a reason; everything is in a cer-
tain spot for a reason. Not 3 inches this way or 3 inches that way. It’s like a Jenga thing. You can’t just pull out something and the rest of it works.”
Perched atop a hill in the exclusive Montrachet development, the nearly 7,000-square-foot home includes four bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths and comes with a view of downtown Fort Worth. Susan Semmelmann of Susan Semmelmann Interiors has partnered with Fort Worth Magazine for her seventh Dream Home project and will provide the interior design.
The 2025 Dream Home at Montrachet will be open for touring from May 31 to June 22. You can purchase tickets for the tour at dream.fwtx. com. All proceeds from the tour benefit a Wish with Wings, Fort Worth Magazine’s flagship charity that grants wishes to children with life-threatening conditions. Th
Home Details
Square Feet: 6,931
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4 ½
Style: Napa Valley
Dream Home Partners
APPLIANCES
ARTIFICIAL GRASS
BEAMS
BRICK
BUILDER
CABINETRY (KITCHEN)
CABINETRY (MASTER)
CABINETRY (OTHER)
COUNTERTOP (FABRICATION)
COUNTERTOP (MATERIALS)
DOOR - FRONT
ELECTRICIAN
FENCING
FIREPLACES
FIREPLACE AND VENT HOOD TILE
FLOORING & TILE LABOR
FLOORING MATERIAL (WOOD AND CARPET)
GARAGE DOORS AND OPENERS
GLASS
GUTTERS
HARDWARE
HVAC
INTERIOR DESIGN
LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION
LIGHTING FIXTURES
LOW VOLTAGE, AV, AND SECURITY
OUTDOOR FURNITURE
PAINT (LABOR)
PAINT (MATERIALS)
PLUMBING (FIXTURES)
PLUMBING (LABOR AND SUPPLIES)
POOL
REALTOR
ROOFING
TILE MATERIAL
WASTE REMOVAL
The Jarrell Company
WinterGreen Synthetic Grass LLC
Green Valley Beam & Truss Co.
Metro Brick & Stone Co.
The Morrison Group
The Kitchen Source
The Closet Factory
Renova Custom Woodworks
Absolute Stone
Daltile
Durango Doors
Fox Electric
Buzz Custom Fence
Metro Brick & Stone Co.
Cosentino
Vintage Floors
Vintage Floors
Open Up Garage Doors
Fashion Glass
Loveless Gutters
Rick's Hardware & Decorative Plumbing
Moss Heating & Cooling
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Guardado Landscaping
Passion Lighting
H Customs
Yard Art Outdoor Living
Gutierrez Painting
Benjamin Moore
The Jarrell Company
Pro Serve Plumbing
Purselley Pools
John Zimmerman Group
Tarrant Roofing
Daltile
Waste Advantage
PLATINUM SPONSORS: SEWELL & FIBER-SEAL
Scott Sangalli
Jewel Charity Ball
Cook Children’s
Nearly 1,300 guests enjoyed an evening of boots, Western bling, and black-tie glamour at the 2025 Jewel Charity Ball, hosted at the Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibits Hall on March 1. Will Rogers Memorial Center was transformed into a Lone Star paradise complete with breathtaking sunset images, vibrant floral arrangements, and larger-than-life Western décor. Collections Fine Jewelry showcased hundreds of dazzling pieces for guests to peruse and purchase at the event and donated 10% of sales to Jewel Charity. The Steve Miller Band, led by Texas-native Steve Miller, provided entertainment for the evening.
Victor Medina, Betsy Price, Barbara Williams, Glen Hahn, Janet Hahn, Susan Medina, Barbara & Thurman Schweitzer
Brad & Meridith Wallace, Parker & Kelly Handlin
Angela & Rick Bettinger, Alton & Amy Adkins
Lezlie & Joe Monteleone
Susan & Victor Medina
Brad & Kristen Trapnell, Suzanne & Travis Sanders, Cody & Dana Quisenberry
Sandra Tuomey, Michelle Marlow
photos by Rachel DeLira
by
Omni Theater VIP Event
John Justin Foundation
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History celebrated the unveiling of the new Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater with an exclusive VIP reception for donors of the dome on Dec. 12. Guests who attended this invitation-only event were celebrated for their support and enjoyed an exclusive preview of the theater’s new cutting-edge technology and upcoming programming.
Orlando Carvalho, Roy Topham, Jeb Terry
Marianne Auld, Mattie Parker, Regina Faden
Shirley & John Henry Dean, III
David & Noel Nolet
Steve & Melinda Winn
photos
Aleena Mir
“I am so grateful to have Terri Loddick and her fabulous crew at Proscapes take care of all my landscaping needs. They are the total package: landscape design, weekly maintenance, seasonal planting, trimming, fertilizing, mulching and mosquito control. They coordinate with my irrigation team, landscape lighting, tree trimming and even helped design my backyard putting green. Kelley (maintenance manager) oversees everything and is committed to making everything look beautiful. It is truly a pleasure working with them!”
Mary Bates Country Club Cir
GIVE BACK
GREATER FORT WORTH’S CHARITY/SOCIAL EVENTS
April 4
Diamond Luncheon
Social Space Foundation for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy
April 4
Lend a Hand
Luncheon
ACH
ACH Child and Family Services
April 5
Heart Ball River Crest Country Club
American Heart Association
April 5
Zoo Run
APRIL
Fort Worth Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
April 9
Puttin’ on the Pink Dickies Arena
Texas Health Resources Foundation
April 10-13
MAIN ST. Fort Worth
Arts Festival
Main Street
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
April 11
Celebration Luncheon River Crest Country Club
Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County
April 11
Gladney Night at Six Flags
Six Flags Over Texas
Gladney Center for Adoption
April 12
Victory Over Violence
Walk/Run
Trinity Park Duck Pond The Women’s Center
April 17
Annual Golf Tournament
Champions Circle Golf Club — Fort Worth Christ’s Haven for Children
April 24
Know It Before You Need It Brunch River Crest Country Club
James L. West Center for Dementia Care
April 25
Empty Bowls Luncheon Will Rogers Tarrant Area Food Bank
April 26
Open Streets Festival Magnolia Avenue from 8th Avenue to Hemphill Near Southside, Inc.
April 26
Gone Country at Casa Mañana Gala
Casa Mañana Casa Mañana
April 26
Hungry Hound Hustle Walk/Run
Mutts Canine Cantina, Clearfork
Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank
April 28
Golf Classic Trophy Club Country Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County
April 29
El Tesoro de la Vida Benefit Dinner
The Round Up Inn/ Will Rogers Camp Fire First Texas
April 29
6th Annual Evening of Hope TBD Hope Farm
04 . 04 . 2025
featuring author and speaker Drew Dyck with entertainment by violinist Armond Vance
Academy 4 changes lives through relationships by mentoring 4 th graders in leadership. We provide a mentor for EVERY 4 th grader in the economically disadvantaged schools we serve.
Our volunteers serve together once a month for 90 minutes and mentor the 4 th graders in leadership, providing the students with a positive relationship with a dependable adult.
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS
RELATIONSHIPS SPONSOR LEADERS SPONSORS
SPARK SPONSORS
LARRY KARDARAS
Larry Kardaras Jr
817.377.9941
Mary Jane and Crawford Edwards
Doug and Jayne Orr Family Foundation Win and Patricia Ryan
Carrie and Sean McPadden
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT COMMITTEE
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Allison Bains · Amber Calhoun · Candice Smith · Alison Kelley · Mary Jane Edwards
Coming together for a great cause is what Texans do best! Thank you for your support of the 2025 Puttin’ on the Pink Fashion Luncheon! Proceeds from the event benefit the Texas Health Wellness for Life ® Mobile Health program that brings no-cost mammograms and other health screenings to underserved neighbors in Fort Worth and surrounding communities.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT CHAIRS
Kristen Perello and Savannah Petronis AND
OUR SPONSORS
For more information on how you can help please visit www.texashealth.org/Community-Health/Mobile-Health
Join us on May 15 at The Fort Worth Club for a cocktail reception celebrating these outstanding leaders.
A Celebration of Fort Worth’s 500 Most Influential People
Congratulations to The 500: Fort Worth’s Most Influential People — a distinguished list of leaders throughout our region whose contributions make Fort Worth a better place to live and work. From this group, Fort Worth Inc. names Kay Granger as its 2025 Person of the Year for her years of service as U.S. representative for Texas’ 12th district.
Join Event Chairs
ISH AREBALOS & LINDA BOSWELL
Celebrating the transformative power of a wish and the Hope it brings to children facing life-threatening medical challenges
Featuring Fort Worth’s own award-winning country duo JOLIE HOLLIDAY & SONNY BURGESS with the Cowboy Band
may 2, 2025 in the pavilion at dickies arena 1911 montgomery st. fort worth, tx 76107
For sponsorship information, go to awww.org or contact Lesley Irwin at lesley@awww.org or 817-469-9474.
PREMIER SPONSOR
Called the Urban Lantern, the 76-foot-tall glass and stone tower is the first thing that greets visitors to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Constructed with point-supported glass panels with a yellow frit pattern, the structure first welcomed museumgoers in 2009 — the result of a massive renovation project — and has since become an iconic Fort Worth landmark. Renowned Mexico City-based architect Ricardo Legorreta designed the museum’s renovation, which took place between 2007 and 2009. According to Novum, the company contracted to engineer, furnish, and install the lantern, the fixture “symbolizes a beacon of learning.”
Prints of this image, along with many others that have either appeared or not appeared in our publication, are available for purchase on the Fort Worth Magazine website. Check out the QR code for the link.
