Texas PSR Spring Heat Summit Virtual · April 30 · 9AM-4:30PM CT
Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S., and Texas is at the epicenter. This Summit will bring clinicians, public health professionals, advocates, and policymakers together to address extreme heat as the urgent public health crisis it is—and to advance practical, prevention-focused solutions that save lives.
The Summit will feature:
- Clinical perspectives across the lifespan, including impacts during pregnancy, among student athletes, vulnerable adults, and older Texans
- A midday keynote by Dr. Rose Jones, medical anthropologist, presenting ethnographic research with Texans who have survived extreme heat exposure
- Afternoon panels with nonprofit advocates, municipal officials, and public health leaders focused on policy and community-level strategies to reduce heat-related illness and deaths
Introduction + Extreme Heat's Impacts throught the Lifespan: From Pre-birth to Teens
Dr. Irvin Sulapas is an associate professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at UTHealth Houston. He is a primary care sports medicine physician and serves as a team physician for the Houston Dynamo FC, University of Houston, University of St. Thomas, and Texas Southern University. Dr. Sulapas also serves as one of the medical captains for the Chevron Houston Marathon. He brings years of experience covering games and other athletic events, which includes taking care of athletes in hot climate conditions.
Kimberly Carter, MD, MPP, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist in Women’s Health, a clinical partnership between Ascension Seton and UT Health Austin. She specializes in treating patients with vulvodynia. Additionally, Dr. Carter is an assistant professor in the Dell Medical School Department of Women’s Health. Dr. Carter earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and a master’s degree in public policy studies from the University of Chicago. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Carter’s clinical and research interests include the treatment and management of vulvar disorders. She is currently working on an educational initiative involving the reduction of maternal transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) to neonates. She is also an active member on several professional committees and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Texas Medical Association Select Committee on Medicaid, CHIP, and the Uninsured and the Co-Chair of the Task Force on Health Care Coverage, among many others. Kimberly Carter, MD, MPP, is an obstetrician-gynecologist with Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health.
Ronda McCarthy MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACPM is Concentra’s Senior Director of Medical Surveillance and TeleBehavioral Health services, Regulatory Testing and Exam Medical Expert Panel, Chair and Senior Course Director for Concentra sponsored NIOSH Spirometry Training Program. Dr. McCarthy is a graduate of the University of Texas medical school, Houston (MD), Medical College of Wisconsin (MPH), and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (occupational medicine). She is board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American College of Preventive Medicine. Areas of interest include: heat stress and heat-related illness prevention programs; spirometry training, respirable crystalline silica; climate hazards; police, fire fighter and hazmat exams; OSHA regulated surveillance and screenings; and occupational medicine epidemiology.Extreme Heat's Impacts throughout the Lifespan: Vulnerable Adult Populations and Seniors
Dr. Bethany Boggess Alcauter is the Chief Program Officer at the National Center for Farmworker Health. She holds a BS in community health, an MPH in epidemiology, and a PhD in occupational epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center. Her areas of expertise include community-driven & participatory research and programming to prevent occupational health and safety issues for workers in agriculture and construction. She lives in Austin, Texas, and enjoys cooking on campfires, admiring pictographs and petroglyphs, and spending time with her children.
Dr. Mudit Gilotra is a family and addiction medicine physician. He is currently the Associate Medical Director of Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston and is the Director of Street Medicine. He has worked with people who are homeless directly for the last 15 years and is passionate about providing the highest quality care to people living on the street.
Dr. Angela Catic is an academic geriatrician with a career focus on education and models of care. She is an Associate Professor in the Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and serves as the Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.Ethnographies of Extreme Heat Survivors
Rose Jones, PhD is a medical anthropologist with extensive experience in academic medicine, community-based research, and nonprofit consulting. She has held faculty and research appointments at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Health, and Children’s Health. Her fieldwork has spanned the globe—from St. Lucia, Jamaica, and Barbados to the Texas/Mexico Border, Native American communities, and both rural and urban regions across Texas. Rose is the founder of Rapid Anthropology Consulting, an initiative that works at the intersection of the climate crisis, public health, and human rights. Through research, advocacy, and strategic storytelling, she works to elevate community voices and drive equitable policy change.
Innovative Strategies from the Non-profit Sector Addressing Heat Deaths
Greg Harman is a multimedia journalist and the founder and managing editor of Deceleration, a bioregional journal of environmental justice covering climate change, human rights, water policy, biodiversity, and democracy. With two decades of experience in the media industry, he has worked for a variety of print and online outlets and contributed to publications such as the Guardian, Vice, Indian Country Today, and the Texas Observer. As an award-winning columnist and editor, he produces impactful stories that inform, inspire, and empower communities to take action for a more sustainable and equitable future. He leverages skills in photography, web design, video production, data visualization, and podcasting to create engaging and diverse content formats that reach a growing audience.
Dr. Amite Dominick’s bio coming soon!
What Cities and Counties Can Do to Keep People Safe
Sustainability Administrator City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability Leslie Antunez is a dedicated and committed public servant with 17 years of service specializing in climate initiatives, public information, crisis and media communication strategies, and community engagement and education. As the Sustainability Administrator, she responsible for overseeing the City's municipal climate planning and implementation efforts. To include projects such as the Urban Heat Island/Cool Pavement pilots and assisting with the municipal on-site solar project. Leslie is proud alumna of the New Mexico State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the Texas Women's Leadership Institute.
Melanie Rubio's bio coming soon!
Sponsors
Adelita Cantu, PhD, RN, FAAN
