School of Medicine
Faculty Profiles
The Regional Dean
Regional Dean of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Amarillo Richard M. Jordan, M.D.
Richard M. Jordan, M.D., began serving as the new regional dean of the Amarillo School of Medicine in September 2007. He earned his bachelor's degree from Depauw University in 1967 and his medical degree from Indiana University in 1971. Dr. Jordan did his internship at the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii and completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology at the University of Oregon in Portland.
As regional dean, Dr. Jordan has responsibilities for the academic, research and clinical administration for the School of Medicine activities in Amarillo. The school at present trains 82 residents, 72 medical students, employees more than 80 faculty and has an operating budget of $37 million.
He served as chief of medical services at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, as well as chief of the Division of Endocrinology, James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University at Johnson, City, Tennessee. Dr. Jordan was a professor, associate chairman for postgraduate education of the Department of Medicine and the department's residency program director. He has published over 60 articles and book chapters primarily about endocrine disease.
A recipient of six teaching awards, Dr. Jordon received the 2006 Health Care Hero Innovation Service Award from the Business Journal of Tri-Cities and King Pharmaceuticals in recognition of a health care provider whose inventive thinking furthered the cause of health care. He was also named as one of America's Top Physicians by the Consumers' Research Council of America in 2007. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Jordan is interested in amateur astronomy and ancient history. He managed the World Champion U.S. National BMX Bicycle Racing Team in 1993 and 1994 and the Pro Cycles BMX Bicycle Racing Team that were National Champions in 1994, 1995 and 1996. His two sons, Dana and Erick, were members of those teams.
Assistant Deans
Assistant Academic Dean
Marita A. Sheehan, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Marita Sheehan, has been with Texas Tech at Amarillo from 1983 to 1986 and again since 1991. Before taking her position as assistant academic dean in 1995, Dr. Sheehan served as regional chair and associate professor of the department of pediatrics. She was associate director of ambulatory care and director of adolescent medicine at Austin Pediatric Education Program in Austin, TX. Dr. Sheehan received her BA degree from the University of San Diego at San Diego, CA. She received her MD degree from the California School of Medicine at San Francisco. She completed an internship in pediatrics at Los Angeles County, U.S.C. Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, and her residency in pediatrics at Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco. Dr. Sheehan received her M.P.H., maternal and child health from the University of California, School of Public Health in Berkley, CA.
Dr. Sheehan has served as medical director at Marsalin Institute in Holliston, MA and has been in private practice in Kailua, HI. She is certified with the American Board of Pediatrics and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, the Ambulatory Pediatric Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Pediatric Society, and the Potter-Randall County Medical Society.
She has served on the section on child abuse and neglect and the section on adolescent health of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Sheehan has also served on the parenting committee of the Texas Pediatric Society, the Austin Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, the Child Advocacy Committee for Texas Tech & the Texas Department of Human Services, the Infection Control Committee at Castle Memorial Hospital and the Community and Child Health Committee of the Houston Pediatric Society.
Dr. Sheehan has developed programs for the Texas Tech University adolescent medicine program, the Baylor College of Medicine residency program, and the Texas Woman's University Family Clinician Program. She has made numerous presentations.
Assistant Dean for Finance & Administration
Deborah Lee Fitzpatrick Cain
School of Medicine in Amarillo
Deborah Cain was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. She has been an avid athlete most of her life, dividing time between basketball, swimming, golf, horses, fitness walking (to name a few) and her studies. She was recognized by faculty as the top Marketing student at West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Deborah spent years in California, Colorado, and Montana before returning to her old home. The medical field captured her interest in Colorado where she managed the business office for a small rural hospital. Upon her return to Amarillo, she sought out a career in the medical field and proceeded to "grow up" with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. Her experiences began from the ground up, learning all facets of the business and spending several years as Administrator for Psychiatry and then for Pediatrics. She then joined the Assistant Dean for Finance & Administration / Assistant Vice President for Fiscal Affairs as a Director and pursued, in quiet fashion, her goal to be the Assistant Dean. She is a lover of good health and healthy living and believes in Texas Tech. She has been employed with Texas Tech since 1982.
Deborah was presented Employee of the Month awards in 1983, 1986 and 1989, an Outstanding Achievement Award in 1989, and a Quality Service Award in 1999. She is currently a member of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) and the Academic Practice Assembly (APA). She was a member of Leadership Amarillo and Canyon. One of her special moments was, while in the Dale Carnegie Course, being awarded three personal progress awards and the Highest Award for Achievement. She's made the statement public speaking is a fear she felt was finally put to rest!
Deborah believes in the employees of Texas Tech and ranks them "top notch". Her philosophy on life is "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".
Deborah married Rocky M. Cain in 1979 and they are the proud parents of a beautiful basset hound.
Assistant Dean for Quality Improvement & Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Charles Wright MO, MMM
Charles Wright, has been with Texas Tech Amarillo since 1988. Dr. Wright did his undergraduate work at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS and obtained his MD degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, MS. Wright completed his residency at Texas Tech at Amarillo. Following his residency, he entered the US Air Force where he completed the Air Force's Aerospace Medicine Primary Course at Brook Air Force Base in San Antonio and then served as flight surgeon and chief of emergency services at Barksdale AFB, LA. Dr. Wright was in private practice in Olney, TX for eight years. After joining the faculty of Texas Tech, Dr. Wright completed the academic fellowship at the Family Practice Faculty Development Center of Texas in Waco.
Dr. Wright is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He earned the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine in 1988. Upon joining the Family Medicine faculty, he served as clerkship director for the department. In private practice, he served as chief of staff at Hamilton Hospital in Olney. Dr. Wright has served as medical director for several nursing homes including Olney Nursing Center and Seven Oaks Nursing Center, both in Olney, and the Palo Duro Nursing Center in Claude, Texas. Currently, he serves as medical director for the Bivins Memorial Nursing Home and the Elizabeth Jane Bivins Home for the Aged in Amarillo.
Dr. Wright is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, serves on its Commission on Academic Affairs and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He belongs to the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Texas Geriatrics Society, the American Geriatrics Society, the Medical Group Management Association, and the American College of Physician Executives.
In 1998, Dr. Wright completed Tulane University's executive program, earning the Master of Medical Management degree from the Tulane University School of Tropical Medicine and Public Health in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Wright was named the Panhandle Chapter of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians 1994 Physician of the Year. Wright was one of five "Champions" recognized by University President Robert Lawless in 1994.
Dr. Wright has presented programs in topics such as "Helping Families Navigate Through Divorce", "Medical Professional Ethics and Business Ethics", and "Medical Ethic and Post-Modern Philosophy".
From 1990-2003, Dr. Wright served as the regional chairman of Family and Community Medicine for Amarillo. Since July 1, 2003, he serves as the assistant dean for quality improvement.
Associate Regional Dean for Faculty Developement
Stephanie Leeper
Stephanie Leeper, M.D. came to the Texas Tech School of Medicine at Amarillo in July 2005 as Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Regional Dean of Faculty Development. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.
Dr. Leeper is a native of Tennessee and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at East Tennessee State University, followed by her medical degree at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine of ETSU. She completed her Internal Medicine residency there, with her last year as Chief Resident. She remained on the ETSU faculty, was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, and rapidly rose to become Professor and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. While in her administrative role at ETSU, she obtained a $1M federal grant to help serve disadvantaged high school, college, and postgraduate students within the Appalachian region for those who are interested in pursuing health careers. Under her tenure, seeing the need for financial support for needy students, she assisted with donor recruitment and development and witnessed exponential philanthropic growth. During the period of time in which stock and banking account interest rates plummeted, many new immediate use scholarships were created and the operating accounts of other well-established scholarships became more robust through a personal letter writing campaign and a medical student phonathon directed solely to involve College of Medicine alumni. In addition, new endowments consisting of over $8M became available including funds specifically to assist needy medical students who were born or raised in the medical school’s Congressional District within Appalachian Tennessee.
Dr. Leeper's clinical activities focus on Geriatrics within the context of General Internal Medicine. Her many awards and activities are too numerous to list here.
She has two wonderful daughters, Rashea and Briana, who enjoy reading, art, and sports.
Department of Internal Medicine Faculty
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty
Department of Pediatrics Faculty
Department of Psychiatry Faculty
Department of Surgery Faculty