Amarillo

Regional Dean
Brian Weis, MD, Phd, FACP.

Brian Weis, MD, PhD, FACP, officially was named the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine regional dean in Amarillo on August 1, 2024. Weis has a history with TTUHSC dating back to January of 2005 when he joined the internal medicine faculty after having spent 17 years at UT Southwestern/Parkland Hospital in Dallas. While in Dallas, Weis completed his M.D., a Ph.D. in biochemistry, and his postgraduate training in internal medicine before joining the faculty at UT Southwestern. He was recruited by TTUHSC in Amarillo with the intent of serving as the program director for the TTUHSC Internal Medicine Residency Program; he served in that role for more than seven years. In the summer of 2015, Weis became the chief medical officer (CMO) at Northwest Texas Hospital having served in multiple medical staff leadership roles at the hospital since 2005. Weis had the privilege of helping lead the hospital and community through the COVID-19 pandemic as the CMO and member of the Mayor’s COVID-19 Advisory Board. Yearning to return to a teaching role with residents and medical students, Weis returned to TTUHSC in the Spring of 2023.

Weis is the proud recipient of the Mario Feola M.D. Outstanding Faculty Award in 2007 and 2011, the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award by the internal medicine residents seven times from 2006 through 2012, the Dean’s Clinical Science Teaching Award in 2007, and the Dean’s Award in Educational Innovation in 2011. He is the only physician to have been awarded the Northwest Texas Hospital “Physician of the Year” twice in 2009 and 2021. Finally, he is a recipient of an Amarillo Key to the City along with his physician colleagues on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee for COVID-19.

Weis is married to Joanna Wilson, DO, a provider of gender-specific health care in the Amarillo community. They are the proud parents of two children, Cannon and Valerie. Weis and his wife play in the band, Liquid Jimi, who focus on original instrumental rock.

Regional Dean
Louise Rice, DNP, RN

Louise Rice, DNP, RN, has been named regional dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing on the Amarillo campus. TTUHSC School of Nursing Dean Holly Wei, Ph.D., MBA, said Rice brings more than three decades of nursing and health care education experience to the role and is deeply committed to advancing nursing practice and student success in the region.

“Dr. Rice brings both heart and expertise to this role,” Wei said. “She has a deep understanding of the unique strengths and needs of Amarillo and I am confident she will inspire excellence among our students, faculty and community partners.”

Rice’s official nursing career began in the early 1990s, but she said she fell in love with health care when she was a candy striper in Tyler, Texas, as a young girl. That experience sparked her work in the field in many capacities at Northwest Texas Healthcare System. More recently, Rice’s work has centered on being a sexual assault nurse examiner. This work ensures survivors of sexual assault and other violence receive compassionate, trauma-informed care.

“I became a nurse because I’ve always felt called to care for others,” Rice said. “What I love most about nursing is the people. It’s sitting with someone when they’re scared, celebrating the little wins that mean so much or cheering on a student as they find their way. Those moments of connection are what stay with me, and they’re what make nursing feel like more than just a job—it has become a part of who I am.”

Her work in health care education began in 2011 and continued at several institutions of higher education until she joined the TTUHSC School of Nursing faculty in 2021.

“Nursing education is especially important here in the Panhandle because our communities depend on local providers for their care,” Rice said. “With fewer large medical centers nearby, having well-prepared nurses right here at home makes all the difference. When we educate nurses in the Panhandle, we’re not only building a stronger health care workforce—we’re also shaping professionals who understand the unique needs of our region and who are committed to caring for their neighbors, families and friends.”

The School of Nursing at Amarillo prepares nursing students to meet the challenges of today’s complex health care environment with multiple BSN degree paths available.

“My hope is that the TTUHSC School of Nursing in the Panhandle continues to grow as a place where students feel supported, inspired and prepared to lead,” Rice said. “I’d love to see us expand opportunities for advanced education, strengthen partnerships with our communities and create even more pathways for students who want to serve this region. Most of all, I hope we continue to be a school that feels like family—where we not only teach nursing skills but also nurture the heart of what it means to be a nurse.”

Regional Dean
Joan Brunet, PT, DPT, EdD, MS.

Joan Potter Brunet PT, EdD, DPT, MS, is the regional dean in Amarillo for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Health Professions. She also serves as the assistant program director for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Potter Brunet earned her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from AT Still University in Mesa, Ariz. She has been a physical therapist since 1991 and on faculty with the physical therapy program since August 1999. Potter Brunet has served in many roles with the PT program including the director of clinical education and her current roles as an assistant professor and the assistant program director. Her clinical interests include vestibular rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, prosthetic management and training, LSVT Big and Loud treatment for Parkinson’s disease, post-concussion treatment and general post-operative management. Her research interests include student outcomes, student success in graduate school and the socialization process into health care professions.

Regional Dean
Krystal Haase, Pharm.D.

Krystal Haase, Pharm.D., was named regional dean in Amarillo of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy in 2023. Before becoming regional dean, Haase served as a faculty member for more than 23 years at TTUHSC, division head of adult medicine for ten years and program director for various residency programs in Amarillo.

Haase has served in multiple committees and actively participated in professional organizations, including the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties, the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.