About Us | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Gerard E. Carrino

A message from Dr. Jerry Carrino, Dean

We at the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health think about health differently. 

Rather than working to cure disease or to heal people after they get sick or hurt, we work to make sure they don't fall ill or become injured in the first place. At the Julia Jones Matthews School, our goal is to ensure the well-being of entire communities and populations, analyzing trends, identifying root causes, and implementing interventions to promote health and wellness on a large scale.

As a student, you will examine the complexities of what makes us healthy and unhealthy, learn to recognize patterns, decipher and analyze data, and construct strategies to preserve the health of the communities around us. 

The world needs your brain. The world needs your curiosity and your ingenuity, your entrepreneurial spirit, and your creative solutions. Whether you want to help people at a very large scale, or you want to add a population perspective to clinical healthcare, population and public health is a viable and rewarding option for a health-related course of study and career. 

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the vital role of public health in safeguarding our population, but it also emphasized the importance of our mission as we strive to be a force for positive change in healthcare delivery and outcomes.

I am excited to partner with you as we explore the transformative field of population and public health and make an impact in the health and welfare of individuals and communities, both locally and globally. Together, we are the Future of Public Health. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Jerry Carrino
Dean, Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Billy U. Phillips

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health named to honor Julia Jones Matthews. 

The footprint of Julia Jones Matthews' legendary philanthropy extends deep and wide across the environment and culture of Abilene. Portending this moment we celebrate today, Ms. Matthews long recognized the importance of healthcare. Over many years, she has magnanimously shared her considerable resources to address health needs in the Abilene community by supporting local healthcare institutions including Hendrick Health, West Texas Rehabilitation Center, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and others. 

 

Accreditation

In 2024, the Master of Public Health program in the TTUHSC Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health was granted accreditation through 2031 by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Council on Education for Public Health is the nationally recognized accrediting body for schools of public health and public health programs. CEPH can be contacted at: Council on Education for Public Health, 800 I St NW, Suite 4008, Washington, DC 20001; Phone: (202) 789-1050; www.ceph.org

Our program first gained accreditation in 2018 and, to date, has graduated over 270 students with the MPH degree.

For more information regarding our recent reaccreditation, click here.

CEPH Logo


Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
800 I St NW, Suite 4008
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 789-1050
www.ceph.org

 

SPPH Faculty Appointments

Gerard Carrino, Ph.D., MPH
Dean
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Abilene
gerard.carrino@ttuhsc.edu
Amal Mitra, MBBS, DIH, MPH, Dr.PH.
Chair, Department of Public Health
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Abilene
amal.mitra@ttuhsc.edu
Laura DeFina, M.D.
Executive Director
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
laura.defina@ttuhsc.edu
Deborah Birx, M.D.
Professor and Presidential Advisor
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
deborah.birx@ttuhsc.edu
Hafiz Khan, Ph.D.
Professor - Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
hafiz.khan@ttuhsc.edu
Kerem Shuval, Ph.D.
Research Professor
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
kshuval@ttuhsc.edu
Duke Appiah, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC- Lubbock
duke.appiah@ttuhsc.edu
Jeff Dennis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
jeff.dennis@ttuhsc.edu
LisaAnn Gittner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
lisa.gittner@ttuhsc.edu
David Leonard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Practice
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
david.leonard@ttuhsc.edu
Rubini Pasupathy, Ph.D.,  MBA, FACHE
Associate Professor - Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Abilene
rubini.pasupathy@ttuhsc.edu
Courtney Queen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Abilene
courtney.m.queen@ttuhsc.edu
Beth Wright, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
beth.wright@ttuhsc.edu
Irum Zaidi, MPH
Research Associate Professor
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
irum.zaidi@ttuhsc.edu
Samira Kamrudin, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Professor Department of Public Health,
School of Population and Public Health
TTUHSC - Abilene
samira.kamrudin@ttuhsc.edu
Clare Meernik, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
clare.meernik@ttuhsc.edu
Andjelka Pavlovic, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Kenneth H. Cooper Institute at TTUHSC
KHCI - Dallas
andjelka.pavlovic@ttuhsc.edu

 

Adrian Billings, M.D.
Director, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - Permian Basin Alpine Rural Residency Tract
TTUHSC - Permian Basinadrian.billings@ttuhsc.edu
Michael Blanton, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
TTUHSC - Lubbockmichael.blanton@ttuhsc.edu
Kevin Bridge, M.D., MPH
Plastic Surgery, Hendrick Health System
TTUHSC - Abilene
kabridge27@gmail.com
Theresa Byrd, Dr.PH., MPH, RN
Dean - School of Health Professions
University of Texas at Tyler
TTUHSC - Lubbock
theresa.byrd@ttuhsc.edu
Karla J. Chapman, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
TTUHSC - Abilene
karla.chapman@ttuhsc.edu
Carolyn Cuevas, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
TTUHSC - Abilene
carolyn.cuevas@ttuhsc.edu
Ralph Ferguson, Ph.D.
Managing Director, TTU Ethics Center, Fulbright Global Specialist
TTU - Lubbock
ralph.ferguson@ttu.edu
Debra Flores, Ph.D.
Director of West Texas AHEC & Rural Health Programs
TTUHSC - Lubbock
debra.flores@ttuhsc.edu
Robert Forbis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Department of Political Science
TTU - Lubbock
robert.forbis@ttu.edu
Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Department of Political Science
TTU - Lubbock
katharine.hayhoe@ttu.edu
Coleman Johnson, J.D.
Special Assistant to the President
TTUHSC - Lubbockcoleman.johnson@ttuhsc.edu
Cynthia Jumper, M.D., BSN, MPH
Adjunct Professor, Professor of Medicine, V.P. Governmental Relations & Managed Care
TTUHSC - Lubbock
cynthia.jumper@ttuhsc.edu
Zuber Mulla, Ph.D., MSPH
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Assistant Dean for Faculty Development, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
TTUHSC - El Paso
zuber.mulla@ttuhsc.edu
Patti Patterson, M.D., MPH
Professor - Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine
TTUHSC - Lubbock
patti.patterson@ttuhsc.edu
Billy U. Philips, Jr., Ph.D., MPH
Professor of Family & Community Medicine,
Executive Vice President & Director, F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural & Community Health
TTUHSC - Lubbock
billy.philips@ttuhsc.edu
P. Hemachandra Reddy, Ph.D.
Professor and Executive Director, Garrison Institute on Aging
TTUHSC - Lubbockhemachandra.reddy@ttuhsc.edu
Julie A. Schroeder, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
TTUHSC - Lubbock
julie.schroeder@ttuhsc.edu
B. Chip Shaw, Ph.D.
Executive Director - CRDW
TTUHSC - Lubbock
chip.shaw@ttuhsc.edu
Brie D. Sherwin, J.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Texas Tech University School of Law
TTU - Lubbock
brie.sherwin@ttu.edu
Jocelyn M. Widmer, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Provost for Academic Innovation, Texas A&M University
TTUHSC - Lubbock
jocelyn.widmer@ttu.edu

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