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Melissa Gerdes, M.D. | President
gerdesm@trimofran.org
Dr. Gerdes is the medical director of Trinity Clinic in Whitehouse, Texas, and a staff physician at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., received her medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.
She has been a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 1992 and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians since 1996. Within TAFP, she has served as Chair of the Commission on Membership, on the Executive Committee from 2004-2005 and 1998-1999, and as Chair of the Section on Resident Affairs from 1998-1999 as well as the Section on Special Constituencies.
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I.L. Balkcom, IV, M.D. | President-elect
ilbrealtp@hughes.net
Dr. Balkcom is a physician with the Medical-Surgical Clinic in Sulphur Springs. He was awarded an A.S. degree in Biology by Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia, and was awarded a medical degree by La Autonoma De Guadalajara, Mexico, and Ross University, Portsmouth, West Indies.
Dr. Balkcom is active within the Academy, currently serving as chair of the Section on Rural Physicians and as director of the TAFP Red River Chapter. He recently completed a term as chair of the Section on Leadership Development. He is also a member of the TAFP Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs, the TAFP Political Action Committee Board of Directors and the TAFP Executive Committee.
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Clare Hawkins, M.D. | Vice President
chawkins@tmhs.org
Dr. Hawkins is the program director of the San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. He is a board-certified family physician who holds a Master's in Community Health Science.
Dr. Hawkins was awarded his medical degree from the University of Manitoba, and completed residency in Winnipeg, Canada at St. Boniface Hospital in 1986. He became a faculty member shortly after completing residency and became program director at St. Boniface in 1994. In 1998 he relocated to Baytown. His special medical interests are COPD, Asthma, obstetrics, pediatrics and outpatient surgical procedures.
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Troy Fiesinger, M.D. | Treasurer
troy.fiesinger@memorialhermann.org
Dr. Fiesinger is on the faculty for the Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program in Sugar Land. Formerly he served as medical director of the Lone Star Family Health Center in Conroe and assistant professor at the Conroe Family Medicine Residency. He earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in 1996 and completed his family medicine residency at the East Carolina University School of Medicine in 1999.
He is involved in many aspects of TAFP and AAFP. Dr. Fiesinger is a member of the Commission on Core Delegation to the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the TAFP Executive Committee.
Dale Ragle, M.D. | Parliamentarian
dragle@sbcglobal.net
Coming soon!
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Kaparaboyna Ashok Kumar, M.D. | Immediate Past President
kumark2@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Kumar is an international medical graduate of Osmania Medical College. He completed a surgical residency at St. James’ University Hospital, England, and a family medicine residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Dr. Kumar completed a fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons, and his special interests include surgical procedures, endoscopy and cancer screening. He is currently on faculty as the director of medical student education at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Dr. Kumar is actively involved in TAFP and AAFP. He chairs AAFP’s Commission on Membership and Member Services and previously served a one-year term as chair of the Chapter Relations Sub-committee. He was a member of the Committee on Special Constituencies, a group representing the concerns of minority, women, GLBT, new physicians, and international medical graduates, and was elected the first delegate for IMGs to the AAFP Congress of Delegates. Within TAFP, Dr. Kumar was the first special constituency representative on the TAFP Executive Committee and the TAFP Board of Directors.