Outstanding Nursing Alumni Award
2026 Award Recipient:
Dr. Watson completed her BSN at the University of Texas at Arlington, her MSN and MBA from the University of Texas at Tyler, and her DNP in Executive Leadership at Duke University. She has post-graduate certificates in negotiation and artificial intelligence in healthcare from Harvard and MIT, respectively. Dr. Watson brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective that bridges clinical expertise and executive leadership. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and holds adjunct faculty appointments in graduate leadership programs at both Duke University and the University of Texas at Tyler, contributing to the development of future nurse leaders.
Throughout her career, Dr. Watson has led multidisciplinary initiatives focused on improving patient outcomes, optimizing systems, and strengthening organizational performance. Notable work includes contributing to the Texas State Cancer Plan, developing national oncology education initiatives, designing and implementing new care models in NCI-designated cancer centers to reach vulnerable and underserved populations, and contributing to the nursing body of knowledge via gray literature, peer-reviewed articles, consumer books, and academic textbooks. Her work emphasizes evidence-based practice, data-driven decision-making, and the cultivation of high-performing teams, while advancing innovation in healthcare through technology, artificial intelligence, and complex adaptive systems thinking.
Beyond her formal roles, Dr. Watson is committed to mentorship, professional development, and community engagement, supporting efforts that promote health equity, expand access to care, and strengthen the future of the nursing profession through leadership, innovation, and service. She has mentored and continues to mentor hundreds of nurses in the pursuit of evidence-based practice and disseminating findings to propel healthcare outcomes.
Past Honorees
2025 - Award Honoree: Michelle Kimzey, PhD, RN
Since she received her PhD from UT Tyler, Dr. Kimzey has been innovative in teaching and research by creating a collaborative/interactive environment between students and the community. She has created many "firsts" in dementia education and developed two 3-hour courses about dementia. The introductory course is the first ever dementia course offered in a Texas nursing program. This course is co-taught with an expert by experience – a person living with dementia. Dr. Kimzey’s students are the first in the region to have the opportunity to graduate with the Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) certification. Currently, they have had over 300 students receive their CDP certification.
2024 - Award Honoree: LCDR Traci M. Murray, PhD, MPH, RN, NHDP-BC, CPH
Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Traci M. Murray has been a registered nurse for over 10 years with experience in clinical research, epidemiology, and nursing education. LCDR Murray joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) as a Scientific Advisor. Prior to joining NIDA, LCDR Murray spent nearly three years with the Indian Health Service serving the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and the Navajo Nation in various clinical and administrative roles. She previously served as Assistant Regional Administrator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in Dallas. LCDR Murray earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with honors from Texas Christian University, her PhD at University of Texas at Tyler, and her Master’s in Public Health at University of North Texas Health Science Center.
2023 - Award Honoree: Dr. Cristina Dominguez
Cristina Dominguez De Quezada was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. As an English as an Additional Language (EAL) student and now a faculty, she is passionate about the role language has in the success of EAL nursing students. She also understands the importance of language concordance in the care of limited English proficiency patients. She came to the United States at age 18 to pursue higher education. She attended New Mexico State University (NMSU) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2008. She worked as an intensive/cardiovascular care unit nurse at a level 1 trauma hospital, and enrolled in a MSN program. After graduating, she began a research nurse position for the Oncology Internal Medicine department at Texas Tech HSC, conducting oncology trials. She began teaching as a nursing instructor in the fundamentals of nursing course at El Paso Community College and then earned her PhD in Nursing from UT Tyler.
2022 - Award Honoree: Dr. Don Hunt
In 2008, Don was provided the opportunity to relocate to East Texas as the Chief Nursing
Officer for the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. He accepted that
opportunity and a 14-year relationship began. Interestingly, Don’s grandmother was
a nurse and a CNO, his mother was a nurse and a CNO, and now Don was a third-generation
nurse and CNO. While in the CNO position, Don supported many growth opportunities.
He partnered with the healthcare team in their achievement of many awards including
back-to-back Leapfrog Top Hospital awards, consecutive Outstanding Patient Experience
awards, and significant awards involving quality and safety to include recognition
in Becker’s Hospital Review for providing an environment with reductions in hospital
acquired conditions. When COVID hit, Don’s team put
together the first COVID vaccine clinic in North Texas.
2021 - Award Honoree: Dr. Cheryl Garmon
Cheryl Garmon, DNP, RN is the director of the Heaton Laser and Surgery Center in Tyler.
She started as a diploma nurse at Texas Eastern School of Nursing and continued her
education and advancement in service and leadership roles. She is a graduate of the
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing
Practice programs at The
University of Texas at Tyler. She has spent her nursing career serving in medical-surgical,
case management, and leadership roles with her career split between Trinity Mother
Frances Hospital and Heaton Laser and Surgery Center. Her quality of care and compassion
toward her patients are evident, as is her leadership in the community. She exhibits
excellence in practice, trains others to exhibit care and compassion, and mentors
others to be all that they can be. Dr. Garmon
also is a member of the National Black Nurses Association, a board member of the Alzheimer's
Alliance of Smith County, and has helped implement sustainable, evidence-based intervention
to help increase the well-being of Alzheimer’s caregivers. She is a champion for mentoring
others and works to support those around her with a servant leadership style of leading.
2020 - Award Honoree: Allison Green
Allison Green APRN, FNP-C started her nursing adventure in 2004 when she started her studies at the University of Texas at Tyler. She had the privilege of learning under a supportive faculty, allowing her as a nursing student to experience mission trips with Refuge International to Guatemala. After graduation in 2006, she worked at Trinity Mother Frances, now CHRISTUS TMF, in the operating room. From 2009-2013, Allison volunteered with the NGO Mercy Ships as an OR nurse. She lived and worked on the M/V Africa Mercy, which traveled to several West African countries and provided free surgery to those in need. Allison considered her ‘home” to be always in Africa as she learned to care for her patients who were often in desperate need of loving care. It was a difficult, but necessary decision to return to the U.S. to further develop her nursing skills and knowledge. Allison continues to volunteer locally and internationally; her most recent trip was to the border of Colombia caring for Venezuelan refugees. Allison recently started her new FNP role as a sub investigator at Benchmark Research leading COVID-19 vaccine trials.
2019 - Award Honoree: Mikeal Fountain, BSN, RN
Mikeal Fountain graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler Division of Nursing in May, 1990. He was one of 11 graduating nursing students that year. He began his nursing career as a charge nurse on the telemetry unit at East Texas Medical Center. Two years later, when the cardiac program was started at ETMC, he was hired as the first, and only, registered nurse for the cardiac catheterization lab. Through the years, he has been instrumental in developing the cardiac program and is now the director overseeing the Cardiovascular institute at the University of Texas Health‐ Tyler campus and manager over 150 staff and managerial members. During his professional role, he has shared his knowledge with nursing students through being a frequent guest speaker for Nursing 4632, has provided many lunches for Nursing 3611 during presentations, has gifted the skills lab with equipment and supplies, as well as driven several faculty members, including Dr. Belinda Deal, Danita Alfred, and others to school and conferences throughout the state.
More about Mikeal
2018 - Award Honoree: Carol Henson, MPA/EHCA, MS, BSN, RN, LBSW-IPR, CCM, CHWI
Carol Henson is a senior executive director of clinical service lines at UT Health
North Campus Tyler, with general oversight for behavioral health services. Her service
line includes: acute inpatient care, outpatient clinic services, and training programs
in psychiatry and psychology. Over the past 15 years, her additional roles at UT Health
North Campus Tyler have included director of case management, director of patient
access, and administrative director of primary care services. Carol has earned three
degrees from UT Tyler: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Executive Health Care Administration
– Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
(Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice).
More about Carol
2018 - Inaugural Award Honoree: Charleen C. McNeill, PhD, RN,
Dr. McNeill grew up in Detroit, Michigan and Clarence, Iowa. After graduating high school joined the U.S. Army, and proudly served for 13 years, starting in 1989. Dr. McNeill was the first female selected to be in a combat arms occupational specialty, the 14J Air Defense Early Warning System. One must be able to multi-task and perform under pressure in this specialty and Dr. McNeill carried these skills over to her extensive nursing career. Dr. McNeill earned her ADN from the Coastal Georgia Community College, her BSN from the University of Arkansas, her MSN from The University of Texas El Paso, and her PhD in Nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler. Her academic experience includes teaching Human Biology, Nutrition, and Human Health and Disease at the University of Maryland University College (Asia/Europe Division) and Basic Nursing Skills at Midwestern State University. She is currently at the University of Arkansas teaching undergraduate courses in Disasters, Emergency Management, and Preparedness, Gerontology, and Research. In the graduate program, she teaches courses in Leadership, Economics, Finance, Scholarly Writing, and Hospital Operations. She also developed an entire master’s degree program in Nurse Executive Leadership.
More about Charleen