Team Members
Celia Kaye , MD, PhD
Project Director
Celia I. Kaye, M.D., Ph.D. is a pediatrician, geneticist and educator with faculty appointments at the University of Colorado/Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM) and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). She has practiced as a clinical and metabolic geneticist, and she has served as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UTHSCSA and Senior Associate Dean for Education at UCDSOM. She is the author of numerous original articles, chapters and educational manuals. Her professional interests include provision of genetic services to children identified through newborn screening, medical education, and evidence based medicine. She currently serves as principal investigator of the Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center.
Camille Miller, MSSW
Project Administrator
Camille D. Miller has been the president and CEO of the Texas Health Institute since its inception in 1996. After completing bachelor's and master's degrees in sociology and social work, Miller gained extensive experience in policy research and development while she served in Texas under two governors and two lieutenant governors, a state comptroller and state senator planning, researching and developing state policy to address health and human services issues. In February 1995, the Texas Hospital Association (THA) selected her to be the director of its Medicaid project, and immediately promoted her to Director of Regulatory Affairs. When the 32-year old Texas Hospital Education and Research Foundation changed its name and mission to create the Institute, THA again tapped into her experience in policy development and her strong leadership skills when they asked her to be the Institute's first president and chief executive officer. In 2006, THI merged with Texas Health Foundation to create the Texas Health Institute (THI), an independent 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with a mission to "Improve the Health of Texans and their Communities." Miller currently serves as the Project Director of the Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center, of which THI is the fiscal administrator.
Joyce Hooker
Director of Regional Outreach
Telephone: 303-978-0125
Joyce Hooker has been in public health for over 35 years starting in Maryland and since 1978 in Colorado. While in Colorado she has worked for the state in developmental disabilities and genetics. In 1985 Joyce became the genetics coordinator for the Mountain States Genetics Network and later the state genetics coordinator. Since 2004 she has worked for the Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center as project manager. Over the years, Joyce has served on several national, state and local Boards and advisory committees. She loves “networking” with others interested in helping children and all critters with four legs and furry.
Liza Creel, MPH
Project Manager
Telephone: 512-279-3906
Liza Creel joined Texas Health Institute (THI) in June 2006, managing projects in community health improvement and public health infrastructure development. Liza is the Project Manager for the Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center (MSGRCC), which is administered by THI. Within THI’s Shared Vision Project, Liza is responsible for managing the development, implementation and evaluation of several projects, including the MSGRCC. In addition, Liza staffs activities of the Partnership for a Healthy Texas: Conquering Obesity, a coalition of over 40 statewide organizations focusing on obesity prevention and reduction.
Prior to graduate school, Liza worked as an operations analyst for a nonprofit international development aid organization based in Dallas, Texas where she procured valuable medical supplies and equipment to send to developing countries. It was here where Liza first realized that local impact is most profound when community needs are adequately assessed and prioritized, and community members are involved in the community development process.
Liza currently serves on the Texas PRAMS Steering Committee, Infant Health Alliance Steering Committee, and the Public Education Workgroup of the Newborn Screening Clearinghouse project led by Genetic Alliance. She is also a member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Austin. In April 2004, Liza was inducted into the Alpha Eta Society, an honor society that recognizes allied health professionals who have excelled in their field.
Liza received her Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health and her Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from the University of Texas, Southwestern School of Allied Health Sciences.