OUR VALUES

Lisa Killam-Worrall

Lisa Killam-Worrall is serving others first inside and outside the walls of the Health Science Center. Not only is she both Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy and the Assistant Dean of Experiential Education, she is also constantly going out of her way to make a difference in the Fort Worth community. Worrall regularly volunteers her time at the Mercy Clinic, a healthcare provider for the underserved population in south Fort Worth.

Killam-Worrall is committed to her work as a pharmacist at the Mercy Clinic and has encouraged others, many of whom have taken her up on the suggestion, to serve in the same capacity. Worrall’s heart for service is evident in the way her contributions multiply in good works at the Health Science Center and beyond.

Additionally, Killam-Worrall serves as the President of the Tarrant County Pharmacy Association and is on multiple committees for the Texas Pharmacy Association.

Nominated by Theresa Day

Melissa Henson   

Operations Analyst Melissa Henson is known around the Department of Physiology and Anatomy for her willingness to collaborate with co-workers and her dedication to hard work, which according to her nominator, led her to come into the office during part of her scheduled vacation time this year. Henson does it all with a smile on her face.

“I can remember countless times emailing Mel about different issues and she responds usually within an hour with the solution,” her nominator said. “She is very reliable, and I know that I can always count on her for assistance, even if it is a last-minute request.”

Her integrity leads her to take extremely detailed notes on the department’s budget and to be explicit in her communication with her co-workers regarding the department’s finances. She has a long and tenured experience in her job, but still treats her younger colleagues with respect, addressing them by their official title and never being too busy to answer the simplest questions.

Nominated by Keisa Mathis

Mayra Garcia

Mayra Garcia lives out the value of Serving Others First and Being Visionary, every day in the Office of the Registrar, Student Affairs. Referred to by her nominators as the office’s “go-to techie,” Garcia serves co-workers and students by helping them troubleshoot problems with systems like Outlook, AppExtender, and various other technological interfaces.

Her nominator said Garcia has a sense of humor that lightens up the office atmosphere, and that she set a goal upon arriving at UNTHSC to move it “out of the dark ages.” She did this in various ways, like helping her co-workers make the transition to digitally stored documents, instead of the more outdated method of placing papers in filing cabinets.

Garcia regularly works across multiple departments to help students as well as those outside of the UNTHSC community. She helped bring Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Tarrant County to campus during the 2017 Domestic Violence National Week of Action, collaborated with UNT health, the School of Pharmacy and the chief nurse to put on seven educational TB events, and worked with the Office of Wellness Services to bring Dr. Donald Teater in to give a presentation on pain, opioids and addiction.

Additionally, Garcia had the idea to implement a “live chat” feature online, so that students can have access to immediate help when needed. She is currently working with the Office of Communications to drive the idea into action.

Nominated by Janice Villarreal, Ana Villareal, Eronia King

Lydia Negron

The days when students take tests are undoubtedly some of their most stressful ones of the year. Testing coordinator Lydia Negron, of Student Affairs, lives out a life of service to students by providing the organization and structure needed to achieve a sense of calmness and reassurance in the testing environment.

“Lydia will come in early, stay late, or find creative ways to help even just one student,” her nominator said of Negron. “She is not afraid to think outside the box in order to deliver extraordinary service.” Negron is also invested in the personal lives of her co-workers. She is known to “provide a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and a ‘good morning’ hug” when they are needed.

Negron’s empathy has earned her the nickname “House Mom” around the office. Her nominator said Negron cares for people in many ways. She decorates the office to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, facilitates team building by arranging lunches and other activities and is always enthusiastic about representing the team as a whole.

Before serving on the UNTHSC team, Negron also served our country in her career with the military, breaking several gender barriers. She is not afraid to take on new challenges and has recently embarked on a new journey to graduate from a doctoral program.

Nominated by Elaine Shafer