Leadership

A nationally recognized leader in medical education, Dr. Cox previously served as planning dean and currently serves as interim dean. She also serves as the associate dean for accreditation, strategy and quality improvement. An obstetrician-gynecologist by training, Dr. Cox has shaped medical education for 30 years and previously served as executive vice dean of academics and chair of the Department of Medical Education at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. The lead designer of curriculum for Dell Med, Dr. Cox co-chaired the  accreditation steering committee.

In 2019, she received the Association of American Medical Colleges Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award, recognizing faculty for distinguished contributions to medical education nationwide. Dr. Cox has received many awards for leadership, distinguished teaching and clinical work, including being listed among the Best Doctors in America.

Dr. Cox is known for emphasizing leadership skills, collaboration, innovation, problem-solving and cross-disciplinary teamwork with a focus on value-based healthcare.

Dr. Torry A. Tucker serves as the Associate Dean for Research in the UT Tyler School of Medicine.  He is also an Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology. Dr. Tucker was trained as a cell biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  His training focused on cell types responsible for lung disease progression, specifically cystic fibrosis. He came to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler as a postdoctoral fellow in 2007 and joined the faculty in 2009. At UTHSCT, Dr. Tucker has focused on understanding the role of pleural mesothelial cells and lung fibroblasts in lung injury progression.  He has developed several novel animal models which are critical to understanding disease etiology and evaluating diverse treatment strategies.  His current research investigates the causes of pleural scarring and subsequent fibrosis. He also studies pathways involved in the development and progression of interstitial lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. 

Dr. Emmanuel Elueze obtained his MD degree from University of Ibadan Medical School, Nigeria and PhD in Pharmacology from University of London, United Kingdom. Completed residency in Internal Medicine, from St. Luke’s Medical Center (Case Western Reserve University), Cleveland Ohio. He is a Primary Care Internal Medicine doctor with Board certification in Internal Medicine, Addiction Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine. He also has a certification in Pain Management.

Dr. Elueze joined The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler in 2011, as the founding program director of the Internal Medicine residency program at Longview and also served as Chair of the Department of Medicine from 2014 to 2018. He was appointed Professor of Medicine in 2014. He received the UT Regents Outstanding teaching Award in 2014 and is a member of the UT Kenneth Shine Academic of Healthcare Educators. He is currently the Designated Institutional officer and Vice President for Medical Education and Professional Development, with oversight over Graduate Medical Education, Undergraduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education.

Dr. Cox is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has been treating patients at UT Health North Campus Tyler for more than 15 years. He specializes in a wide range of laparoscopic surgeries, including breast cancer surgery and malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. Most importantly, he is committed to providing state-of-the-art surgical care.

Gisele Armond Abron has been appointed associate dean of admissions and assistant professor for the School of Medicine at the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, effective May 23.  She joined the university in 2020 as university registrar in the enrollment management division.

A native of North Carolina, Dr. Abron holds a bachelor’s degree in English from North Carolina State University, a master’s degree in technology education from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Liberty University. She earned a Ph.D. in leadership studies from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in 2019.

Dr. Abron is responsible for overseeing the processes of communication, application, selection, financial aid, and matriculation of students into the M.D. and combined programs for the School of Medicine at the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center.

Dr. Bryce received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, and PhD in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. Prior to joining UT Tyler School of Medicine, she served as faculty member at Arizona State University, where she worked with undergraduate students within the classroom and as the Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs within her department.

She also has extensive experience conducting and publishing research that focuses on individual and contextual factors that influence well-being, hope, and academic outcomes, and advanced statistical approaches to examining salivary biomarkers.

Dr. Bryce is excited to work with and support medical students as they navigate medical school.

Christiana Guthrie’s background in healthcare management has prepared her to be a leader in a higher education setting and taught her the importance of professionalism, leadership, and ethical standards. All these aspects are truly important to Christiana, not just personally, but as skills to be practiced and honed daily in her position as Director of Academic Affairs. Additionally, she loves meeting and working with people and believes her 14 years of experience in patient care allows her to communicate with and relate to people efficiently.

As Director of Academic Affairs, Christiana assists with planning, implementing, and advancing strategic priorities for the Office of Academic and supports efforts to streamline office operations. Christiana also leads the Office of Faculty Affairs efforts in promoting data-driven and holistic initiatives to improve faculty recruitment and development.

Christiana earned her Bachelor of Applied Arts from Stephen F. Austin State University. She then earned her Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Jaema Krier received her BS in Mathematics from UT Tyler and taught high school before beginning her career at UT Tyler in 2009. She started with the University as part of a NASA-funded Earth science education program for students in grades K-12 (GLOBE). This position had her assisting teachers/trainers in 112 countries and across the U.S. by hosting trainings and serving as a Research Support Specialist. When the grant ended, she transitioned to the University Academy, the university’s K-12 charter school, at the start of their second year in operation. Her initial role was as PEIMS Coordinator, collecting and compiling all student and staff related data for reporting to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  The following year she was promoted to Director of Administration where she served for the next 8.5 years.

This role involved overseeing District/Business Office operations including Governance, PEIMS, Finance, Personnel, Food Service, Transportation, and many other functions related to reporting and compliance under the direction of the charter’s Superintendent.  She had the pleasure of helping the charter expand from grades 3-7 to K-12 and assisted with graduating the first four senior classes.  Jaema recently earned her MS in Human Resource Development from UT Tyler in 2020 and is excited to put the knowledge and skills she has accumulated over the years to use with the School of Medicine as the Director of Faculty Affairs.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband on their small ranch where they have raised registered Texas Longhorns for over a decade. They have a son and daughter-in law and love spending time with them when they can. 

Andrea Cooley, DO, FACOS is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education, Director of Phase 2 and Phase 3, and Medical Director of Simulation. She is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon by training and is a Harvard Macy Institute Scholar (Program for Educators in Health Professions 2022, Leading Innovation in Health Care and Education 2023, Systems Approach to Assessment in Health Professions Education 2024). Andrea's areas of professional interest include the integration of master adaptive learning, assessment of noncognitive skills, and operationalizing change through technology and innovative strategy.

Dr. Cooley earned her bachelor of arts in sports medicine from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and her doctor of osteopathic medicine from AT Still University of Health Sciences in Kirksville, Missouri.

Dr. Jeffrey Levin is Professor and past-Chair of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT).  He is board-certified in both internal medicine and occupational medicine. Dr. Levin is also founding and former Director of the Occupational Medicine Residency Program at Tyler, and former Medical Director of the Texas Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (TIOSH®).

He holds the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Professorship of Occupational Health Sciences and was Center Director for the NIOSH Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education from 2002-2019. Dr. Levin retired from his position as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, UTHSCT, in August of 2020. He is Provost Emeritus.  He is also Vice-Chair for Occupational and Environmental Medicine for the American Board of Preventive Medicine. 

His research background has focused on occupational respiratory diseases and occupational health in agriculture and commercial fishing, with particular attention to vulnerable populations. As a native Texan having spent many formative years along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Central Mexico, he is fluent in Spanish.

Takova Wallace-Gay is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine for the Tyler School of Medicine (TSOM) and the Department of Clinical Sciences with the Fisch College of Pharmacy (FCOP) at The University of Texas at Tyler.  Dr. Wallace-Gay is also the Director of the Interprofessional Education Curriculum for the TSOM. She currently serves as core faculty for the SOM and coordinates pharmacology. She also coordinates the endocrine module and teaches various cardiology and health literacy topics for the FCOP.  Additionally, she maintains a practice site within the Family Medicine Clinic at UT Health North Campus in Tyler where she accepts fourth year pharmacy students and co-precepts Family Medicine residents.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Tuskegee University then a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Auburn University in 2014. After graduation from pharmacy school, she completed her 2-year residency training with the Central Alabama Veterans’ Affairs Healthcare System in Montgomery, AL and Columbus Regional Midtown Medical Center (now Piedmont Health) in Columbus, GA.  She is a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist and certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist.

Her professional interests include primary care with a focus in diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and patient education.  Her current research interests include pharmacist involvement in cardiovascular risk reduction, health literacy, improving health outcomes in underserved populations and interprofessional education.

Dr. Wallace-Gay maintains professional memberships in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA) and serves as the local Student National Pharmaceutical Association Advisor.  She was the 2020 TPA Bowl of Hygeia Awardee and was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from Auburn University College of Pharmacy in 2021.