HNEF Leadership
Board Of Directors
Our Board members are Houston leaders dedicated to helping nursing students overcome financial barriers, toward the goal of reducing Houston’s critical nursing shortage, and empowering individuals to pursue careers in this vital field of healthcare delivery.
John Burpeau, MD
John Burpeau grew up in Houston and has lived here most of his life. From an early age, he knew he wanted a career in medicine. He attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas for his undergraduate degree but returned to H-Town for Medical School, UTHSC - Houston that is now called McGovern. He is currently an independent practitioner of Internal Medicine in the Montrose area.
Sandra Cesario, PhD, RNC, FAAN
The PhD Nursing Program Director at Texas Woman's University - Houston, is a woman’s health specialist with almost 50 years of experience in clinical and academic settings. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing & a Past-President of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses.
Cheryl C. Day, MSN, CNS, RN
Cheryl Day, RN, MSN, CNS-High Risk Obstetrics. Born and raised in Galveston, Cheryl has dedicated nearly five decades to nursing and education at UTMB. After earning her RN from Galveston College in 1972, she began her career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Labor & Delivery. In 1977, Cheryl joined UTMB, where she served in diverse roles, including Director of Women, Infants’ & Children’s Nursing and Assistant Chief Nurse for UTMB Hospital. Read more
Cheryl Day, RN, MSN, CNS-High Risk Obstetrics. Born and raised in Galveston, Cheryl has dedicated nearly five decades to nursing and education at UTMB. After earning her RN from Galveston College in 1972, she began her career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Labor & Delivery. In 1977, Cheryl joined UTMB, where she served in diverse roles, including Director of Women, Infants’ & Children’s Nursing and Assistant Chief Nurse for UTMB Hospital.
Committed to lifelong learning, Cheryl earned a BSN (1987), an MSN in Executive Nursing Leadership (1990), and a Post-Master’s in High-Risk Obstetrics (1995), all from UTMB. Her leadership and excellence have been recognized with numerous honors, including induction into the UTMB School of Nursing Hall of Fame (1998), the UTMB Betty Lee Evans Nursing Excellence Award (2017), and Presidential Award - UTMB’s “Living Legend Award” (2022).
In 1998, Cheryl transitioned to a faculty role at UTMB’s School of Nursing, teaching obstetrics and later serving as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Today, she continues to inspire nursing students as an Assistant Professor, earning repeated “Outstanding Faculty” awards and delivering keynote addresses at the nursing pinning ceremonies. Cheryl’s guiding principle remains Maya Angelou’s words: “Patients will never forget how you made them feel.”
Committed to lifelong learning, Cheryl earned a BSN (1987), an MSN in Executive Nursing Leadership (1990), and a Post-Master’s in High-Risk Obstetrics (1995), all from UTMB. Her leadership and excellence have been recognized with numerous honors, including induction into the UTMB School of Nursing Hall of Fame (1998), the UTMB Betty Lee Evans Nursing Excellence Award (2017), and Presidential Award - UTMB’s “Living Legend Award” (2022).
In 1998, Cheryl transitioned to a faculty role at UTMB’s School of Nursing, teaching obstetrics and later serving as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Today, she continues to inspire nursing students as an Assistant Professor, earning repeated “Outstanding Faculty” awards and delivering keynote addresses at the nursing pinning ceremonies. Cheryl’s guiding principle remains Maya Angelou’s words: “Patients will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maja Djukic, PhD, FN, FAAN
Maja Djukic, PhD, RN, FAAN is a Professor at UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing. Dr. Djukic studies nursing workforce trends and develops educational innovations to pipeline youth into nursing. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of nurse educators and scholars.
Noel Graubart
Since 1966 I have been a commercial real estate developer in Houston. I have been a board member for about twenty years and it was my pleasure to serve as Treasurer in the past.
Kimberly Hermis, DNP, MSN, BSN, BS
Experienced nursing professional and Assistant Professor at University of Houston with 20+ years in oncology clinical operations and leadership, specializing in ambulatory practice, procedures, infusion, radiation, and mentoring.
Diana Hudson, JD
Diana is the Immediate Past President of HNEF and a retired senior partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth, where practiced corporate and securities law. She is active in a number of Houston’s non-profit organizations, with a focus on those providing social services or addressing health care needs.
Jessie Johnson, JD
Jessie is a healthcare transactional and regulatory attorney at Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP. She is passionate about supporting initiatives that strengthen nursing education, healthcare workforces, and access to care.
Ann P. Kaufman
B.S. in Education, Past chairperson- Joint City/County Commission for Children, Past Board of the United Way Board of Greater Houston, Past President and Board of Jewish Community Centers Association of North America, and Past Board of YMCA Association of Houston.
Jenna Lackey
A Board and Finance Committee member of HNEF, Jenna is originally from New Mexico and relocated to Houston about 5 years ago. After attending Rice for her MBA, she is now a senior advisor who specializes in finance.
John C. Landa, Jr., JD
The President of HNEF and a fourth-generation Houstonian, John is an attorney and founding partner of Lapin Landa Nolan LLP. After a 40-year career in healthcare litigation, John’s current focus is on nursing education.
Rich Maloney
The Treasurer of HNEF, Rich Maloney, is a retired retail executive. Prior President of Stage Stores, Inc. operating group and former President & CEO of Macy’s, Inc. operating company. Rich currently is an executive coach of EMBA’s at Rice University Jones School of Business.
Angeles Nava
Linda O’Black is the past Vice President of United Way of Greater Houston and served the community for over 40 years. My hope and mission in life are to be proactive and make a positive difference in individuals lives and in our community. The Houston Nursing Education Foundation (HNEF) strives to be visionary and responsive.
Linda O’Black
Linda O’Black is the past Vice President of United Way of Greater Houston and served the community for over 40 years. My hope and mission in life are to be proactive and make a positive difference in individuals lives and in our community. The Houston Nursing Education Foundation (HNEF) strives to be visionary and responsive.
Catherine Wile, JD
A retired attorney, Catherine Wile co-founded Art for All Homes, a nonprofit that offers art and art events to local underserved communities. She serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Bunker Hill Village.
Karen White
Karen White serves as the Chief Frost for Good Officer at Frost Bank, where she leads the strategic vision for the Frost for Good Department. In this role, Karen partners with executive leadership and business units to address the needs of customers and communities. She champions a culture of community engagement and employee involvement, while also advising senior leaders on initiatives that strengthen Frost’s commitment to making people’s lives better.
Geri Wood, PhD, RN, FAAN
Geri L. Wood PhD, RN, FAAN is Professor Emerita from the University of Texas Health Science Center-Cizik School of Nursing- Houston. Prior to her retirement she was the Director of the PhD Program, a clinical researcher, author of several textbooks and multiple journal publications. Dr. Wood has been a member of the HNEF Board for over 30 years.
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Do I need to have a job opportunity lined up in the Greater Houston area to apply for this scholarship?
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PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept any part of scholarship applications on paper. The entire application must be completed online.
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Please feel free to reach out to us for more information about Scholarships or making Donations.
