Our Executive Team
Inspired Leadership at Huntsville Memorial Hospital
Huntsville Memorial Hospital operates under a close team of leaders known
as the Executive Team.The team philosophy is "to provide friendly
health care services, while continuing to exceed the expectations of the
community.”
Patrick Shannon
Interim CEO
Jim Jenkins
Chief Financial Officer
Linda Lawson, MSN, RN, HACP
Chief Nursing Officer
Board of Directors
Under the leadership of our Board of Directors, and through the dedication
of our professional health care staff, Huntsville Memorial Hospital is
setting the standard in quality health care every day with every patient
we care for.
Ray Hernandez, Chair
Ray Hernandez is president and CEO of the Huntsville-Walker County Chamber
of Commerce. He graduated with Honors from Southwest Texas State University,
received Economic Development training from Texas A&M University-College
Station, and graduated with Honors (Innovation 88) from the University
of Texas-Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs. Hernandez served in the
U.S. Army, as a Board Regent for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute
for Organizational Management program, a Vice President of Communications
for the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives, and as a Board Member for
the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. He currently serves
as a Board Member of the Center for Community Engagement at Sam Houston
State University.
Timothy Deahl, M.D., Vice Chair
Timothy Deahl, M.D., has served the Walker County community since 1992
when he opened his medical practice. He received a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Biology from the University of Texas and his medical degree
from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, finishing
in 1988. He then completed his residency at St. Joseph's Hospital
in Houston, Texas. He has served the local community for many years. This
year, Huntsville Memorial Hospital named Dr. Deahl Physician of the Year.
Joe Thomason, SVP of hospital operations
Joe Thomason is Community Hospital Corporation’s (CHC) representative
on the Huntsville Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. Thomason is Senior
Vice President of Hospital Operations for CHC. He Received a Bachelor
of Business degree from West Texas State University. He then obtained
a Master of Business Administration and Health Organization Management
degree from Texas Tech University. Thomason has 30 years of experience
in hospital operations and administration. He has served as a Chief Operating
Officer for a Tenet Hospital in El Paso, Texas, Chief Executive Officer
for Centennial Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and Chief Executive Officer
of RHD Memorial Medical Center in Dallas, and Brownsville Medical Center
in Brownsville, Texas.
Sujesh Pillai, M.D., Chief of Staff/Director
Sujesh Pillai, M.D., is Chief of Staff at Huntsville Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Pillai was born in India and raised in Houston, Texas. He completed
his undergraduate studies at Lamar University. He then attended medical
school at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. Dr. Pillai
completed his medical training in Internal Medicine at Louisiana State
University. He has since served Huntsville and Walker County at Huntsville
Memorial Hospital for the past 11 years.
Joe Sapp, Walker County Hospital District Director
Joe Sapp is a director of the Walker County Hospital District (WCHD) Board
of Managers and serves as the WCHD representative on the Huntsville Memorial
Hospital Board of Directors. Born and raised in Conroe, Texas, Sapp received
his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the University of Texas. He
completed his residency in Hospital Pharmacy at Harris Hospital. Sapp
holds 49 years of experience in the field. He worked 13 years in retail
pharmacy before serving 23 years as the Director of Pharmacy at Huntsville
Memorial Hospital. He also spent 12 years with UTMB Correctional Managed
Care Pharmacy. Sapp is a graduate of the Huntsville Leadership Institute.
He also served as a past board member of the City of Huntsville Board
of Adjustments and Appeals, and on the board of the local chapter of the
American Heart Association.
Judy Upshaw, Community Director
Judy Upshaw serves as a Community Director on the Huntsville Memorial
Hospital Board of Directors. Upshaw received her Associate Degree in Nursing
from Tyler Junior College. She then obtained both her Bachelor of Science
and Masters of Science Degrees in Nursing from the University of Texas
at Arlington. A registered nurse for the past 24 years, Upshaw has been
Clinical Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University School of
Nursing since 2013. She 110 Memorial Hospital Drive, Huntsville, TX 77340
• www.huntsvillememorial.com currently serves as a committee member
for the School of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences. Upshaw was
hired by Huntsville Memorial Hospital as Director of the Correctional
Care Unit when it opened in 2011. She also formerly served as a Board
Member for the SAAFE House.
Trey Wharton, Community Director
Trey Wharton serves as a Community Director on the Huntsville Memorial
Hospital Board of Directors. Raised in Huntsville, Texas, he has owned
his own independent insurance agency since 1991. Wharton also serves as
an Investment Advisor Representative. He attended Texas Christian University
where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration. Wharton holds
multiple licenses, including a Series 65 License, a Series 63 License,
a Series 6 License, and a Life, Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance
License. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Huntsville Independent
School District, and on the Board of Directors for the Huntsville Walker
County Chamber of Commerce.
Your health. Our community. Our commitment. Contact us at Huntsville Memorial
Hospital for more information on our executive team.