MEET OUR TEAM
Our team is committed to creating a new culture of safety in health care for Texas by challenging traditional thinking to eliminate preventable harm. We are focused on reducing medical errors and assuring Texans receive the highest quality of health care through extensive education, community outreach initiatives and quality improvement programs.
John Sims
MSN, RN, CNL
Director
John has 20+ years of experience in the healthcare industry with a diverse clinical background. Through innovation, he has led team initiatives responsible for patient safety and satisfaction improvements across 14 wholly owned hospitals.
Lillee Gelinas
MS, RN, CPPS, FAAN
Clinical Executive
Lillee is an exceptional leader with a passion for improving America’s health. She is a Certified Professional Patient Safety who has demonstrated a high level of proficiency in the core standards of patient safety.
David Farmer
PHD, LPC LMFT
Senior Fellow
As Director of Interprofessional Education & Practice, Dr. Farmer teaches collaborative practice competencies within the context of Interprofessional Teams. Dr. Farmer has twenty-three years’ experience in the clinical practice of counseling psychology.
Teresa Wagner
DRPH, MS, CPH, RDLD
Clinical Executive
Dr. Wagner has a passion for helping people navigate health care. Her research focuses on health literacy, the ability for people to obtain, read, understand and use healthcare information to make appropriate health decisions and follow instructions for treatment.
Subhash Aryal
PHD
Senior Fellow
Dr. Aryal conducts statistical methodological research on topics including environmental monitoring, sample size determination and hypothesis testing. In addition, he collaborates extensively on interdisciplinary projects with researchers within and outside UNT Health Science Center.
Kate Taylor
DNP
Clinical Executive
Dr. Kate Taylor is an experienced board-certified family nurse practitioner with 22 years in health care. Dr. Taylor is active in the clinical education of UNTHSC health profession students and SaferCare Texas improving safety in care delivery. She deeply appreciates and respects older adults and her goal is to make a difference in their lives.
Lee Ann Cunningham
Assistant Director of Strategic
Operations
Lee Ann has been a UNTHSC employee for over 16 years and an essential member of the SaferCare Texas team. She oversees the plan, budget and documents of each project. She also determines the scope and direction of each project and makes sure it is on schedule.
Leslie Allsopp
MSN, MPH, PhD
Project Manager for Asthma 411
Leslie is a PHD candidate at UNTHSC’s School of Public Health. Her area of focus is Asthma 411, a comprehensive evidence-based program that equips school nurses with the necessary training and resources to quickly respond to a child in respiratory distress.
Rafia Rasu
PhD,
Senior Fellow
Katie Shanklin
MA, Communications Manager
Katie has a proven track developing and executing marketing and communication plans to increase brand awareness. She is responsible for managing SaferCare Texas’ communication materials.
Clara Ramirez
MPH, CPH,
Project Coordinator
for asthma 411
Bibi Berly Varghese
SaferCare Texas’ Intern,
UNT Health Science Center
MHA Student
Bibi is currently a MHA student at UNT Health Science Center. She is also a health professional with over six years of international and U.S. experience.