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Working across disciplines and institutions to advance health through nature.
CHN brings together organizations across healthcare, academia, conservation, design, and community practice. These partnerships combine complementary expertise and create opportunities for research, implementation, education, and broader impact.
Founding / Core Partners
Director, Center for Health & Nature | Regents Professor, Texas A&M University | Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine, The Coneway Family Centennial Endowment Chair, Houston Methodist Academic Institute
Jay Maddock, PhD, is a Regents Professor at Texas A&M University and Director of the Center for Health & Nature. An internationally recognized public health researcher, his work focuses on health behavior, physical activity, and the relationship between nature and human health. He has authored more than 160 scientific publications, led over $20 million in funded research, and previously served as Dean of the Texas A&M School of Public Health.
Medical Director, Center for Health & Nature | Associate Director, Cardiovascular Prevention & Wellness, Houston Methodist Academic Institute - Department of Cardiology, DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
Dr. Al-Kindi is a leading clinical and translational researcher with over 450 peer-reviewed publications. His work centers on cardiovascular disease mechanisms, risk prediction, precision prevention, and the impact of environmental and social determinants. He also specializes in cardiometabolic disease and advanced cardiovascular imaging. He serves as Associate Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Computational and Precision Health (C3PH) at the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center. He sits on editorial boards of several cardiology journals and reviews for major publications.
External Advisory Board
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Dr. Robert E. Jackson is a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and clinical associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, with more than 30 years of clinical experience in the Texas Medical Center. He serves as chair of the Continuing Medical Education Committee and the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist and helped spearhead the Center for Health & Nature initiatives.
Vice Chair, Texan by Nature; Co-Chair, DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Advisory Council
Vice Chair, Texan by Nature; Co-Chair, DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Advisory Council
Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson, JD, is a Houston attorney with more than 36 years of experience and a longtime leader in conservation and healthcare organizations. She serves as Vice Chair of Texan by Nature and Co-Chair of the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Advisory Council at Houston Methodist, with additional leadership roles supporting coastal conservation, education, and Houston Methodist initiatives.
Dean, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Dean, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Shawn Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH, is Dean of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health and a nationally recognized expert in industrial hygiene, environmental exposure assessment, and infectious disease preparedness. His research and leadership have informed policies and best practices for responses to Ebola, COVID-19, and other highly infectious diseases in the U.S. and internationally.
Director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities, Texas A&M University
Director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities, Texas A&M University
Jorge Vanegas, PhD, is Director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities and Professor of Architecture at Texas A&M University, with expertise in sustainable built environments, infrastructure, and community development. A former Dean of the College of Architecture, his work advances interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability across communities and the architecture, engineering, and construction sectors.
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