Welcome to Empower Texas - We Build Mental Armor

Hello everyone. I have been a peace officer in Texas for the over 36 years with 30 of them at the City of Fort Worth. I serve with our Police Peer Support Team and with the Care Ministry Team at my church. Having seen first-hand the way day-to-day stressors inside and outside of the job can affect those of us in service, my personal passion is the mental well and emotional being of my friends and colleagues.

Hi, I’m a writer, journalist, and professor in the Department of Strategic Communication at Texas Christian University. My work focuses on healthcare communication in advertising and social justice issues. In 2021, I founded Better Box, which is company that creates “happiness toolkits” designed to improve mental health through tangible evidence-informed products and practices. My goal is to create positive social change in our community through powerful brand storytelling, empathetic leadership, and education.

Hi, I am a graduate of Northcentral University's Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program. I am currently working on my PhD in Systemic Leadership at Northcentral University and going through the Marriage and Family Therapy licensure process. Also, I provide coaching and counseling through Bridges of Hope. From a family of first responders, I personally understand many of their unique challenges. I am passionate about serving those around me, fostering connection between pillars of the community and mentoring the next generation. Speaking of family, I am a proud mom of kids and a couch-potato canine.

Hi, I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Professions at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.  I am on the national board of the Wellness Alliance.  With over fifteen years of senior leadership experience in education and healthcare settings, I am advocate for developing mental strength and health.  I am also a Certified Integrative Wellness and Life Coach, and Qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher. I also provide coaching and training in a variety of areas including mindfulness, resilience, self-care, and stress management. I am passionate about promoting community health, act as a facilitator for empowering conservations, and serve on various boards , including the InterNational Environmental Complex.

Hello, I am a Texas psychiatrist, who has practiced medicine for over 36 years.  Since 1992, I am grateful to have served the Fort Worth community in clinical, administrative, and academic roles.  As a physician development coach at the TCU School of Medicine and as Regional Medical Director of Connections Wellness Group, I work to help people live their best through improved wellness.  Empower Fort Worth’s mission to “help the helpers” develop mental armor to keep them healthy and resilient is important and one in which I strongly believe. 

Editorial Comment:  If you google Debra, you will find her speaking regularly at national conferences, serving on professional boards, and midnight oil helping people.  She is a lifesaver and operates a maximum warp speed!  

Hi, a lawyer since 1988, my law practice focuses now on commercial law. In my prior work lives, I have had:  bipartisan appointments at the U.S. House of Reps; consulted for the World Bank,  various federal agencies, and financial services industry;  served on a various mediation panels, including the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals; and conducted CLE trainings.  I studied international law in London and Oxford, improving my English and gaining a stiff upper lip.  But the best (and at times costly) education I receive(d) are all the mistakes in my life, out of which I continue to learn.  I enjoy hanging out with artists, songwriters,  entrepreneurs, and creators.  

Gender:  Yo, Bubba, UFO