Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health Appoints New Executive Director

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., announced Laura Street, immediate past executive director of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo, as the new executive director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health (LWBIWH). She replaces Founding Executive Director Marjorie Jenkins, M.D., who has led the institute for four years.

Jenkins has been appointed LWBIWH chief scientific officer, enabling her to focus more on research and education. She will also continue her role as regional director of the LWBIWH at Amarillo.

“Dr. Marjorie Jenkins has led the institute with great promise and ongoing success,” Mitchell said. “As the organization continues to grow, structural changes will enhance the current configuration of the LWBIWH and its mission, and ultimately benefit the impact on women’s health.”

Jenkins’ new role will include overseeing the research and medical education budget and research and medical education operations for the institute, participating with the leadership team and advisors to recruit research faculty who have NIH and other sustainable funding and designing organizational templates for the research domain.

She will also integrate research operations with clinical operations and educational offerings, articulate the need for and benefits of research to the general public and advocate for funding for research, curriculum development and medical education in gender-based medicine.

Street has been a physical therapist, nurse practitioner, administrator and executive director during her career. She has seven years experience creating, developing and managing a women’s center for the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Amarillo.

As executive director of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, Street developed the nonprofit organization, led a campaign to raise more than $33 million and supervised the construction of a state-of-the-art center for the performing arts.

“Mrs. Street’s background in women’s health and nonprofit management, along with her passion for this community, will serve the institute well,” Mitchell said. “She will focus her energy on educational outreach and community engagement, while working with the rest of the team to ensure the strength and reputation of this amazing institute continues.”

Street holds a master’s degree in nursing from West Texas A&M University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Oklahoma. She also holds a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Street will begin her duties Sept. 1.

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