cathy harris

Board Member

Cathy Harris, RN, BSN, was the Regional Clinical Nurse Supervisor for the Texas Department of Health Rural clinics in 2012, and served as the Regional School Health Specialist for Region 18 ESC from 1988 to 1997 and 2006 to 2011. She was certified in Health Promotion from the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. In the interim, she was the Health Services Supervisor for Midland ISD from 1997-2006.

She is a Fellow of the National School Health Coordinators Leadership Institute and served as State President of the Texas School Nurses Organization from 2006 to 2009. Under her leadership, a training manual on the Care for Children with Diabetes was compiled. She also served on the Texas State School Health Advisory Council, the State American Cancer Society Coordinated School Health Committee, the Texas State All Well Committee, the Nurse Practice Advisory Committee and the DELC Committee for the Texas Board of Nursing, the Texas Diabetes Council Community Advisory Committee, and served as the Texas Director on the Board of Directors for the National Association of School Nurses. She received the Distinguished Member of the Society Award from the American Cancer Society in 2005, and the Excellence in School Health Award from the Texas Pediatric Society, for her establishment of the Walk Across Texas program which was implemented on 17 campuses, while working for Midland ISD.

Cathy has always enjoyed her involvement as a health educator, both in employee wellness and pediatric Type 2 Diabetes prevention. As a patient, she was introduced to plant-based nutrition as part of her participation in the Cardic Rehab Program at the Midland Memorial Health Lifestyle Medicine Center, after having heart surgery in January 2018 for a congenital heart valve problem. After finishing the rehab program, several of the participants decided to continue to meet weekly, cook plant-based recipes, and share the group skills they had learned. Cathy is one of three people that rotate hosting the luncheons in their homes. Cathy puts her “Whole Heart” into the endeavor that benefits not only her, but a growing community of patients that are finding hope in their new lifestyle.