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Alonzo Cantu,
Chairman, DHR Health Fiannce Committee,
Mr. Alonzo Cantu is a prominent, self-made business man in South Texas. Mr. Cantu
made himself a name in the construction and real estate development business (Cantu
Construction and Development), but has since expanded his reach into a wide-range
of businesses, investments, philanthropic ventures, and political activities.
To name a few, Mr. Cantu is a prominent board member and serves as Chairman of the Finance Committee
of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System, Chairman of the Board of Lone Star National Bank,
President of Cantu Construction and Development, Inc., and owner of two minor league teams – the Rio
Grande Valley Toros (MLS), and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA G-League). Additionally, Mr. Cantu
leads the Border Health Political Action Committee and founded VAMOS (Valley Alliance for Mentors,
Opportunities, and Scholarships) a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for scholarships to
be given to local underprivileged and talented individuals.
Dr. Rick Martinez, M.D., Vice Chairman
Border Health PAC Vice Chair DHR Health Board Member
Dr. Ricardo Martinez is board certified in surgery, providing surgical care for a
broad range of diseases and disorders. Dr. Martinez has nearly 30 years of
experience and specializes in trauma, vascular, breast, and robotic surgery. Dr.
Martinez has been on the DHR Health Board of Managers since inception and he
currently serves as Board Secretary. He is also on the Board of Governors for the
American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Martinez received his medical degree from the University of Texas Health
Science Center at San Antonio. He completed an internship and residency training
in general surgery at Yale College of Medicine, where he was named Chief
Resident.
Dr. Carlos Cardenas M.D.,
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Chairman of the Board and Chief Administrative Officer
Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas has over 20 years of experience in the field of medicine and
healthcare management. The study of medical practice, integrated care, and dedication
to patient health is the foundation of his experience in healthcare management. Raised
in McAllen, TX, Cardenas earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Austin College in Sherman, TX. Dr. Cardenas graduated from medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston,
TX and began his career as a resident at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, TX in 1985. Cardenas eventually made his way back to the Rio Grande Valley and co-founded South Texas Gastroenterology Associates in 1992.
Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas was one of the original physicians who formed Day Surgery at Renaissance, LLC.
Under his tenure as Chairman of the Board, Day Surgery at Renaissance grew from an outpatient facility
into a 513-bed general acute care hospital with 17 facilities, now named Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System. In its current state, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance provides over a billion in economic benefit to the region and employs over 4,900 persons.
Dr. Manish Singh, M.D.
DHR Health Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Manish Singh is board certified in general surgery and specialized in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of DHR Health and Medical Director at the DHR Health Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. After receiving his bachelor of medicine and masters of surgery from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital in Jabalpur, India, Dr. Singh completed his residency in surgical gastroenterology at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre in Bhopal, India. He then completed his residency in general surgery at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Singh is trained in advanced laparoscopy and bariatrics, having conducted his fellowship in laparoscopy and weight loss surgery at Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Singh’s clinical interests include gastroenterology, general surgery, surgery for severe obesity, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Singh has conducted extensive and ground-breaking research on weight-loss surgical procedures and has published articles and book chapters on topics of bariatric and laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Manish Singh is a recipient of the Dr. I.P Agarwal Memorial Gold Medal for the best post-graduate paper presented at the Association of Surgeons XVII Annual Conference. He has been a key presenter at numerous medical industry conferences, including those for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopy Surgeons, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Clinical Congress of American College of Surgeons, and the American Transplant Congress.
Dr. Robert Martinez M.D.,
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Chief Medical Officer & Chief Physician Executive
Dr. Robert D. Martinez was born in the Rio Grande Valley where he currently serves as an internal medicine physician, specializing in care for adults of all ages. Martinez pursued his pre-medical studies at Southern Methodist University (SMU) followed by post-graduate and formal residency training at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). Martinez currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System. On June 14, 2018, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Dr. Martinez to serve on the Texas Medical Board which oversees and regulates the practice of medicine in the State of Texas.
Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez M.D.,
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Chief Medical Compliance Officer
Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, a native of the Rio Grande Valley, specializes in general
surgery, pediatric surgery, and pediatric bariatric surgery. Hernandez serves as Chief
Medical Compliance Officer and as an active board member at Doctors Hospital at
Renaissance. Hernandez received his medical education at the University Of Michigan
Medical School and received formal training at the Cleveland Clinic in pediatric bariatric
surgery. Hernandez is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Pediatric
Surgery Association.
Dr. Alberto Pena, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
Border Health PAC Board Member
Dr. Alberto Peña is board certified in colon and rectal surgery as well as general
surgery. With over a decade of experience, he specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of disorders of the colon, rectum and anus, using both complex and
minimally invasive surgical procedures. He also performs routine and diagnostic
colonoscopy. Dr. Peña also offers anorectal physiology and treats fecal
incontinence.
Dr. Peña received his medical degree from University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio. He completed an internship and residency training in general surgery at Methodist
Health System in Dallas, TX. He also completed colon and rectal surgery residency training at the
University of Southern California.
Dr. Bertha Medina M.D.,
Border Health PAC Board Member
Dr. Bertha Medina, M.D., is a Family Medicine Specialist in McAllen, TX and has over 38
years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from University of Texas – San
Antonio Long Medical School medical school in 1983.
Dr. Tawhid Shauib, M.D.
Border Health PAC Board Member
Dr. Tawhid Shauib, M.D., is a board certified cardiologist and is affiliated with Doctors Hospital at
Renaissance. Dr. Shauib graduated from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1985 and
trained at Brox-Lebanon Hospital Center where he completed his residency in Internal Medicine followed
by a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Shauib continued his training in cardiology at the University
of Connecticut. Dr. Shauib is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC).
Mr. Juan Pena,
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Board Member
Juan Manuel Pena is a Rio Grande Valley native. Mr. Pena attended PSJA high school and
graduated top 10 of his class. After high school Mr. Pena was awarded a CPL scholarship
to attend the University of Texas Pan American. Mr. Pena graduated with a BA from UTPA
in 1974 and accepted to the University Houston where he received his J.D. Mr. Pena has
received several awards; among them is the Wall Street Excellence in Business Journal
Award.
Dr. Javier Cortinas, M.D.,
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Executive Physician for Emergency Services
Dr. Cortinas graduated from the Universidad Autonoma De Nuevo Leon in 1983.
Dr. Cortinas works in Edinburg, TX and specializes in Emergency Medicine and
Family Medicine and is a managing partner of Renaissance Emergency
Physicians.
Larry Safir
Border Health PAC Board Member DHR Health Board Member
Larry Safir is a prominent local business man in conjunction with his responsibilities as
a shareholder, managing partner, and Chief Strategic Officer at Doctors Hospital at
Renaissance Health System.
Mr. Safir has had a long career as a Broadcasting Executive with extensive experience in developing and managing television and radio assets in both Spanish and English. He is the son of Hispanic Broadcast Hall of Fame pioneer Nathan Safir. Throughout his career, and later as Executive Vice President of Entravision Communications Corporation, Safir built and managed television and radio stations in San Antonio, Texas, Austin, Texas, New Orleans,
Louisiana and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. From 1992 until 2010, Safir built and simultaneously managed nine media properties under one roof, which included Univision, Fox, Telefutura, CW, and MyNetworkTV affiliations, as well as two English language and two Spanish language radio stations in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The Rio Grande Valley of Texas (RGV), which is Safir’s current home base, is the 9th Largest Hispanic Market in the United States. During his broadcast career in the RGV, Safir produced and launched the area’s first U.S.-based Spanish language newscast for Univision, which rapidly obtained market leading ratings. And, Safir was instrumental in the maintenance of those leading ratings during the past decade. Dr. Cortinas graduated from the Universidad Autonoma De Nuevo Leon in 1983. Dr. Cortinas works in Edinburg, TX and specializes in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine and is a managing partner of Renaissance Emergency Physicians. In addition, Safir produced and launched a prototype model for Spanish and English news casting using a single newsroom, studio and staff, when he added Fox News in English to the Rio Grande Valley media cluster. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Larry Safir is a graduate of Trinity University. Safir now lives in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. In his spare time, Safir enjoys golf and travel.
Sandra Escamilla
Executive Administrative Assistant, Border Health PAC
Sandra Escamilla serves as the Executive Administrative Assistant for Border Health Political Action Committee (Border Health PAC), where she supports Executive Director Nicole Jasso and assists with the organization’s daily operations and administrative needs.
A McAllen native, Sandra graduated from McAllen High School in 1998 and continued her education at the University of Texas–Pan American, where she pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. Her background in communication, and administrative support contributes to the day-to-day coordination and effectiveness of Border Health PAC.
Sandra is proud to call the Rio Grande Valley home. She and her husband reside in Edinburg, Texas, with their two children, Alyson and Gael. Family and community are important parts of her life, and she is proud to contribute professionally to an organization focused on strengthening healthcare advocacy and representation for the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas.
Border Health PAC es una organización de acción política independiente dedicada a la defensa del acceso a la salud. Las contribuciones no son deducibles de impuestos.