Bios of Board Members

Eric G. Bing, MD, PhD is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed in January 2022 with his term ending January 2025.

Dr. Bing is a professor of global health in the Department of Applied Physiology and Wellness in the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development and in the Department of Anthropology in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University (SMU). At SMU Dr. Bing is the founding director of the Institute for Leadership Impact and the Center for Global Health Impact, both of which focus on helping individuals and organizations create social impact.

He was the senior fellow and founding director of global health at the George W. Bush Institute. Prior to joining the Bush Institute, Dr. Bing was an endowed professor of global health at the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, where he worked for nearly 20 years. He has developed and managed global health programs in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Bing has published more than 90 articles and abstracts. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, a Master of Public Health and a PhD in Epidemiology from UCLA, and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. 

 

Byron Cryer, MD is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed in April 2023 with his term ending in January 2026.

Dr. Cryer is currently the Chief of Medicine and the Ralph Tompsett Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine, Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC), a component of the Baylor Scott & White Health System. In September 2022, he joined BUMC after many years working as a physician in Gastroenterology at the Dallas VA Medical Center and as the Associate Dean for Faculty Development at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

Dr. Cryer obtained his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his MD degree from Baylor College of Medicine where he also obtained his internal medicine residency training. He obtained his gastroenterology fellowship training at UT Southwestern. During his fellowship training, Dr. Cryer rotated through Parkland Memorial Hospital as a trainee in gastroenterology. Following his fellowship training, he became a member of the gastroenterology faculty at UT Southwestern where he was the John C. Vanatta III Professor of Internal Medicine. He is the past Associate Dean for Minority Student Affairs at UT Southwestern, a position which he held from 1997 to 2011. From 2011–2020, Dr. Cryer was the Associate Dean for Faculty Diversity and Development at UT Southwestern and from 2020-2022 he was the Associate Dean for Faculty Development.

As a clinician-investigator, Dr. Cryer has many years of accomplishments in clinical and translational investigation with areas investigative focus in peptic ulcer disease and studies of protective mechanisms of upper gastrointestinal injury and Helicobacter pylori. He has more than 150 peer-reviewed publications in these areas. Most recently, he has been working in medical workforce development and leadership training for physicians.

Todd Furniss, JD, is the Secretary of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed in January 2022 with his term ending January 2025.

Furniss has more than 30 years of global experience in private equity, consulting and operations as senior level operating executive. Over the course of his career, he had done business extensively throughout the Americas, the European Union and Asia, and has implemented operations strategies that grew businesses in more than 10 industries.

Prior to forming his companies, TFIP LLC, Center for Impact Indices (CII) and gTC Group, Furniss was a co-founder and partner of PlumTree Partners, LLC, a private investment firm focused on investment opportunities in the technology-enabled business services sector.

Furniss received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Old Dominion University and his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law.

Reina Gonzalez, JD, is a member of the Parkland Health Board of Managers. She was appointed in August 2022 with her term ending January 2025.

Gonzalez is an attorney who founded her law firm in 2015 and has spent her entire career representing Spanish-speaking individuals in Dallas and surrounding counties. She is a plaintiff's attorney and has litigated several hundred cases in Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin counties, and serves as a Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem for numerous courts in Dallas. She is also a certified mediator. She has served on the Judiciary Committee for the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, as well as the Dallas Historical Commission.

Prior to founding her law firm, Gonzalez served as a litigation attorney for Steckler Law Group, Eberstine & Witherite, and Garcia Law, PC law firms in Dallas. There she managed a docket of personal injury cases involving trucking and motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and nonsubscriber cases, among other responsibilities. She also served as a research attorney for firms in Dallas and Chicago.

Gonzalez graduated from Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York, and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She is licensed by the State Bar of Texas and Illinois and holds an ALTA Spanish reading certification.

Vincent Hall is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed in April 2023 with his term ending in January 2026.

Hall was recently appointed to the DFW International Airport Board by the Dallas City Council. He retired from Southwestern Bell AT&T as a General Manager in the Telecommunications Industry. He was responsible for sales and revenue generation and held a mutually beneficial working partnership with organized labor throughout his career. He is in the 21st year of his second career with Dallas County, serving as a General Manager for the Road and Bridge District Three. In addition, he is a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Dallas College and a licensed real estate agent.

Hall graduated from Ohio University in Athens with a Bachelor of Specialized Studies. Before joining the DFW Airport Board, he gained experience with various boards and fiduciary roles.

Hall’s past board and civic affiliations include the Chairman of Dallas Telco Credit Union, The Dallas Weekly, NIA Kids for the Performing Arts – Chairman 2005, United Way Loaned Executive Program, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Metropolitan Dallas, City of Dallas MLK Center Advisory Board, and the Dallas Police Chief’s Community Advisory Committee and the Adult Rehab Ministry (ARM).

Ramon Miguez, PE, is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed August 2020 with his term ending January 2025.

Miguez most recently served as Vice President and Area Manager of HDR Engineering where he was responsible for offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Oklahoma City and Panama. His duties included managing more than 200 professionals involved in the delivery of a broad range of engineering services including planning, roadway, traffic, drainage, water, wastewater, structural, environmental, ports and maritime as well as program and construction management.

Prior to joining HDR Engineering, Miguez served for more than 20 years with the City of Dallas in various leadership positions. In his last 14 years, he served as Assistant City Manager for the city and was responsible for managing more than 3,200 employees in seven departments including Aviation, Convention and Event Services, Dallas Water Utilities, Sanitation, Public Works and Transportation and Street Services. During his career, Miguez was responsible for the development and implementation of various bond programs in three cities totaling more than $7 billion in value.

In Dallas, he led a number of major initiatives, including the planned modernization of Love Field, US 75 Central Expressway reconstruction, development of the city’s stormwater management program, water supply implementation strategies, two expansions of the Dallas Convention Center and the renovation of the Cotton Bowl, among others. In those roles, Miguez was instrumental in educating the residents of Dallas about city projects and initiatives and building consensus for them.

In addition, Miguez held city leadership roles in both Phoenix and Austin prior to his 20 years with the City of Dallas.

Miguez received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Registered Professional Engineer.

Farida Minner, RN is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. She was appointed in January 2022 with her term ending January 2025.

Minner retired in July 2021 after more than 30 years in healthcare. Most recently, she served as charge nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the former St. Paul Hospital before transitioning to Clements University Hospital, which is owned by UT Southwestern Medical Center. While at St. Paul, she was a recipient of the Merit Award for Nursing Excellence, the Star Award of the Month for Nursing Excellence, and was named a finalist for D Magazine’s Excellence in Nursing Award. She was also named a DFW Great 100 nurse in 2018.

Prior to joining the UT Southwestern system, Minner served as a charge nurse/transport nurse in the NICU from 1995-2001 at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, Texas. She also served as an agency nurse in Toronto, Canada, and as the manager/head nurse in the NICU at the Maternity Hospital in Kuwait.

Minner has also been active with the North Texas Chapter of the Philippine Nurses Association of America, currently serving on the Board of Advisors as well as past chapter president. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Philippine Women’s University in Manila, Philippines.

Elizabeth Palacios, MD, is the Vice-Chair of the Parkland Board of Managers. She was appointed February 2017 with her term ending January 2026.

Dr. Palacios previously practiced internal medicine at White Rock Internal Medicine and East Lake Internal Medicine Associates in Dallas.

Before earning her medical degree, she served as a medical services technician in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Homestead AFB, Florida. After leaving active duty, she served as an aeromedical evacuation technician in the USAF Reserves, 345h AES, stationed at Kelly AFB, Texas.

Palacios earned her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston and completed her residency in internal medicine at University Medical Center, Jacksonville. She received her bachelor of science in medical technology as a joint degree awarded by the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. She is a member of the Dallas County Medical Society.

Marjorie D. Petty, JD, is Chair of the Parkland Board of Managers. She was appointed February 2021 with her term ending January 2027.

Petty served as federal Region VI Director of the Department of Health and Human Services in President Barack Obama's administration from December 2009 through January 2017. During her tenure, she worked to implement the Affordable Care Act throughout the Southwest which contained 30% of the nation's major ACA markets. At HHS, she oversaw 15 operating divisions and over 350 employees who provided programs with five states (Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas) and 68 Federally Recognized Tribes.

In addition, she was also involved in advocacy for the Native American Tribes, for solutions on such issues as Unaccompanied Minors on the Texas/New Mexico Borders, and for the expansion of health outreach through hospital, medical and public health delivery systems.

Prior to her HHS role, Petty served on the Board of Delta Dental Insurance Company of Kansas for a total of 10 years and as President of the Board for two years, and then as the Director of Consumer Protection for the public utility commission in Kansas.

Petty earned her Master of Science in Education/Counseling from the University of Kansas, her Juris Doctorate from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, and a Bachelor of Science from Texas Christian University.

John Proctor is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. He was appointed February 2018 with his term ending January 2024.

Proctor is President and CEO of Coverall Management & Associates, Inc., an environmental and demolition general contractor firm he founded in 2001. He is also the founder of Coverall 2^nd Chance Foundation, which trains and hires ex-offenders throughout the Metroplex to work on construction sites.

Prior to founding his company, Proctor served as a business consultant on many large-scale building initiatives like Fair Park 1st, 777 PCH in Solana Beach, Daniel Freeman Medical Center in Inglewood California, Texas Live, Dallas County Records and Elections Building, Live! by Loews, and ACE Parking Corp. in both San Diego and Dallas.

An alumnus of Prairie View A&M University and San Diego State University, Proctor serves as Chairman of the Regional Black Contractors Association and is a member of many boards including the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Fair Park First and the Homeward Bound Drug Program.

Lisa Sutter is a member of the Parkland Board of Managers. She was appointed February 2020 with her term ending January 2026.

Sutter is a Senior Stock Plan Administrator with McKesson Corporation where she manages their national and international stock plans. Her duties include financial reporting, SEC reporting, Assistant Corporate Secretary duties along with all aspects of Administration and auditing.

Prior to joining McKesson, Sutter was with Stock and Option Solutions, Inc. as a consultant for public and private companies. Previous public companies she has worked for include Fluor Corporation, U.S. Concrete, Inc., MetroPCS and Allegiance Telecom, Inc.

In addition, Sutter was elected to the Carrollton City Council in 2009 and was re-elected in 2012. Her term expired in 2015. She served as both Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem (2010-2011) and Mayor Pro-Tem (2011-2012). She was chair of the Audit/Finance Committee, member of the Transit Orient Development Committee (TOD), representative to the Trinity River Central Regional Wastewater System Advisory Committee and former Chair of the Judicial Committee. Prior to her election to the Carrollton City Council, Sutter chaired the Capital Improvements Project Advisory Commission from 2005 to 2009 and was Treasurer of the 2007 Carrollton Bond Election Citizens’ Committee. 

In addition to her city council work, Sutter has served as an officer of the A.W. Perry Homestead Museum Society since 2008. She has been a member of the Navy League of the United States–Dallas Council since 1997 and served as an Executive Board Member of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Soccer Association for more than 20 years. She currently is a board member for the Metrocrest Hospital Authority.

Sutter attended Brookhaven and El Centro community colleges. She was appointed Admiral in the Texas Navy in 2012 by then Texas Governor Rick Perry. She was the 1999 recipient of the City of Carrollton Jimmy Porter Award for dedication and service on behalf of the community.