Matthew Meeks, Ed.D. serves as the executive director of the Texas Health Education Service (TXHES). In this role, Dr. Meeks, provides oversight of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS), which serves twenty Texas dental, medical, and veterinary member institutions as well as the pre-health population. Dr. Meeks also oversees the administration of the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), which provides a path for socioeconomically disadvantaged Texans to matriculate to participating medical schools in Texas to become a physician. Dr. Meeks is a Texas native from Fort Worth. He earned his doctorate in organizational behavior and learning from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, and focused his research on increasing participation in international study abroad programming among underrepresented populations. Dr. Meeks also holds multiple degrees from Dallas Baptist University, including a masters degree in Educational Instruction and History. In addition, he has also received a certificate in Strategic Communications from The University of Texas School of Continuing Studies.

Enrique is the director of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) and Communications and Outreach Strategist for the Texas Health Education Service (TXHES). He joined the organization in 2010 as part of the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP). Enrique currently directs the application service, digital production, and communications teams, which engage the pre-health community to produce educational and support resources for aspiring health professionals via the Inside Health Education newsroom. Enrique holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Sam Houston State University and a B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin. Outside of work, Enrique enjoys harvesting jalapeños and poblanos from his garden and playing with his dogs.

Nichole Castillo is the associate director of the Texas Health Education Service (TXHES). She joined the organization in 2017 as part of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). Nichole currently provides business and administrative service to the TXHES, TMDSAS, and JAMP teams and supports the professional development of the department. In her work, she participates in the strategic planning and organizational improvement of TXHES. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a B.A from the University of Texas at University of Texas at Austin. When she’s not working, Nichole loves spending time with her husband and daughter, trying her hand at new recipes, and falling down Buzzfeed article rabbit-holes.

Mr. Maldonado serves as executive consultant to Dr. Matthew Meeks, Executive Director, providing support to JAMP, TMDSAS, and member institutions. He joined the leadership team in 2022. Mr. Maldonado, former Dean of Admissions at Texas A&M School of Medicine (retired), assists in coordinating projects and analyzing data as assigned by the executive director. Currently, he is analyzing JAMP dismissed student data and coordinating the SES Committee’s effort of evaluating the TMDSAS SES calculation to determine SES status. Mr. Maldonado holds a M.A. in Higher Education Administration from UT San Antonio, earned a B.A. in English and History from St. Mary’s University San Antonio, and has Ph.D. work in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University. Mr. Maldonado enjoys being with family, walking daily, reading history, particularly Hispanic history of Texas, watching Texas Aggie football and baseball, and volunteering in the community.

Dr. Gonzalez is an experienced program manager with leadership spanning higher education and various Texas state agencies. She has worked for KIPP Texas Public Schools, the Texas Education Agency, RMC Research Corporation, The University of Texas System, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Austin Independent School District. She brings experience in critical mission focus areas such as change management, financial compliance, resource coordination, and legislative experience. Dr. Gonzalez earned a doctoral degree in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University. She received her master's degree from Texas State University in Elementary Education and her bachelor's from The University of Texas at Austin in Psychology. She volunteers with Impact Austin, an Austin-based women’s collective giving organization, funding Central Texas nonprofits, as a Grant Review Committee member.

Tashae (Shae) hails from San Diego, CA, and graduated with a B.S. in Health Sciences from Arizona State University in 2014. Subsequently, she obtained her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2020 from the same institution. Currently a doctoral student in the John Roueche Community College Leadership Program at Kansas State University, Shae boasts a prolific career in higher education. Presently, she assumes the esteemed role of Associate Director for the Texas Joint Admission Medical Program. Her responsibilities encompass spearheading recruitment, student services, operational aspects, and adeptly representing JAMP with professionalism. A seasoned professional with an extensive background, Shae, a mother of three and a military spouse, has consistently served military communities for over six years. She possesses a robust background in admissions and has made noteworthy contributions globally, focusing on comprehensive student support and forging strategic partnerships. Shae's unwavering commitment lies in bridging educational disparities and propelling local communities towards growth.

Gustavo Nieto is the director of IT Initiatives for the Texas Health Education Service (TXHES) and technical support for the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) and Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP). Gustavo is currently forming a team to overhaul the application enterprise for TMDSAS and JAMP while supporting 21 member institutions. Gustavo holds a B.A. from The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Outside of work, Gustavo enjoys chess, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Weylin Neyra joined TXHES in 2018 to renovate and reinforce the branding across JAMP, TMDSAS, and TXHES. Along with other initiatives, he also serves as the architect for the department websites and newsroom and setting the UI/UX functionality for the websites, newsroom, and application guide. With a background in graphic design & audio engineering, Weylin also supports TMDSAS & TXHES’s podcasts & webinars. After work, Weylin unwinds by keeping up with soccer and supporting both teams or appreciating good design.