Dr. Carmen Mora serves as an Assistant Professor specializing in Pediatric Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. She brings a comprehensive academic background to her medical career. Dr. Mora earned her bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Texas A&M in College Station before pursuing her medical degree at Texas A&M Health Science Center-COM.

After graduating from medical school at Texas A&M Health Science Center-COM, she completed her general surgery residency at UMass-Baystate. Her commitment to advancing pediatric care led her to pursue specialized training through fellowships in Pediatric Surgical Critical Care at the University of Tennessee- Le Bonheur Children’s, Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Pediatric Surgery at UCSF-Benioff Children’s in California.

Raised in Houston, Texas, Dr. Mora’s cultural versatility extends to her fluency in Spanish, enhancing her ability to connect with an underserved patient population. In her role as Assistant Professor, Dr. Mora combines her extensive training, multicultural proficiency, and compassionate approach to provide top-tier care and make a lasting impact on the lives of young patients. Her true passion lies in advocating for the most vulnerable children, embodying her unwavering belief in delivering equitable healthcare to every child, with a special focus on those who are underrepresented in our society.

Throughout her career, Dr. Phillips has received a number of accolades. She has been included in the Best Doctors in America database, was listed in the Guide to America's Top Surgeons, was named a Texas "Top Doc" and has been listed in Super Doctors®. She was honored with the "Young at Heart" award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for her membership, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Plastic Surgery Foundation.

Linda G. Phillips, M.D., is the Truman G. Blocker, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Chair; Chief, Division of Plastic Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. She went to Medical School at the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Phillips also did her Residency at University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (Plastic Surgery); and Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois (General Surgery). Dr. Phillips specializes in the healing of difficult wounds; body contouring after massive weight loss; reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery; cosmetic facial and body contouring of all types. Dr. Phillips has Research Projects in Biology of surgical infection; use of pharmaceuticals to decrease postoperative nausea and vomiting; complications/outcomes in body contouring after massive weight loss.

Dr. Phillips is a member of 25 professional organizations, including the American Surgical Association, the Plastic Surgery Research Council, the American Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons, the Society of University Surgeons, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Association for Hand Surgery, the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation, the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons and the Singleton Surgical Society. She is a fellow of both the American Association of Plastic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. She has served as President or Chair of the Association of Women Surgeons, the Plastic Surgery Research Council, the Residency Review Committee for Plastic Surgery, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the Plastic Surgery Foundation, the American Council of Academic Surgeons, and the Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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Dr. Hoang Q. Pham grew up in northern California. He graduated from high school in San Antonio before attending Harvard College. He graduated summa cum laude in Biological Sciences. Dr. Pham then completed his medical school education at the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to Texas and Houston in 1999 to continue his training at Baylor College of Medicine. He then stayed on at Baylor as an assistant professor of surgery working at Ben Taub General Hospital doing trauma and general surgery. He has been a trauma and general surgeon in the Clear Lake area since 2007, and now is part of the team at UTMB Health.

Katie Standefer, APRN, ANP-C received a bachelor's degree in biology from Centenary College of Louisiana and then joined the UTMB School of Nursing Family for her bachelor's and master's degree in nursing. She has been affiliated with UTMB since 2015 as a Nurse Practitioner and joined the UTMB Bariatric Program in 2023.

Dr. Laurel L. Humphrey is an Assistant Professor in the Division of MIS/Foregut Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Prior to practicing at UTMB Dr. Humphrey was in private practice in General Surgery and Endoscopy in Dallas, Crockett, and La Grange, Texas.

Dr. Humphrey earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas. Her residency in General Surgery was completed at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. She received her Doctorate of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.

Dr. Humphrey has been a part of scientific societies such as the Brazoria County Medical Society, Colorado-Fayette County Medical Society, Tarrant County Medical Society and membership in the Texas Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Humphrey's specialties include endoscopy, breast and colon cancer, thyroid, hernia repair, gall bladder, appendectomy, and emergency surgery.

Dr. McKinnon joined the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2019, and is Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. McKinnon is the holder of the J.M. Robinson Distinguished Professorship.

Dr. McKinnon graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and following a surgical internship at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, spent five years as a U.S. Naval Flight Surgeon. He completed his Otolaryngology training at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA, and his Neurotology fellowship at the University of Virginia. He is Board Certified in Neurotology, received his M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and his M.P.H. (Biostatistics concentration) from the University of Memphis.

Dr. McKinnon was on the teaching faculty of the National Naval Medical Center/Walter Reed Army Medical Center Combined Otolaryngology Residency, and Staff Otolaryngologist to both the White House Medical Unit and the DiLorenzo Tricare Health Clinic. Following his active duty service, he was Associate Professor, Otology/Neurotology at Georgia Regents University before joining the Shea Ear Clinic. While with the Shea Ear Clinic, Dr. McKinnon was Clinical Associate Professor, Otology/Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, and later concurrently Associate Professor and Vice-Chair Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel Univeristy College of Medicine, as well as Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pennsylvania College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. McKinnon is a Fellow of the Triological Society, and the American Neurotology Society, Active Member of the American Otological Society, as well as being active in many other organizations. His primary research interests are the management of cochlear implant programs, and the development of novel electromagnetic cochlear arrays.

Dr. Ramón L. Zapata-Sirvent is an Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. He also serves as a Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon at Shriners Hospitals for Children®–Galveston (SHC).

Dr. Zapata-Sirvent earned his Doctor of Medicine in 1981 at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, Venezuela. He then became a research fellow in burn research at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado, from 1982-1984. Then from 1984-1986, Dr. Zapata-Sirvent became a research fellow in surgical immunology at the University of California Medical Center (UCMC) in San Diego, California. He went on to complete his general surgery resident training at UCV from 1986-1989 and returned to UCMC as a research fellow in burn surgery research from 1990-1992. For the next three years, Dr. Zapata-Sirvent completed his residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at UCV.

Upon completing his residency in 1995, Dr. Zapata-Sirvent remained at UCV as a Clinical Professor in the Plastic Surgery Training Program. Then from 1996-2016, he worked in private practice as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at the Centro Medico de Caracas in Venezuela. In 2016, Dr. Zapata-Sirvent became a clinical fellow in reconstructive and burn surgery at UTMB and then joined as a faculty member in 2017.

Dr. Zapata-Sirvent is a member of several national and international professional medical societies, including being a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and serves as an editorial board member and journal reviewer for numerous scientific journals. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals and 75 books chapters in medical textbooks and has also served as an editor for 8 medical textbooks.

Dr. Abigail Forbes is the Director of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. She is a Texas native, Baylor University alumni and a board-eligible Plastic Surgeon. She has lived in the Galveston area for over a decade.

Dr. Forbes is well-known for her aesthetic eye as it relates to Plastic Surgery. She maintains the highest standards when it comes to achieving surgical results for her patients. She is very detail-oriented and is a perfectionist in the operating room. Dr. Forbes takes the time to optimize outcomes and, most importantly, her patient’s satisfaction.

Dr. Forbes graduated from Baylor University in 2013 with a Bachelors degree in Biology with Honors. She went on to the University of Texas Medical Branch for her medical doctorate degree where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2017. Matching into her top choice of training programs at University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), she then completed a six-year Plastic Surgery Residency where she operated at UTMB, MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann, St. Joseph’s, Dell Childrens, Dell Seton Medical Center and numerous private Aesthetic practices in Texas.

Dr. Forbes has contributed to the field of Plastic Surgery through research, publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals, and spending time educating Plastic Surgery trainees. She is a member of the Truman G. Blocker, Jr., M.D. Society. She particularly enjoys performing mommy makeovers, massive weight loss body contouring, facelift/necklift, blepharoplasties, breast lift/reduction/augmentation, tummy tuck, complex scar revisions, lipoma/benign cyst excisions and labiaplasties.

Dr. Bracken is a Laryngologist, an ENT who specializes in disorders of the voice, swallow, and airway. He is the Director of UTMB Voice and Swallow Center and board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

He completed an advanced fellowship in Laryngology and Care of the Professional Voice at the University of California: San Francisco, under the training of three Laryngologists; Drs Clark Rosen (a US leader in the field of Laryngology), VyVyYoung, and Yue Ma. He completed his ENT residency at the University of California San Diego and a year of research with the National Institute of Health with a focus on neuro-laryngology and development of non- invasive skin surface electrode technologies for evaluation of voice and swallow activity. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Medicine in Houston.

Dr. Bracken's understanding of the voice has grown from both perspectives as a physician and as a performing artist himself. He previously performed with Houston Grand Opera and has undergraduate training in vocal performance and choral education (Sam Houston State University). These training and life experiences have led to expertise in developing treatment plans for singers/professional voice users of all types, musical genres, age groups, and professional levels.

His care and treatment extends beyond the voice to full spectrum airway and swallowing complaints as well. His surgical training includes specialization in advanced awake endoscopic procedures, laser microsurgery, delicate vocal fold microsurgery, throat and tracheal surgeries.

He is passionate about optimizing and restoring quality of life losses from impacts of voice, swallow, and breathing disorders. He practices with an integrated team-based and patient centered philosophy alongside UTMBs expert Speech- Language Pathologists (voice and swallowing rehabilitation specialists). Collaborative care is critical and he enjoys working with other disciplines in optimizing your care (Head and Neck Cancer Surgeons, Gastroenterology, Gerontology, Neurology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, etc).

During his free time, Dr. Bracken enjoys music, traveling, and hiking with his lovely wife, an occupational therapist.