Dallas physician Steven Pounders, M.D., will be the featured speaker for a moderated discussion on “Leadership in Public Health” at Austin College on September 26 at 11 a.m. in the College’s IDEA Center, Room 127. The physician is a 1981 graduate of Austin College returning to share his experiences and expertise with students. Sponsored by the College’s Posey Leadership Institute and its Public Health Program, the program is free and open to the public.
The event will consist of a discussion moderated by Saritha Banghara, assistant professor of public health at Austin College, and a Q-&-A session. Co-director of the College’s Public Health Program, Bangara joined the faculty in 2016. After earning her bachelor’s degree and beginning medical studies in India, she completed master’s and Ph.D. degrees at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
A Dallas native, Pounders has provided adult primary care and comprehensive HIV treatment in the city for more than 30 years. He began his career at UT Southwestern as co-director of the AIDS clinic in 1988 then went into private practice. Beyond his practice, he volunteers as the medical director for Resource Center’s Nelson-Tebedo Clinic, which provides free medical care to those in need in the LGBT community.
In 2016, Pounders received the 2016 Kuchling Humanitarian Award at the annual Black Tie Dinner in Dallas. The award, which recognizes “extraordinary gifts of time and talents,” honored his years of service to the LGBT community “with compassion and dignity through his medical practice, beginning at a time when HIV and AIDS were sweeping through the community with devastating impacts.” He also received a 2017 Dallas Historical Society Award for Excellence in Community Service in the area of health and science. He remains involved within the community as a donor of the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, and Legacy Counseling.
After graduating from Austin College, Pounders earned his medical degree from UTMB Galveston, completing his residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He holds credentials with the HIV Academy of Medicine and is board-certified in Internal Medicine.
The Posey Leadership Institute provides opportunities for all interested students to engage in the study and practice of leadership in their personal and professional lives and promote personal, group, and organizational leadership skill and effectiveness.
The Public Health Program at Austin College seeks to provide students the foundation to continue their studies and become tomorrow’s pioneers and leaders in public health through preventing disease, promoting wellness, and encouraging appropriate policies. Multidisciplinary in nature, the Austin College program includes courses such as epidemiology, health care policy, health law, global health, health care management, health communications, and medical ethics.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with nearly 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. This year, the campus continues celebration of 100 years of co-education and will have several opportunities to recognize the history of women and accomplishments of current alumnae. Austin College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.