Award Winners

Dana has been a nurse for 47 years and an owner/administrator of home health agencies for 31 years. Dana, her husband Ronnie and three sons own and operate several home health agencies and Chronic Care Management businesses in Lubbock and Amarillo. Her companies have been active members of TAHCH for almost 30 years and she served on the Board in various positions including Board President. She is an active advocate for the home health and hospice industry, our patients, and our employees. She and Ronnie have been blessed with 6 grandchildren and #7 arriving in October.

Representative Donna Howard has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and as Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee. Rep. Howard also serves as the Chairwoman of the Texas Women’s Health Caucus which is the largest caucus in the country solely focused on advancing women’s health policy.

A native of Austin, Donna earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Master’s degree in health education from the University of Texas. She worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as Austin’s first hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator. Donna is a past president of the Texas Nurses Association (District 5) and was a health education instructor at UT.

Donna was elected to the Eanes ISD board in West Austin for the 1996-1999 term. She has served on the boards of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Common Cause Texas, Texas Freedom Network, and the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. She now serves as a board member of the Expanding Horizons Foundation, supporting low-income housing and education.

Representative Howard was married to attorney Derek Howard for 40 wonderful years and they proudly raised three children together. Rep. Howard is also a grandmother to seven perfect grandchildren.

Mother to A.J., 23 yrs of age; Diego the Shih-Tzu; And wife to Mark Becerra. I come from a family of 3 nurses.

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I’m a proud 1985 graduate of Los Fresnos High School, Los Fresnos, TX in the RGV and received my BSN from University of Texas at Brownsville. Worked at Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen and have been at Texas Visiting Nurse Service for 30 years; the last 7 years, I have been the agency administrator.

There has never been a dull day! 28 years ago, I was told that I had to attend TAHCH conferences and meetings and I haven’t stopped since. I remember telling myself that once I felt confident enough to engage and fully participate during TAHCH committee meetings that I would want to be the foundation and support for all that came with me and after me.

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When I see someone new that represents the RGV, I want to make sure that he/she feels welcomed and that we all contribute to our industry by being the voice of the real south Texas.  Our culture and our voice are like no other and I want to make sure that we continue to be supportive and a resource for each other in order to provide the best services that we can for our community.

Earned his BSN from the University of Texas Health Science Center and brings nearly 15 years of dedicated involvement with the Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice. He currently serves as Director of Professional Services and Nursing for Consolidated Home Health.

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Over the years, Jonathan has contributed to TAHC&H in numerous leadership roles, including committee service, Board membership, and as Co-Chair of the Government Affairs Committee.

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A passionate advocate, he has spent countless hours at the State Capitol testifying on key issues such as Private Duty Nursing and Medicaid policy. His guiding philosophy: “Serve where needed and do what it takes to improve patient outcomes.”

Melinda A. Gaboury, with more than 33 years in home care, has over 23 years of executive speaking and educating experience, including extensive day-to-day interaction with home care and hospice professionals.  She routinely conducts Home Care and Hospice Reimbursement Workshops and speaks at state association meetings throughout the country. 

Melinda has profound experience in Medicare PDGM training, billing, collections, case-mix calculations, chart reviews and due diligence.  Medicare Review appeals with all Medicare MACs have become the forefront of Melinda’s current impact on the industry.

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Melinda is currently Chair of The Alliance/HHFMA Advisory Board and Work Group, serves on the Home Care Association of Florida Board of Directors, and the Tennessee Association for Home Care Board of Directors. Melinda is also the author of the Home Health OASIS Guide to OASIS-E1 and Home Health Billing Answers, 2024.