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Travis County Hospital District

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Home > News > Central Health Begins New Year by Announcing Two New Executive Positions

Central Health Begins New Year by Announcing Two New Executive Positions

January 14, 2020

(Austin) – Central Health is excited to announced it has created two new executive positions to better serve Travis County’s growing population of residents with low-income who need access to quality health care: Deputy Administrator and Vice President of Enterprise Alignment and Coordination.

First, Perla Cavazos has been promoted to deputy administrator from vice president of government affairs. In her new role, Cavazos will focus on healthcare district governance and operational policies, while developing and coordinating government affairs strategies for Central Health and its affiliated organizations, CommUnityCare Health Centers and Sendero Health Plans.

Stephanie McDonald, Central Health’s former chief of staff, is transitioning to vice president of enterprise alignment and coordination, where she will collaborate with Central Health’s affiliates and partners, supporting the strategic and operational work priorities of the health care district across Travis County.

Both Cavazos and McDonald will work directly with Central Health President & CEO Mike Geeslin.

“I am grateful for the skills and talents that each of these colleagues bring to our organization and our community,” said Mike Geeslin, president and CEO of Central Health. “Both Perla and Stephanie are committed to the vision and values of Central Health. Our community is fortunate to have them working for us as we expand and improve health care services for the people we are honored to serve.”

Perla Cavazos
About Perla Cavazos: Cavazos joined Central Health in July 2016, and previously worked as a Legislative Director in the Texas Senate, as Manager of Policy and Partnerships at the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and a Senior Policy Analyst at Texas Legal Services Center. She has a bachelor’s from Stanford University and a master’s from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Her public service includes past terms with the City of Austin Planning Commission, Commission for Women, Resource Management Commission, Imagine Austin Citizens Advisory Task Force, and recently the City Manager Search Task Force. She is a Leadership Austin Alumna (’08) and recipient of the “Austin Under 40 Award” in government and public affairs (’08).

Stephanie McDonald
About Stephanie McDonald: McDonald joined Central Health in 2015 as the Chief of Staff reporting to the CEO. Prior to that, she was the vice president of public policy for the Austin Chamber of Commerce. She also served as executive director of the nonprofit Waller Creek Conservancy and as an aide to former Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole.  A strategic communication and public policy professional with experience in both the private and public sectors clients, Stephanie is a graduate of Austin College in Sherman Texas and completed graduate coursework at The University of Texas Moody College of Communication. In 2011, she was the recipient of the Heywood C. Clemons Award for service to Austin College.
Notice: The Travis County Healthcare District d/b/a Central Health adopted a tax rate that will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year’s tax rate. The tax rate will effectively be raised by 8 percent and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $8.41(eight dollars and forty one cents).

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