Contact HPAC

Doyen Rainey — Director 

doyen.rainey@utdallas.edu
Doyen loves UT Dallas! As a proud Comet and McDermott Legacy Scholar, he earned UT Dallas degrees in Literature and Psychology, a Master of Arts in Teaching, several teacher certifications, and a national Scholastic Art and Writing Award. He also completed six months of student teaching, a Teaching Assistantship, study abroad, and participated heavily in Student Government and as an officer for the honors program, “Collegium V.”

Doyen Rainey joined HPAC in 2007. Comets know him as a source of sensitive, accurate advising, and an exciting teacher of critical reasoning skills. Doyen soon became a national figure in the profession: an officer of the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (TAAHP), National Association (NAAHP), and a regular presenter at state, regional, and national conferences. His pre-med answers on Quora have >10 million views. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the UEMR Paramedic Consortium and as the faculty sponsor for Alpha Epsilon Delta, the Pre-PA Association, the Pre-Optometry Professional Society, and University Blood Initiative.

Mr. Rainey became Director of HPAC in 2020, led the office through the pandemic, then led expansion of HPAC’s services to support thousands of Comets each year.

Outside UT Dallas, Doyen’s interests include his wife and four children, writing and storytelling, photography, music, martial arts, Highland Games, and playing bodhran in a Celtic pub band.

Shirley Y. Anderson — Assistant Director

shirley.anderson@utdallas.edu
Dr. Anderson earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas, a master’s degree in Higher Education and Supervision from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s degree in Economics with minors in Spanish and Business Foundations from The University of Texas at Austin.

She began her career as a college advisor at a biomedical sciences high school, where she supported many students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds with college planning, financial aid guidance, and application assistance. Dr. Anderson joined the HPAC team in 2013.

Currently, Dr. Anderson serves as Faculty Director for the Joint Admission Medical Program and coordinates the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences program. She previously served on the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (TAAHP) board for five years as Secretary and Treasurer, and is now a Member-at-Large on the Southern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (SAAHP) board. She has presented at state, regional, and national pre-health advising conferences, as well as for the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Educational Research Association, and NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Additionally, her work is published in The Advisor, International Journal of STEM Education, and the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education.

Outside of work, Dr. Anderson enjoys spending time with her husband and sons, volunteering in her community, exploring new restaurants, and taking walks.

Thuy Luong — Advisor

thuy.luong@utdallas.edu
Ms. Thuy Luong joined HPAC in Fall 2013, after several years studying and working at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She is deeply committed to supporting students in achieving their healthcare career goals. In addition to advising students, Ms. Luong is the primary contact for the Texas Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program (TEMRAP) and serves as the instructor for UNIV 3112 – Research Practicum. She also coordinates the Health Professions Expo (DFW Spring Swing) for six institutions across North Texas and serves as the faculty sponsor for Pre-SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association).

Ms. Luong earned a B.A. in International Business Economics from the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi and an M.A. in Development Economics from the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands. Before moving to the United States, she worked with the Luxembourg Office for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs. Ms. Luong brings valuable international experience and cultural insight, particularly benefiting international students.

Outside of UT Dallas, Ms. Luong is a devoted mother to a college student and a high school student. She enjoys reading, hiking, and cherishing quality time with her family.

Jeanna Kirk — Advisor

Jeanna Kirk joined the HPAC team in October 2014. As a UT Dallas Pre-Health Advisor, she has a strong desire and commitment to assist students in their aspirations of working in the health care field. Her goal is to provide useful resources and help guide students to successful solutions that enable them to achieve their goals for the future. Ms. Kirk is known for her sensitive, welcoming advising that serves students honestly and with real solutions for their career goals.

She currently serves as a co-facilitator of JAMP, facilitates the Texas A&M College of Dentistry post-baccalaureate program, coordinates campus activities, and handles our partnerships with MCAT and DAT prep companies, and is the faculty advisor for one of the largest pre-health organizations at UTD, Molding Doctors. Ms. Kirk also serves as the treasurer for the state health professions organization, TAAHP and volunteers at the regional and national organization conference levels of SAAHP and NAAHP.

Ms. Kirk earned a degree in general studies and has a certificate in early childhood education and studied elementary education at New Mexico State University. She is also a certified medical office assistant and was a business partner in an events planning business as a wedding coordinator.

Outside of work, Ms. Kirk spends time on her farm with her chickens, horse, cows, four dogs and numerous rabbits. She also has two sons, one son is married and lives in Missouri, the other works in West Texas, and she has one daughter currently in college. Traveling to see family is one her favorite things to do. Ms. Kirk also loves the outdoors, gardening, going to concerts, watching sports (all kinds!), traveling, baking, and spending time with her friends and family.

Kalley Loveless — Advisor

kalley.loveless@utdallas.edu
Kalley Loveless joined the HPAC team in February 2023 and is excited to guide UT Dallas pre-health students to succeed and flourish. Kalley earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Abilene Christian University with a focus in pre-health. She also brings four years of administration and mentorship experience. During her free time, Kalley enjoys baking, reading, spoiling her three dogs and exploring local coffee shops. 

Vy Bui — Front Desk Staff

prehealth@utdallas.edu
Vy Bui joined the HPAC team in Fall 2025 and is excited to support UT Dallas pre-health students and advisors. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. After spending a year working at the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Vy decided to return to school and is currently pursuing her master’s in supply chain management at UT Dallas.

Outside of work, Vy enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, discovering local hidden gems, and getting outdoors whenever she can.   

Col. (ret) David Murchison, DDS, MMS

Colonel Murchison graduated from University of Arkansas in 1977 with a bachelor’s in zoology, where he served as ROTC Cadet Corps Commander. In 1980, he graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry and was selected for a one-year Dental General Practice residency at Keesler AFB. He subsequently completed the two-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Col. Murchison is a diplomate of the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry and the American Board of General Dentistry. Selected for a Dental Biomaterials Fellowship, he completed this certificate program at the University of Indiana School of Dentistry in 1991 and earned a master of medical science with emphasis in research methodology and test design in 2003. A Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry since 1984, he achieved master status in 1995.

Col. Murchison’s assignments include four tours as a full-time faculty member in Air Force AEGD residency programs, program director of the AEGD-2 and Military Consultant to the USAF Surgeon General for General Dentistry, as well as for Graduate Dental and Continuing Education. He commanded the 35th Dental Squadron located at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and the 59th Dental Training Squadron at Lackland AFB, Texas. In 2007, he accepted directorship of Air Force Dental Operations under the Office of the Surgeon General, responsible for 350,000 Air Force members at 80 dental clinic locations worldwide.

In 2010, Col. Murchison retired to Dallas after 30 years in the USAF. He currently advises HPAC, teaches Oral Histology and Medical Histology at The University of Texas at Dallas, and holds an appointment as an Adjunct Professor, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Air Force Postgraduate Dental School.

Dr. Karen de Olivares

Dr. Karen de Olivares served UT Dallas as associate professor and HPAC director from 2012 through 2019, after 12 years directing pre-health advising at Southern Methodist University. Her distinguished contributions to U.S. pre-health advising include editing the Pre-Health Advisors’ Reference Manual and New Advisors’ Reference Manual, and serving the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (TAAHP) as secretary, treasurer and chair. Her publications include From Pigs Eyes’ to Mouse Ears, Unframed Photo: Some Wore Blue and Some Wore Gray, The Real Cost of Measuring Effectiveness and A Participant-Observation Course in Applied Adolescent Development, as well as numerous book reviews.

Dr. Scott Wright

Dr. Scott Wright served UT Dallas as associate dean and director of the Health Professions Advising Center from 2006 through 2011. His twenty years of higher education experience, including ten years as the director of admissions at UT Southwestern Medical School, shaped the personality of HPAC’s advising and services. During his time at UT Dallas, Dr. Wright held prestigious positions in many state and national professional organizations, was elected president of the National Association of Advisors of Health Professions (NAAHP), implemented the pre-health minor, Certificate in Biomedical Sciences, and UT-PACT, and the state’s most rigorous Health Professions Evaluation Process.

Dr. Wright left UT Dallas to become executive director of the Texas Medical and Dental Application Service, overseeing all applications to Texas medical, dental, and veterinary schools. There he oversaw creation of Apply Magazine, the TMDSAS Podcast, the creation of many statewide advising resources, and significant expansion and improvements to TMDSAS’s services. He provided free consultation to improve dozens of health professions advising offices.

Dr. Joseph Wood

Dr. Joseph G. Wood served as HPAC director and professor of neuroscience from 1996 until his retirement in 2007. Over his 45 year academic career, Dr. Wood shaped the founding of University of Texas medical schools in San Antonio and Houston, and served as chairman of the anatomy department at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. He received many state and national honors during his tenure.

In 2007, UT Dallas established the Joseph G. Wood Award and scholarship, presented each year to the university’s top medical or dental applicant.