Contact HPAC

Dianna Black — Front Desk

Dianna Black joined the HPAC team in 2023. She helms the front desk, handles correspondence, helps answer student questions and keeps things running smoothly.

A Green Fellowship alumna, Ms. Black earned a bachelor of science degree in healthcare studies from The University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor of arts in sociology from The University of Texas at Arlington. Like many of the HPAC students she assists every day, Ms. Black is currently applying to PA school. She is interested in expanding health care literacy and access in the fields of internal and sleep medicine, emergency medicine and orthopedics.

When she is not dancing or strength training, Ms. Black enjoys teaching, traveling, leatherwork, visiting Renaissance festivals, attending concerts and practicing Spanish every chance she gets.

Doyen Rainey — Director 

Doyen loves UT Dallas! As a proud Comet and McDermott Legacy Scholar, he earned bachelor’s 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 served UT Dallas all four years through 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 an expansion of HPAC’s excellent 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, Scottish Highland Games, and playing bodhran in a Celtic pub band.

Shirley Y. Anderson — Assistant Director

Shirley Y. Anderson earned a master’s in Higher Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in higher education, with research interests in the experiences of marginalized students in pre-health fields.

Shirley served as a college advisor to an inner-city, biomedical sciences high school, assisting many low-income and first-generation students with college and financial aid information and application guidance. She joined the HPAC team in 2013 as a full-time advisor of UT Dallas’s pre-health students. Shirley is the primary contact for the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences program, Joint Admission Medical Program and the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Society. She is currently serving as Treasurer for the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (TAAHP) board and has presented at state, regional and national conferences. Outside of work and classes, she enjoys spending time with her son and husband, especially checking out new restaurants and going on walks.

Thuy Luong — Advisor

Ms. Thuy Luong provides administrative and financial support at HPAC, advises international students and coordinates Pre-SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association).

Ms. Luong earned her master’s in development economics, the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, the Netherlands, and a bachelor’s in international business from Hanoi Foreign Trade University. She worked in the Luxembourg Office for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs a few years before she moved to the United States. Ms. Luong joined HPAC in fall 2013 after five years working in the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. Her hobbies include reading, watching TV and spending 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. She is currently serves as a co-facilitator of JAMP, participates in Pre-Health LLC events, is the primary advising contact for the Texas A&M College of Dentistry post-bacc program, coordinates campus activities, and handles our partnerships with MCAT and DAT prep companies.

Ms. Kirk earned a degree in general studies and has a certificate in early childhood education. She is also a certified medical office assistant, a certified fitness instructor and studied elementary education at New Mexico State University. Outside of work, Ms. Kirk spends time watching her daughter play soccer and taking care of her cows and three dogs. She also has one son who attends college in Missouri, so Face Time is one of her favorite activities. Ms. Kirk loves the outdoors, going to concerts, traveling, cooking and spending time with her friends and family.

Kalley Loveless — Advisor

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. 

Mamie Huizenga — Advisor

Mamie Huizenga joined the HPAC team in June 2023. Mamie earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in microbiology from Oklahoma State University with a focus on bacterial research. During her graduate studies, she taught and mentored undergraduate students. Mamie is excited to continue providing guidance and support for pre-health students in their future goals. In her free time, Mamie enjoys painting, reading, visiting with family and hanging out with her cat, Bella.

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 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.

Since 2007, UT Dallas has honored his legacy with the Joseph G. Wood Award and scholarship, presented each year to the university’s top medical or dental applicant.