Eugene Gicheru, MD, MBA, FACEP, MBA’16

Gicheru and his family recently traveled to Guatemala on a medical missions trip.

Chief Executive Officer, Careculture Health Partners

Gicheru is a board-certified emergency physician and physician executive. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas in 2005 and his Healthcare Management Executive MBA through the Jindal School’s Alliance for Physician Leadership at UT Dallas. Gicheru has extensive experience leading emergency departments through difficult transitions and managing group practices. Gicheru continues to do clinical work and in his free time, he is heavily involved in faith-based medical missions and is the co-founder of Great Commission Outreach, a nonprofit organization that supports medical mission volunteers and operates charitable faith-based clinics both in the DFW area and internationally.

What is CareCulture Health Partners?

Several physician colleagues along with myself founded CareCulture Health Partners, where I serve as CEO. Our company is based in Allen and is an emergency and hospital medicine management services company. Our goal is to transform healthcare for the better by focusing on engaging and empowering clinicians and positively influencing clinical practice culture by instilling a culture of service.

How has your degree has impacted your career?

My background is in medicine and the MBA from UT Dallas has been truly invaluable. I have learned so much about the business of medicine and cannot imagine how I would be able to function in my current role without the education and knowledge I received from UT Dallas. It is truly a blessing that I considered getting an MBA after completing my training in medicine.

What do you enjoy about your current position/profession?

Constantly learning new things and serving those in need. Coaching those coming behind me is truly a blessing and a responsibility that I do not take lightly.

How do you see your profession changing in the next five or 10 years?

I foresee drastic changes in healthcare from new technologies that will redefine how we will deliver care. Changes in reimbursement will also force physicians to be more involved in leadership and the business of medicine.

What unexpected experience or event has shaped and/or influenced your current professional life?

I was asked to join a colleague on a mission trip to Armenia in 2011 and it has shaped and redefined the trajectory of my career and personal life. I now go on six to eight international mission trips a year and my family is now able to join me on about half of the trips.

What is a professional highlight of your career, either where you currently work or in the past?

A highlight of my career was being asked to consult at Parkland Memorial Hospital where I did my emergency medicine residency. My team was asked to help solve operational challenges the hospital was having. We spent two years there and were able to increase access to care for Dallas County patients and improve their overall experience.

What characteristics do you look for when hiring people into your workplace?

Passion, integrity and a willingness to learn. Everything else can be taught.

Why did you come to UT Dallas?

I came to UTD because of its reputation and the well-respected faculty who taught the courses.

What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?

When I realized how talented and gifted Dr. John McCraken was! He is director of the Healthcare Management for Physicians program at Jindal School.

Did a UT Dallas professor inspire you? Who was that and how was that person inspirational?

Dr. John McCracken is truly an inspiration. His passion and dedication to the physician’s program is amazing.

What advice do you have for college students hoping to succeed professionally?

I read a quote from Richard Rohr once that has stuck with me: “The ride itself is the destination and the goal is never clearly in sight. To stay on the ride, to trust the trajectory, to know it is moving somewhere better is just another way to describe the biblical notion of faith. This is the truest way to think.” No matter your belief system, these are words to live by.

What makes an effective leader?

Compassion, empathy and humility.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

My world revolves around my wife, Laura, my two awesome boys, Alex and Adam, and my extended family that I get to love on and serve worldwide.

Jonathan “J.J.” Jones, BS’12, MS’14, MBA’16

Senior Property Manager, Crescent Property Services, LLC

In his current position, Jones manages a Class A commercial real estate portfolio for Crescent, which acquires, develops and operates high-end properties alongside an exclusive group of investors and high-net-worth clients. Crescent currently has $3.5 billion in assets in its portfolio. Jones said his education at Jindal School has opened a lot of doors for him. “I don’t think I’m smarter than I was, but it helped me in my ability to creatively problem solve, navigate multiple fields of expertise and remain confident in a rapidly evolving business environment,” he said. He earned three degrees at the Jindal School – a BS in Business Administration, an MS in Supply Chain Management and an MBA.

Corey Hutchins Woolley, MS’12 MBA’16

Senior Routing Manager, Keurig Dr Pepper

At Keurig Dr Pepper, Woolley manages a team that routes the company’s DSD (direct store delivery) trucks throughout the southern U.S., handling 50 locations and more than 700 delivery routes daily. Woolley, who completed her MBA and graduate degree in supply chain management at Jindal School, designed the companywide process for creating balanced sales and delivery route plans.