Thomas Suehs, Texas Health and Human Services
Executive Commissioner

Thomas Suehs was appointed Texas health and human services executive commissioner on Sept. 1, 2009, by Gov. Rick Perry. As head of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Suehs provides leadership and strategic direction to the health and human services system in Texas. The executive commissioner oversees the operations of the five health and human services agencies, including more than 50,000 employees and combined annual budgets of $30 billion.

Suehs served as deputy executive commissioner for financial services at HHSC from 2003 until his appointment as executive commissioner. His responsibilities included providing administrative leadership, oversight and direction for the financial management of the state’s five health and human services agencies. He also served as the deputy commissioner of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. He is a former executive director of the Texas Health Care Association, past president of the American Society of State Health Care Executives and former special adviser to the Texas Indigent Health Care Task Force.

Suehs has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas and a bachelor’s degree from Texas State University.

Chris Traylor, Department of Aging and Disability Services Commissioner

Chris Traylor became DADS commissioner on Jan. 1, 2010. He previously served as the state’s Medicaid director for three years. Traylor also has served as chief of staff at HHSC and as the director of HHSC’s Transformation Program Management Office, where he managed the day-to-day operations of the consolidation of Texas health and human services agencies in 2004. He previously served as deputy commissioner for government relations at the Texas Department of Human Services and is a graduate of Texas Tech University.

Debra Wanser, Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Commissioner

Debra Wanser has served as commissioner for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services since Jan. 1, 2011. She has more than 30 years of health care administration experience. Previously, Wanser was the second ranking DARS administrator, providing leadership and oversight to the department’s Center for Policy and Innovation, Center for Program and External Relations and Center for Learning Management. Before coming to DARS, she was assistant commissioner for Adult Protective Services at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and associate commissioner for Family Health with the Texas Department of Health. Wanser is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree from the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs as well as degrees from St. Edward’s University and Oklahoma State University School of Nursing.

Howard Baldwin, Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner

Howard Baldwin became commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on January 2, 2012. He has a broad range of experience serving families and children. He was a private family law lawyer and an appointed judicial officer who presided over family law and child support cases. He was the founding president of CASA of San Antonio and later served on the board of Texas CASA. Baldwin was the director for government relations at the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, DFPS' predecessor agency. In addition, Baldwin served as the deputy attorney general for child support at the Texas Attorney General's Office and later became the senior lawyer and chief operating officer for the agency. He was a consultant for companies that provide services that benefit children and families and served as interim executive director of the Texas Department of Rural Affairs.

Dr. David L. Lakey, Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner

Dr. David L. Lakey became commissioner of the Department of State Health Services on Jan. 2, 2007. In his previous position he served as chief of infectious disease and medical director of the Center for Pulmonary and Infectious Disease Control at the University of Texas Health Center in Tyler. He also served as associate director for infectious disease and biosecurity at the UT Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness. He chaired a bioterrorism preparedness committee for 34 hospitals in East Texas, and he led development of the Public Health Laboratory of East Texas in 2002. He is a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed internships and residencies in internal medicine and pediatric medicine and a fellowship in adult and pediatric infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.