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TEXAS' FIRST LADY
ANITA THIGPEN PERRY |
"I’ve been a health care professional for 17 years, and I recognize the responsibility doctors, nurses, and other health professional have to help combat underage drinking."—Anita Perry
Introducing Anita Thigpen Perry, First Lady of Texas
First Lady Anita Perry is committed to improving the health and well-being of children and women. She joined the Leadership initiative in 2001. As First Lady, Mrs. Perry has written opinion pieces promoting SAMHSA's Reach-Out Now National Teach-In and raising awareness of underage drinking in middle and elementary schools. The First Lady’s commitment to children and women is also reflected in her 17-year career as a health care professional, which has included serving as a supervisor of surgery, instructor and pediatric coordinator, RN consultant, and hospital director of nurses.
In honor of her work, the Anita Thigpen Perry Endowment was created at the San Antonio Health Science Center to help support the new Center for Community-Based Health Promotion in Women and Children, which focuses on improving areas such as nutrition, cardiovascular disease, health education, and early childhood development for women and children in South Texas. Mrs. Perry has also continued her dedication to improving childhood immunization rates, serving as the State’s immunization education spokesperson; the March of Dimes recruited her to chair its national immunization efforts. She is also an active participant in many volunteer and charitable programs, serving on numerous advisory boards and committees; and is a co-chair of the Read for 2005 Program, which encourages the development of reading habits among children.
The First Lady is also committed to opening doors of opportunity to women. She and her husband have hosted the annual Texas Conference for Women in October since 2000. These conferences address numerous issues of concern to women.
Mrs. Perry received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from West Texas State University and a Master of Science in nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She and her husband have two children.
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