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March 16, 2026

As excitement builds for the upcoming Texas Children’s Houston Open, team members across the system will have the chance to join in the celebration through a series of team member campus events.

To bring the spirit of the tournament to our campuses, Texas Children’s will host fun, golf-themed events where employees can take a break, connect with colleagues and take part in the excitement surrounding the PGA TOUR event.

Team members are invited to stop by between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at their campus event to enjoy:

• A photo booth

• A putting contest

• Giveaways and tournament swag

These events are a great opportunity to celebrate our role as title sponsor of the Texas Children’s Houston Open and share in the energy of tournament week.

Event Schedule

• Monday, March 23 — Austin (Main Lobby) | 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, March 24 — Medical Center (Auxiliary Bridge) | 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 25 — West (Main Lobby) | 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Thursday, March 26 — The Woodlands (Main Lobby) | 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

We look forward to bringing the excitement of the Texas Children’s Houston Open to our campuses and celebrating with our teams. Be sure to stop by, join the fun and show your Texas Children’s pride during tournament week.

It’s time to lace up your shoes for a cause that matters. Join the 2026 March for Babies walking event to help March of Dimes improve maternal and infant health.

The nationwide event features food, music, games and other community activities. Funds raised for the event will support research and programs that help prevent birth defects, premature births and infant deaths.

“Texas Children’s has partnered with March of Dimes for over a decade, powering the organization’s mission to ensure all women and children have access to quality healthcare,” said Dr. Denise Tanner-Brown, associate chief nurse executive and a co-executive of the March for Babies Leadership Team. “If you have never been to a walk, we encourage you to join us this year. It is an unforgettable experience that continues to draw more than 400 Texas Children’s walkers each year.”

Walk Dates, Times and Locations

• Houston Walk: April 26, 2026, 9 a.m., Helix Park

• Austin Walk: May 2, 2026, 10:30 a.m., Austin Pickle Ranch

• The Woodlands Walk: May 9, 2026, 9 a.m., Towne Green Park 

• Click here to secure walk day tickets, fundraise and order your T-shirt via payroll deduction. If you are inviting family or friends, they must send their payment to you.

• Click here to sign up, register your team and fundraise via general registration. Share your fundraising link with family and friends so they can donate. 

• Houston Walk: April 13

• Austin and The Woodlands Walks: April 24

Sign up by the registration deadline to receive a T-shirt for walk day.

Campus Ambassadors
March for Babies is supported by campus ambassadors who serve as local leaders, share stories of impact and help March of Dimes save lives.

Assistant Director of Information Security and Medical Center, co-executive of the March for Babies Leadership Team and Campus Ambassador Veena Nagarajan shared, “Beyond fundraising, the event promotes teamwork, service and purpose — bringing team members together around a shared cause that aligns closely with our mission and HEART values.”

The other campus ambassadors for this year’s walk are:

• Jasmine Sammons, Nakeisha Tolliver, Monica Banes, Michelle Lawson and Lisa Grimes-Lewis (Medical Center Campus)

• Erica Ventura and Karen Sripan (West Campus)

• Jennifer Bailey and An Cortes (The Woodlands Campus)

If you have questions about March for Babies, please contact Dr. Denise Tanner-Brown at dntanner@texaschildrens.org.

 

March 9, 2026

At Texas Children’s, creating an exceptional workplace and patient experience starts with listening to our team members. The 2026 Annual Employee Engagement Survey is your opportunity to share feedback that helps shape improvements across our organization.

The survey will be open from March 24 through April 11 and will be available to all employees. Providers participate in a separate survey every other year; this year they will complete a well-being survey through the Physician Organization.

Our goal is 94% participation, because the more feedback we receive, the more meaningful improvements we can make.

Your feedback drives action

Last year’s survey led to several improvements across the organization. For example:

• Several quality and safety initiatives were expanded, including new safety education modules, increased transparency through Preventable Harm dashboards, TRUST error prevention training and a Safety Coach pilot launching in the ICU.

• All leaders, manager and above, are now included in Shared Leadership meetings and receive Call to Action briefs, helping important information reach team members faster.

• At West Campus, teams introduced stoplight reports and bulletin boards to keep employees informed and track progress on action plans.

What happens next

Survey results will be shared with leaders in early June, and team and organizational action planning will begin later in June.

Need help?

• Employees: View the FAQs for answers to common questions.

• Leaders: Watch for upcoming emails titled “Engagement Survey Leader Resource #X” with additional guidance and tools.

• For questions, contact the Organizational Effectiveness team.

Your voice matters. When you take the survey, you help make Texas Children’s an even better place for patients, families and team members.

We’re just a few weeks away from the Texas Children’s Houston Open, returning to Memorial Park Golf Course March 26–29. Through our partnership with the Astros Golf Foundation, Texas Children’s is proud to host the PGA TOUR tournament for the third year.

Want a chance to attend? Put your golf knowledge to the test with a quick round of trivia.

Team members who submit all correct answers will be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win two general admission tickets, valid for any one day of the four-day tournament. Thirty winners will be selected.

Click here to access the trivia form. We will accept submissions through Sunday, March 15 with winners notified the week of March 16. 

Even if you don’t win tickets, you still have a chance to score some Texas Children’s Houston Open swag. A handful of team members will be selected at random to receive prizes. 

If you miss out on the free tickets, employees can still attend at a 20% discount on general admission. Click here to visit the Texas Children’s Houston Open SharePoint site for more information and ticket details.

Dr. Huda Zoghbi, Director of Texas Children’s Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI), is determined to give children with Rett syndrome a future full of possibilities.

“Rett syndrome is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental condition that causes a regression in development, typically after 6 to 18 months of normal growth, leading to severe impairments in motor skills, speech and communication,” Dr. Zoghbi said. “The disorder primarily affects girls; about 1 in 10,000 live births.”

Dr. Zoghbi and her team at Baylor College of Medicine and Duncan NRI are exploring a way to increase the amount of a partially working brain protein called MeCP2, which is essential for brain cells to communicate. The protein comes in two forms, E1 and E2. Mutations in E1 cause Rett syndrome, while E2 is harmless.

By guiding cells to skip E2, the team increased E1 levels by 50% to 60% in mice. Patient-derived cells responded in the lab, regaining normal shape, electrical activity and the ability to regulate other genes. This shows that partially functional proteins can be strengthened to help brain cells work more normally.

The work provides early proof of concept for a potential therapy for the neurodevelopmental disorder, which currently has no cure.

“Our work lays the foundation and provides preclinical evidence for a therapeutic approach for Rett syndrome that increases MeCP2 and confers functional improvement,” Dr. Zoghbi said. “Although morpholinos themselves are not an option because of their toxicity, similar strategies, like antisense oligonucleotide therapies already used in other conditions, could potentially be developed for Rett syndrome.” 

Smiles, Italian food, cupcakes and a photo booth marked the celebration of 15 years of caring for children at Texas Children’s West Campus. Team members, including nurses and physicians, gathered to enjoy the festivities and reflect on the hospital’s growth and impact.

“Fifteen years ago, we opened Texas Children’s West with a vision to bring outstanding pediatric care closer to families on the west side of Houston,” said Dr. Ketrese White, President of Texas Children’s West and The Woodlands. “It is thanks to the more than 1,300 dedicated physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers whose commitment has made this hospital a trusted place of healing and hope for generations of children.”

Special guest Katherine Go, now 27, who began receiving care at the hospital at age 12 and participated in the groundbreaking for West Campus in 2008, joined the celebration. “The team supported me every step of the way and my family, and I are deeply grateful for all they have provided over the years,” Go said.

Since opening in 2011, West Campus has grown into a leading pediatric facility, providing more than 50,000 annual emergency visits, numerous pediatric subspecialties, and advanced surgical and outpatient services. Every part of the hospital is designed to make families feel supported and children feel at home.

We are proud of this milestone and the dedication of everyone who makes care at West Campus possible. We also appreciate the Food and Nutrition Services team for making and serving the delicious meal and the Security Services team for keeping everyone safe during the unforgettable celebration. 

Some Texas Children’s Heart Center team members once sat on the other side of the exam room. 

Born with congenital heart defects, they navigated surgeries, medications and frequent cardiology visits as children. Those experiences later inspired careers caring for children with similar conditions. 

Dr. Thomas Glenn, a pediatric and adult congenital cardiologist, was born with a single-ventricle heart defect and underwent three surgeries just days after birth. “I know what it feels like to sit in that exam room, scared and uncertain,” Dr. Glenn said. “It helps me connect with families in a way only someone who’s been there can.” 

Aubrey Campbell, a nurse practitioner on the congenital heart surgery team, had heart surgery at six days old. “I can show them my scar and say, ‘You’ll get through this,'” Aubrey said. “It creates trust instantly.” 

Lorrie Hill, a physician assistant in the pediatric intensive care unit, grew up with a complex heart defect and later received a heart transplant at Texas Children’s in 2021. She now uses her own experience to guide patients through challenges. “Walking these halls as a patient taught me resilience,” Lorrie said. “Now I get to help other kids find their strength, too.” 

We are proud of team members like Dr. Glenn, Aubrey and Lorrie, who walk our halls with purpose and ensure every patient receives exceptional care each
day.

Click here to read the story from the Houston Chronicle.