I.L. Balkcom, IV, M.D. | President
ilbrealfp@yahoo.com

Dr. Balkcom is a physician with the Medical-Surgical Clinic in Sulphur Springs. He was awarded an A.S. degree in Biology by Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia, and was awarded a medical degree by La Autonoma De Guadalajara, Mexico, and Ross University, Portsmouth, West Indies.

Dr. Balkcom is active within the Academy, currently serving as director of the TAFP Red River Chapter. He recently completed a term as chair of the Section on Leadership Development and as chair of the Section on Rural Physicians. He is also a member of the TAFP Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs, the TAFP Political Action Committee Board of Directors, and the TAFP Executive Committee.

Troy Fiesinger, M.D. | President-elect
troy.fiesinger@memorialhermann.org

Dr. Fiesinger is a faculty member for the Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program in Sugar Land. Formerly he served as medical director of the Lone Star Family Health Center in Conroe and assistant professor at the Conroe Family Medicine Residency. He earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in 1996 and completed his family medicine residency at the East Carolina University School of Medicine in 1999.

He is involved in many aspects of TAFP and AAFP. Dr. Fiesinger is a member of the Commission on Core Delegation to the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the TAFP Executive Committee.

Dale Ragle, M.D. | Vice President
dragle@sbcglobal.net

Dr. Ragle practices family medicine with the group Dallas Family Doctors. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and completed his post-graduate training at the Baytown Family Medicine Residency Program affiliated with University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston.

He has been a member of TAFP since 1991 and has been a member of the AAFP since 1987. During his tenure at TAFP, he has served on the TAFP Board of Directors, TAFP Executive Committee, TAFP Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs, TAFP Commission on Health Care Services and Managed Care, and TAFP Foundation Board. He is also a member of the Texas Medical Association and the Dallas County Medical Society.

 

Clare Hawkins, M.D. | Treasurer
chawkins@tmhs.org

Dr. Hawkins is the program director of the San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. He is a board-certified family physician who holds a Master's in Community Health Science.

Dr. Hawkins was awarded his medical degree from the University of Manitoba, and completed residency in Winnipeg, Canada at St. Boniface Hospital in 1986. He became a faculty member shortly after completing residency and became program director at St. Boniface in 1994. In 1998 he relocated to Baytown. His special medical interests are COPD, Asthma, obstetrics, pediatrics and outpatient surgical procedures.

Ajay Gupta, M.D. | Parliamentarian
ajgupta@hotmail.com

Dr. Gupta is a partner with Jefferson Street Family Practice in Austin, Texas. He was awarded his medical degree by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed his postgraduate medical training with the Corpus Christi Family Medicine Residency Program and Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi. He is an associate professor of family medicine for both UTHSCSA and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Dr. Gupta has been a member of TAFP and the American Academy of Family Physicians, TAFP’s parent organization, since 1994. Within the Texas Academy, he has served on the TAFP Board of Directors, TAFP Foundation Board, Finance Committee and Executive Committee and as chair of the Commission on Health Care Services and Managed Care. Dr. Gupta is also a member of the Texas Medical Association and the Travis County Medical Society.

Melissa Gerdes, M.D. | Immediate Past President
melissagerdes@mhd.com

Dr. Gerdes is a practicing physician at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center in Mansfield, Texas. She also serves as the Assistant Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Outpatient Services and Accountable Care Organization Strategy. She formerly served as medical director of Trinity Clinic in Whitehouse, Texas, and as a staff physician of family medicine at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas. In addition, she served as a staff physician at the East Texas Medical Center and as the associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler.

She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., received her medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

She has been a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 1992 and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians since 1996. Within TAFP, she has served as Chair of the Commission on Membership, on the Executive Committee from 2004-2005 and 1998-1999, and as Chair of the Section on Resident Affairs from 1998-1999 as well as the Section on Special Constituencies.