Commissions and Appointees

Commissions and Appointees

Dallas County Public Health Advisory Committee

The PHAC is composed of citizens who review community needs in the areas of environmental health, health education and communicable diseases which have impact upon the over health of the community; provide leadership in establishing priorities for the various health issues facing Dallas, and encourage the coordination and cooperation of entities seeking to improve the health of county citizens.

D2 Appointee:

• MajGeneral Jim Williams (USMC ret)
  General Jim Williams was the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division, appointed in 2007 until his retirement in 2010. General Williams was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and received his B.S. from Slippery Rock University in 1975 and reported to Officer Candidate School in January 1976 and received his commission in March 1976. He earned his Master’s in Government and National Security Affairs from Georgetown University in 1981 and his Masters in Hospital Administration/Public Health from Yale University in 1984 and in International Security Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2000. General Williams sits on the American Board of Disaster Medicine. He makes his home in Dallas with his wife, Dr. Maria Viera-Williams, an educator in the Richardson School District.

Dallas County Welfare Advisory Board

The DCWAB is an advisory board which provides input into the operation of the County tax funded public assistance program. Emphasis is on the presentation and monitoring of the annual public assistance budget.

D2 Appointee:

• Pending

Citizen Election Advisory Committee

The CEAC assists in the determination of election policy in the future and evaluates the performance of the Dallas County election system in major elections.

D2 Appointees:

• Larry Wainer, long time Dallas County Republican Party volunteer
• Bonnie Wells, precinct chair and election judge for 2502; former DCRP secretary

Child Welfare Board

In accordance with Section 264.005 of the Family Code, the general purpose of the DCCWB is to work with the local office and lead program director of the Texas Department of Protective and Regularity Services (CPS) to help provide coordinated state and local public welfare services for children and their families and coordinated use of federal, state, and local funds for these services.

D2 Appointees:

• Sophie Phillips
• Joshua H. Northam, J.D. - Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP
  Josh’s practice focuses primarily on family law and domestic litigation, though his practice is anchored by extensive civil litigation experience representing a variety of small and mid-sized businesses.
  
  Josh has also served since July 2009 as a part-time magistrate for the Dallas County Truancy Courts.In recognition of his work in family law, Josh has been named to the “Texas Rising Stars” list, a Thomson Reuters service, in family law from 2014 to 2015. He also was named to the “Best Lawyers” in America list, by BL Rankings, in family law for 2019. (from Shackelford firm site)
  
  Josh and his wife, Tricia, a marketing executive, have two girls and live in Lake Highlands.

Dallas County Historical Commission

The DCHC coordinates county surveys of historic resources and approves applications for official Texas Historical Markers in Dallas County. Other areas of involvement are: working with county government in the preservation and restoration of historic county buildings, sponsoring workshops and special informative meetings and recording Dallas County’s history through publications, oral history and videos interviews.

D2 Appointees:

• Elizabeth Gunby
• Jim Gaspard
  Jim Gaspard became one of the Dallas County Historical Commission’s newest members when he was appointed to the Commission this year. An East Dallas resident for over forty years, Jim professes that he hasn’t really done anything out of the ordinary, but his resume says something much different: a high school classmate of Janis Joplin, someone who has twice sailed around the world with the U.S. Navy, the creator of the Texas Tech mascot “Raider Red,” and a member of the team at Texas Instruments that introduced the first handheld calculator to the world. (from the DCHC Chronicle, April 2019) Jim is a retired Senior VP for Behringer Harvard and lives in the M-Streets with his wife, Dinah.
• Chris Smith

Dallas County Historical Foundation

The DCHF’s purpose is to establish, support maintain manage and operate a historical exhibit on the Sixth Floor of the Dallas County Administration building, former the Texas School Book Depository. The Foundation is also authorized to solicit contributions toward this charitable historical and educational purpose.

D2 Appointee:

• Chart Westcott, J.D.
  Chart is serving his second term on the DCHF. He is the Co-Founder and COO at Ikarian Capital, LLC. He earned his law degree from the SMU Dedman School of Law and holds an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University. 

Dallas County Hospital District PARKLAND Board of Managers

The Dallas County Hospital District PARKLAND Board of Managers is charged with the responsibility of providing hospital and medical services to the indigent residents of Dallas County. This policy making board is also charged with submitting an annual budget to the Dallas County Commissioners Court for their review and approval.

D2 Appointees:

• Michael D. Williams, FACHE
  He is serving his second term. He is the President and CEO Emeritus of Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) a member of CHC’s Rural and Community Healthcare Collaborative board, a charity organization dedicated to raising funds for struggling rural hospitals confronting financial viability. He has enjoyed a lengthy and successful career in hospital management in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas. He earned his B.S. at the University of Alabama and his Master’s in Hospital and Health Administration from the University of Alabama. Michael is married and has two children and seven grandchildren.
• Lisa Sutter
  Lisa Sutter is a former Carrollton City Councilwoman and was appointed to the Parkland Board of Managers in February of 2020 by Commissioner Koch. Councilwoman Sutter works for McKesson Corporation where she is a Senior Stock Plan Administrator managing National and International stock plans. She was first elected to the Carrollton City Council in 2009 and re-elected in 2012. She served as both Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem and Mayor Pro Tem. She chaired the Audit/Finance Committee, the Judicial Committee and served on the Transit Orient Development Committee (TOD), member of the Trinity River Central Regional Wastewater System Advisory Committee, member of the Environmental Distinction Awards Committee and liaison to the Capital Improvements Project Advisory Commission. In addition to her city council work, Councilwoman Sutter has served as an Executive Board Member of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Soccer Association for more than 20 years. She has also served as a Board Member for the Metrocrest Hospital Authority. Councilwoman Sutter is married to Carrollton City Councilman John Sutter and they have two daughters, three grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She is a native Texan and has lived in Carrollton since 1978.

North Central Texas Health Facilities Development Corporation Board of Directors

The purpose of the NCTHFDC is to provide a financing vehicle for hospitals and other healthcare facilities to enable them to obtain tax exempt financing.   In order for Corporation bonds to be tax exempt, they must be sponsored by a governmental entity, in this case, Dallas County.   The corporation has issued dozens of bonds for healthcare facilities over the years. and so long as the bonds are outstanding the NCTHFDC needs to maintain its existence.

The Board's primary purpose is to approve/ issue bonds for Healthcare Facilities.    The purpose of the board is to facilitate the development of primary health care equipment and property in order to improve the general quality of care available to Dallas County citizens. 

D2 Appointee:

• Todd Furniss
  Mr. Furniss has lived in Dallas for over 30 years, and has worked as a corporate attorney, in a variety of capacities for EDS, and as the President of The Everest Group. Additionally, he has created and led private equity firms for the last 12 years. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization, serves on the Board of the Denison Ministries and supports several local and national charities. Mr. Furniss received a BA in Political Science from Old Dominion University and his law degree from George Mason University School of Law.