A lifelong passion for helping and leading others had culminated in a Senior Vice President and CEO position for Mario Garner, College of Education alumni.

At the age of eight, Garner would accompany his grandfather to chemotherapy appointments, asking questions on his grandfather’s behalf, taking notes, and interpreting what the doctor said. Just after high school, he went on to become a certified nursing assistant, learning hands-on what it meant to care for patients at their bedside. These immersive experiences in caring for others instilled in Garner courtesy, concern, kindness, and compassion.

Garner pursued a Master’s in Healthcare Administration, and felt pursuing an Ed.D. in the College of Education Administration and Supervision program would be a logical next step. “The Ed.D. Curriculum was very attractive to me due to its compatibility with my professional schedule; its small, cohort-style classes; the very hands-on pedagogical approach of the faculty, and its affordability,” says Garner. “Furthermore, the University of Houston has solid academic notoriety and I knew that a terminal degree from UH would serve me well – academically and professionally.”

Garner credits his former professors Alexander Schilt and Cathy Horn with inspiring him while at COE. “Dr. Schilt’s knowledge and guidance on leadership, management, governance, and organizational politics were invaluable to me,” says Garner. “Additionally, Dr. Horn was an extraordinary professor, mentor, and advisor to students. She worked closely with me throughout the dissertation phase of the curriculum and was a phenomenal support.”

After graduating, Garner went on to serve as the COO at HCA Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin, Georgia, and served in the same position at the Regional Center of Acadiana in Lafayette, Louisiana. He then went on to be CEO of New Orleans East Hospital. “Dr. Garner’s efforts in New Orleans not only returned high-quality, patient-centered care to a ravaged community, it helped rebuild the community’s post-Katrina economy,” says Dr. Jessie L. Tucker III, one of Garner’s former colleagues. “His humble nature, extraordinary talent, and innate ability to create synergy between multidisciplinary teams will ensure that there are many more great things to come.

Garner’s exceptional talents will be put to good use in Pearland, when he takes on the positions of Senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital. Horn is looking forward to see what he does next. “We are incredibly proud of Mario and his strong commitment to community advancement,” she says. “His work is an exemplar of what we hope all higher education leadership graduates reflect – strong ethics, smart leadership, and careful attention to the ways in which good decisions lead to transformational change.”