2026 President’s Awards for Leadership awardees announced

L-R: Antionnette Bowens-Whitaker, LMSW; • Karen Weinberg, MS; and Mary Aitken, MD, MPH. (Photo by Jacob Power)

Leadership grounded in service, compassion, and integrity takes center stage each year at UTHealth Houston through the President’s Awards for Leadership, which honor individuals who consistently set the standard for ethical and effective leadership.

This year’s honorees — nominated by their peers, evaluated by a committee, and selected by Melina R. Kibbe, MD, president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair — were announced and recognized March 5 at the STAR Awards luncheon.

“Our President’s Award recipients truly reflect the spirit of UTHealth Houston. They lift others up, advance our mission, and improve the lives of the people we serve through their daily work," Kibbe said. "Their impact extends well beyond their individual roles, creating a community defined by excellence, collaboration, and service."

The 2025 awardees

• Antionnette Bowens-Whitaker, LMSW, social work care coordinator for the UTHealth Houston CHOSeN clinic at UT Physicians
• Karen Weinberg, MS, associate dean for management for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Mary Aitken, MD, MPH, professor, chair, and Dan L. Duncan Distinguished University Chair in Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

About the awards

The President’s Awards for Leadership, established in 2006 in honor of the late Michael Jimenez, former vice president and chief human resources officer at UTHealth Houston, recognize exemplary UTHealth Houston leaders from three categories: classified staff, management/administrative professional, and faculty.

Since its inception, 52 people have been honored with the distinction.

President’s Award for Leadership: Outstanding Classified Staff

Antionnette Bowens-Whitaker, LMSW
Social work care coordinator
UTHealth Houston CHOSeN clinic at UT Physicians

Bowens-Whitaker has dedicated more than two decades to medical social work and care coordination, with a career focused on supporting children and young adults with complex, chronic health care needs. She earned both her Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University and is a licensed master social worker.

Since joining the UTHealth Houston CHOSeN Clinic nearly 18 years ago, Bowens-Whitaker has served as the clinic’s social work care coordinator and case manager for CHOSeN, UT Physicians’ primary medical home for children and young adults with multiple chronic conditions. In this role, she provides comprehensive, culturally sensitive care coordination while helping families navigate the complexities of the health care system and access critical support services.

Her work extends beyond direct patient care. Bowens-Whitaker, who serves as the office manager for the clinic, has played a key role in research, writing, managing grants, and preparing required reports to help maintain nearly $2 million in program funding. She has also contributed to quality improvement initiatives and program development efforts within the Department of Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School, strengthening services for medically fragile patients and their families.

“I am profoundly humbled and honored to be recognized by my peers, but even more so by my direct managers, in receiving the President's Award of Leadership," Bowens-Whitaker said. “This recognition serves as a powerful reminder of the incredible team I have behind me and fuels my commitment to continue fostering excellence and impactful leadership. Additionally, working at CHOSeN Clinic with this patient population for almost 18 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, teaching me invaluable lessons in fortitude; considering that these patients have taught me more about life, courage, and strength than any textbook ever could.”

President’s Award for Leadership: Outstanding Management/Administrative Professional

Karen Weinberg, MS
Associate Dean for Management II

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Karen Weinberg, MS, serves as the associate dean for management for MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where she oversees the school’s financial and administrative operations.

In this leadership role, she is responsible for communications, procurement, finance, information technology, personnel, facilities, and program coordination, ensuring seamless support for students, faculty, and staff. Having served in the position on an interim basis since 2022 and named to the role permanently in 2024, her leadership helped guide the school through a period of continued growth and operational alignment across both institutions.

A dedicated member of the graduate school community for two decades, Weinberg is widely recognized for her steady leadership and commitment to service. In 2011, she received the school’s Melva S. Ramsay Award, honoring her exemplary support of students, faculty, and staff and her lasting contributions to the institution’s mission.

Weinberg earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in higher education with an emphasis in administration from East Texas A&M University. Her background in communication and higher education administration continues to inform her collaborative leadership style and strategic approach to academic management.

“I am deeply honored by this recognition and am grateful for the opportunities and support I’ve had through my 21 years at UTHealth Houston,” said Weinberg. “Working here is a rewarding experience, and I am very thankful that I get to work with the exceptional GSBS staff whose dedication makes our work possible and meaningful.”

President’s Award for Leadership: Outstanding Faculty

Mary Aitken, MD, MPH
Professor, Chair, and Dan L. Duncan Distinguished University Chair in Pediatrics
McGovern Medical School

Aitken joined the faculty in 2019 with the goal of building on the tradition of clinical and educational excellence in the Department of Pediatrics, which combines quality-focused, cutting-edge care at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital along with pediatric clinics across Houston with strong training programs for pediatrics and its subspecialties. She is expanding the research capacity of the Department of Pediatrics to include not only basic and clinical science, but a focus on population health for children.

 “It is a great privilege to lead this dynamic and growing department and I am inspired by its positive impact on children’s health and on our trainees,” Aitken said. “I am very grateful for the supportive team of faculty and staff I work with daily.”

Aitken serves as pediatrician-in-chief at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital where she collaborates on the ongoing strategic development of the wide range of clinical programs in the TMC and across the Greater Houston area.

Her research interests include primary prevention of injuries and post-injury assessment of health status and outcomes, and she has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies to support studies on injury prevention.

Aitken also serves as chair of the internal advisory committee for the Texas Violence and Injury Prevention Research Center. Funded by the CDC, the Texas Violence and Injury Prevention Center is dedicated to reducing the impact of violence and injuries by advancing health equity and expanding the network of health care professionals, researchers, policymakers, and community members to identify, address, and implement effective prevention and intervention strategies.