Governmental Affairs and Communications

Penelope Duke Miggins, M.D., of the Woodlands, is a private practicing anesthesiologist. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and a member of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) and The American Society of Anesthesiologists. Additionally, she is a member of the Committee for Professional Development and chair of the Committee for Office-Based Anesthesiology for the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists. Duke received a Bachelor of Arts and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

Kristen Cox, of College Station, is president and chief executive officer of Checkpoint Services, Inc., and 12th Man Technology. She served for 12 years as a gubernatorial appointee on the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. She was a founding board member of El Paso Children’s Hospital and served on the El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation board. Previously, she served on the boards of Make-A-Wish of El Paso, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Alzheimer’s Association, and Rotary Clubs of College Station and El Paso.

Lewis J. Benavides, SPHR, of Crossroads, recently retired as the Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer at Texas Woman’s University. He previously served six years as a Commissioner of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, before being appointed to the Texas Medical Board in 2012. He is a member of the National Museum of the Pacific War, and the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. Benavides received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Southwest Texas State University

Laurel E.P. Simmons, of Houston, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Houston Law Center. Simmons previously worked as an attorney with WimerHale, clerked for the Chief Judge on the Northern District of Georgia, and served as a Special United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. Additionally, she served on multiple nonprofit boards. Simmons received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wake Forest University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Stanford Law School.

Sheela L. Lahoti, M.D., of Houston, is the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at the McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where she also serves as a Professor of pediatrics. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Lahoti received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Miami and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Mark Hobson, of Houston, is retired and has more than 46 years of experience in the furniture industry. He is an advisory board member of the Neuhaus Education Center and a volunteer for the Christian Community Service Center. Additionally, he is the former president of the Royden Oaks Association of Property Owners and a former member of the board of directors for the Briar Club. Hobson received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University.