Speakers 2026

Eardie Curry is currently the Medical Affairs Executive Director for Genentech, covering north Texas and Oklahoma. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Eardie Curry has 20+ years of experience within hospital systems and pharmacy departments. In addition, Eardie has been fortunate to work in three NCI designated cancer centers, been awarded NCI-grant funding, and was the Director of Pharmacy at the hospital where he was born.
Eardie has a BA in Biology from Texas A&M, a PharmD from Texas Southern, and an MBA from the University of Houston. Eardie lives in Austin with his wife and family, and works towards a day where your zip code does not determine your life expectancy.

Dr. Kristi Mena is the Dean of the El Paso Campus of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health where she has worked for 25 years. She is also Professor and the Jane Dale Owen Endowed Chair of the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Vice President of Civic & Business Engagement.
Dr. Mena’s service and research focus on human health risk assessment, water quality and food safety, and workplace safeguards. She develops strategies for infection prevention and control programs that promote human health in the El Paso community and beyond. Her research informs best protection practices at NASA’s International Space Station and for the commercialization of spaceflight, as well as for international events, including the 2016 Olympics in Rio where athletes competed in virus-laden waters.
Dr. Mena was recently reappointed to the USEPA Chartered Science Advisory Board under President Trump’s administration.

Eric M. Rohren, M.D., Ph.D., FACR is the Rick and Ginger Francis Endowed Dean of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech Health El Paso. A nationally recognized radiologist and academic leader, he previously served as Chair of Radiology at Baylor College of Medicine and Section Chief of PET Imaging at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Rohren earned his medical degree and Ph.D. from the Mayo Clinic and completed his radiology residency and nuclear medicine fellowship at Duke University.
An expert in nuclear medicine and PET imaging, he has authored more than 150 peer reviewed publications, delivered over 100 invited presentations, and serves in national leadership roles with the American College of Radiology and other leading medical organizations. As Dean, he is leading the continued growth of Texas Tech Health El Paso, including the development of its new Cancer Center and Clinics.