PEHSU Region 6

Dr. Stormy Monks, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Professor and serves as the Director of the Division of Research with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC EP) Department of Emergency Medicine. In addition, Dr. Monks serves as the Regional Director of the Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health, the Region 6 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (SWCPEH). She is the Director of Research for the Texas Tech Training and Educational Center for Healthcare Simulation (TECHS) and serves as the TTUHSC EP Institutional Review Board Chair.

As the Regional Director of the SWCPEH, Dr. Monks spends much of her time educating both health professionals and community members across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico on environmental health topics that impact children such as air quality, pesticide use, extreme heat, healthy housing, drugs of abuse, asthma, and prenatal exposures. She has a passion for environmental justice communities across Region 6, specifically communities along the US/Mexico border where she was both raised and where she currently raises her own family.

Dr. Monks has presented her research at various local, regional, national, and international conferences as well as authored several publications focusing on healthcare simulation, emergency medicine, environmental health, alcohol and drug use, and risky lifestyle behaviors. Moreover, she has been engaged in mentoring master-level public health students, medical students, emergency medicine residents, and early career faculty members. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and four grandchildren.

 Erica Guerrero, MS, MPAS, PA-C, is a physician assistant for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso. She graduated from Georgetown University with a Master of Science in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases, and she received a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Ms. Guerrero started working with the Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health (SWCPEH), the Region 6 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), in 2018 as a core collaborator. The opportunity to work with the SWCPEH has led to a deeper interest in topics related to pediatric environmental health. She currently serves as the SWCPEH’s emergency preparedness and disaster recovery core collaborator. Ms. Guerrero is also the regional champion for the PEHSU’s environmentally related childhood cancer educational efforts. Moreover, she has a passion for environmental health issues that impact those living and working along the U.S.-Mexico Border.

Dr. Crawford is Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at TTUHSC El Paso and Executive Director of the Training and Educational Center for Healthcare Simulation (TECHS). In addition to his faculty position he also serves as the educational technology core consultant for the Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health, and is a board member for SimGHOSTS, a non-profit group dedicated to providing technology education and innovation to simulation centers worldwide. Dr. Crawford completed his emergency medicine residency and served as Chief Resident of research and technology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso in 2012. Dr. Crawford earned his M.D. from Rush University in Chicago in 2009 and a bachelor’s degree in physics from The Colorado College in 2004. He continues to search for economical and innovative design ideas to enhance the world of healthcare education by bringing a more engaging and educational experience to all learners.

Emilio Saenz is the Program and Research Development Manager for the West Texas Poison Center (WTPC). He has over 25 years of experience in community engagement, program planning, implementation, and community education. His primary responsibilities include assessing educational needs and leveraging partnerships to create outreach programs aimed at reducing poisonings and increasing awareness of poison center services. Emilio has a BS in Management.

Dr. Salvador Baeza is director of the West Texas Poison Center at University Medical Center of El Paso. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, he completed a pediatric pharmacy residency before joining the poison center in 2002. Dr. Baeza currently serves as Co-Chair of the Accreditation Committee for America’s Poison Centers and Chair of the Poison Control Coordinating Committee for the Texas Poison Center Network. In addition to maintaining an active community outreach program, Dr. Baeza and his staff collaborate with various professional education programs within Texas Tech Health El Paso and UTEP’s School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Sarah Watkins works at TTUHSC El Paso as Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of Clinical Services for the Division of Medical Toxicology. She also serves as Medical Director of the West Texas Poison Center. Dr. Watkins obtained her medical degree at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Colorado. She completed Emergency Medicine residency at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, and fellowship in Medical Toxicology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She loves teaching and talking about all things toxicologic, including envenomation and addiction management.

Dr. Stephen Borron completed his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He completed a 4-year residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati. Following this, he completed a combined fellowship program in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the University of Cincinnati part time, while teaching and providing patient care at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine, Preventive Medicine (Occupational and Environmental Medicine) and Medical Toxicology. Dr. Borron recently retired as a Tenured Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology Division and Medical Director for the West Texas Regional Poison Center in El Paso, Texas. Dr. Borron is currently a PRN Relief Physician for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department of Emergency Medicine Toxicology Division.

Dr. Adiel Aizenberg is a board-certified physician in emergency medicine and medical toxicology. He is currently practicing at University Medical Center under Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso.