Annette
Gary
May 2025
Annette
Gary
,
PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing
Lubbock
,
TX
United States
Through her clinical leadership, educational innovation, and unwavering compassion, Dr. Annette Gary embodies the heart of the nursing profession.
Dr. Annette Gary exemplifies extraordinary compassion, innovation, and leadership in nursing education and mental health advocacy. Her lifelong commitment to serving individuals with mental illness has shaped not only her clinical work but also her educational impact as a faculty member and mentor.
Early in her career at Big Spring State Hospital, Dr. Gary witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of stigma and isolation faced by individuals with severe mental illness. Many of her patients had no visitors and considered the hospital their only home. Dr. Gary became the "family" they never had—listening, smiling, and offering dignity in a world that often denied them understanding. Her compassionate presence taught her the powerful impact of small, consistent acts of kindness and the importance of establishing meaningful boundaries in therapeutic relationships.
Her work at the Lubbock Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center (now StarCare) further solidified her mission to ensure high-quality care for underserved populations. As one of just a few nurses at the time, she volunteered for Texas’s first mobile crisis outreach team, offering support to people experiencing crises in their homes. Recognizing systemic gaps in care, Dr. Gary became the Chief Nursing Officer and later Associate CEO for Program Operations, where she led the development of several key services: an adult and child outpatient psychiatric clinic, a 48-hour crisis observation unit, an Assertive Community Treatment Team, and screening for incarcerated individuals with mental illness. These services improved access to care for vulnerable populations across five counties.
Beyond clinical work, Dr. Gary is a passionate advocate for ending the stigma associated with mental illness. She promotes person-first language and regularly educates others—students, staff, and peers—about how language shapes attitudes. She has been known to gently but firmly correct stigmatizing language in professional and social settings, reinforcing her belief that people are always more than their illness.
In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Gary’s compassion extends to her colleagues and students. She has intervened on numerous occasions when co-workers were experiencing mental health crises, personally ensuring they received care and support. Her students, too, have benefited from her presence, receiving late-night and weekend support, academic encouragement, and emotional care during personal challenges such as grief, divorce, or family hardship. Students consistently note that Dr. Gary goes above and beyond, not only to help them succeed academically, but to feel seen and valued.
As the sole instructor for the doctoral-level community mental health course, Dr. Gary has developed a rich and engaging curriculum focused on real-world issues. From organizing tours of mental health pods in local jails to facilitating guest panels with mental health professionals, her course pushes students to challenge their assumptions and grow in empathy and critical thinking. She incorporates real case studies, addresses social determinants of health, and encourages students to present on topics like suicide contagion and mental health policy, fostering awareness, advocacy, and meaningful learning.
Dr. Gary is a trailblazer in mental health education and care delivery. She helped bring the nurse practitioner model and telemedicine services to StarCare, expanding access to care and redefining how services are delivered. She also contributes to grant-funded projects like the Combest Center’s trauma-informed care initiatives, strengthening the continuum of care for individuals facing mental health challenges.
Within the academic community, Dr. Gary is a highly respected leader and role model. She contributes to curriculum development in both the DNP and RN-BSN programs and is deeply involved in SON and TTUHSC initiatives. Her consistently high student evaluations highlight her responsiveness, passion, and expertise. Dr. Gary is an active member of ANA, TNA, APNA, and Sigma Theta Tau, where she is a Virginia Henderson Fellow. Nationally, she serves as an executive board member of the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, advocating for mental health equity for older adults.
Through her clinical leadership, educational innovation, and unwavering compassion, Dr. Annette Gary embodies the heart of the nursing profession.
Early in her career at Big Spring State Hospital, Dr. Gary witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of stigma and isolation faced by individuals with severe mental illness. Many of her patients had no visitors and considered the hospital their only home. Dr. Gary became the "family" they never had—listening, smiling, and offering dignity in a world that often denied them understanding. Her compassionate presence taught her the powerful impact of small, consistent acts of kindness and the importance of establishing meaningful boundaries in therapeutic relationships.
Her work at the Lubbock Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center (now StarCare) further solidified her mission to ensure high-quality care for underserved populations. As one of just a few nurses at the time, she volunteered for Texas’s first mobile crisis outreach team, offering support to people experiencing crises in their homes. Recognizing systemic gaps in care, Dr. Gary became the Chief Nursing Officer and later Associate CEO for Program Operations, where she led the development of several key services: an adult and child outpatient psychiatric clinic, a 48-hour crisis observation unit, an Assertive Community Treatment Team, and screening for incarcerated individuals with mental illness. These services improved access to care for vulnerable populations across five counties.
Beyond clinical work, Dr. Gary is a passionate advocate for ending the stigma associated with mental illness. She promotes person-first language and regularly educates others—students, staff, and peers—about how language shapes attitudes. She has been known to gently but firmly correct stigmatizing language in professional and social settings, reinforcing her belief that people are always more than their illness.
In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Gary’s compassion extends to her colleagues and students. She has intervened on numerous occasions when co-workers were experiencing mental health crises, personally ensuring they received care and support. Her students, too, have benefited from her presence, receiving late-night and weekend support, academic encouragement, and emotional care during personal challenges such as grief, divorce, or family hardship. Students consistently note that Dr. Gary goes above and beyond, not only to help them succeed academically, but to feel seen and valued.
As the sole instructor for the doctoral-level community mental health course, Dr. Gary has developed a rich and engaging curriculum focused on real-world issues. From organizing tours of mental health pods in local jails to facilitating guest panels with mental health professionals, her course pushes students to challenge their assumptions and grow in empathy and critical thinking. She incorporates real case studies, addresses social determinants of health, and encourages students to present on topics like suicide contagion and mental health policy, fostering awareness, advocacy, and meaningful learning.
Dr. Gary is a trailblazer in mental health education and care delivery. She helped bring the nurse practitioner model and telemedicine services to StarCare, expanding access to care and redefining how services are delivered. She also contributes to grant-funded projects like the Combest Center’s trauma-informed care initiatives, strengthening the continuum of care for individuals facing mental health challenges.
Within the academic community, Dr. Gary is a highly respected leader and role model. She contributes to curriculum development in both the DNP and RN-BSN programs and is deeply involved in SON and TTUHSC initiatives. Her consistently high student evaluations highlight her responsiveness, passion, and expertise. Dr. Gary is an active member of ANA, TNA, APNA, and Sigma Theta Tau, where she is a Virginia Henderson Fellow. Nationally, she serves as an executive board member of the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, advocating for mental health equity for older adults.
Through her clinical leadership, educational innovation, and unwavering compassion, Dr. Annette Gary embodies the heart of the nursing profession.