Current Fellows
Erika Collins, M.H.A.
Erika Collins earned her Master of Health Administration from Saint Louis University in 2024. While enrolled in her master’s program, Erika was a graduate intern at UT Southwestern Medical Center in the Nursing Ambulatory Department. In this role, she was responsible for finding home health vendors who specialized in updating Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service policies to streamline policy information and ensure state compliance. Additionally, she built a Task Tracker to improve medical office assistant training to clarify responsibilities and help prioritize tasks during downtime. As a graduate student, Erika gained experience in public health research as a research assistant investigating COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among African American and Black populations. Prior to her graduate studies, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Sociology from the University of North Texas in 2021.
Marcus Peña, M.H.A.
Marcus Peña earned his Master of Health Administration at Texas A&M University in 2024. While enrolled in his master’s program, Marcus was an Administrative Intern at Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth. In this role, he worked with key leaders on a capital asset audit and a par recalibration project with the materials management team. Marcus’ other professional experience includes serving as a Physical Therapy program admissions advisor through Texas A&M’s Office of Professional School Advising, as well as a Medical Data Analyst at Brazos Spine in College Station, Texas. Alongside his studies, Marcus competed in several MHA case competitions across the country. Prior to pursuing his graduate degree, Marcus completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Public Health at Texas A&M University.
Amber Roberson, M.H.A., M.B.A.
Amber Roberson earned her dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 2024. While enrolled in her graduate program, Amber interned at Houston Methodist Hospital within the Department of Community Benefits. In this role, she supported the implementation of a new screening system aimed at more effectively identifying patients at high risk for one or more social determinants of health. She analyzed both historical and incoming data trends to help ensure appropriate resources were allocated to address patient needs and conducted research to evaluate potential external partners for providing transportation assistance to patients lacking reliable transportation to and from medical appointments. During her graduate studies, Amber also worked as a substitute teacher at her former high school, where hearing firsthand about the health disparities and inequities faced by the students and families in her community reinforced her passion for improving healthcare access and equity. Prior to graduate school, Amber earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Dimensions of Organizations with a Business Foundations minor from the University of Texas at Austin.
Emily Sander, M.H.A.
Emily Sander earned her Master of Health Administration from The University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2025. While enrolled in her master’s program, Emily was an Administrative Intern with Cook Children’s Physician Network. In this role, she worked closely with the Neighborhood Health Center leadership to address the high no show rates of underserved communities in Fort Worth. By understanding the different social determinants of health that impacted these patients, she developed an intervention plan amongst the 7 Neighborhood Health Centers that catered to the targeted patient population. As a graduate student, Emily also worked as a Patient Coordinator at Northstar Dermatology in North Richland Hills, TX where she gained front line experience in patient access. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Emily completed her Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience from Centenary College of Louisiana.