Biography
Dr. Gerardo J. Pacheco is a dedicated public health professional, researcher, and educator currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Administration at Texas State University. Since joining the faculty in September 2019, Dr. Pacheco has been deeply committed to shaping the next generation of healthcare administrators. He teaches a diverse curriculum of undergraduate and graduate courses, including Healthcare Organizational Behavior, Health Services Marketing, and Public Health for Healthcare Administrators. His dedication to academic excellence and student mentorship has been recognized with multiple honors, including the Faculty Excellence Award and the Presidential Distinction Award from the College of Health Professions.
Dr. Pacheco’s academic background establishes a strong foundation at the intersection of biological sciences and community health. He began his higher education with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2006, followed by a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2009. Driven by a desire to impact population health, he then transitioned to the UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston. There, he earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2012, focusing on community-level obesity prevention, and ultimately completed his Doctor of Public Health (DPH) in Community Health Practice in 2018. His doctoral dissertation highlighted his specialized expertise, focusing on the critical issue of Chagas disease awareness among physicians in Texas.
Throughout his career, Dr. Pacheco has leveraged his public expertise to drive impactful research and public health initiatives. Before his current professorship, he gained critical experience as an ORISE Doctoral Fellow with the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and served in various academic coordination roles at UTHealth. Today, his scholarly portfolio focuses on infectious disease surveillance (specifically Chagas disease), the integration of telehealth, health outcomes for U.S. veterans, and community-based health interventions for vulnerable populations. He remains an active leader in the public health community, holding memberships in the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), while securing significant grant funding to address pressing health disparities in Texas and beyond.
Dr. Pacheco’s academic background establishes a strong foundation at the intersection of biological sciences and community health. He began his higher education with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2006, followed by a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2009. Driven by a desire to impact population health, he then transitioned to the UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston. There, he earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2012, focusing on community-level obesity prevention, and ultimately completed his Doctor of Public Health (DPH) in Community Health Practice in 2018. His doctoral dissertation highlighted his specialized expertise, focusing on the critical issue of Chagas disease awareness among physicians in Texas.
Throughout his career, Dr. Pacheco has leveraged his public expertise to drive impactful research and public health initiatives. Before his current professorship, he gained critical experience as an ORISE Doctoral Fellow with the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and served in various academic coordination roles at UTHealth. Today, his scholarly portfolio focuses on infectious disease surveillance (specifically Chagas disease), the integration of telehealth, health outcomes for U.S. veterans, and community-based health interventions for vulnerable populations. He remains an active leader in the public health community, holding memberships in the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), while securing significant grant funding to address pressing health disparities in Texas and beyond.
Research Interests
Chagas disease; community health practice; qualitative methods; mixed methods
Teaching Interests
Public Health; Decision Making and Operations Management; Leadership