The Texas Nurses Foundation board members support the organization by adopting sound, ethical and legal governance and financial management policies, providing guidance and direction regarding programs and initiatives, and ensuring the sustainability of TNF to support the nursing profession in Texas. 

CEO

Serena Bumpus, DNP, RN, NEA-BC

Serena Bumpus, DNP, RN, NEA-BC is the CEO of the Texas Nurses Association. Bumpus is a long-time member of TNA and has held several volunteer roles as well as serving as the Director of Nursing Practice & Professional Development from 2020-2021. Her career spans more than 20 years, with the last 12 in nursing leadership positions. Most recently she served as Senior Regional Director of Clinical Surveillance for Ascension Health. She holds an associate degree in nursing from Austin Community College and bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She holds advanced certification as a nurse executive from the American Nurses Association (ANA). As CEO, Bumpus leads the strategic direction of TNA and its Foundation as well as represents the state at the national level with ANA.

President

Kristen Starnes-Ott, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FNAP

(2025-2027)

Kristen Starnes-Ott, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FNAP, was appointed the role of Senior Vice President, Dean of the UTMB School of Nursing (SON), and Nursing Workforce Pipeline Development for the UTMB Health System, effective June 15, 2026.  Dr. Starnes-Ott has served as Dean ad interim since January 2026, and she will continue to drive the growth and success of the UTMB School of Nursing. Her role also includes leadership of nursing workforce pipeline development and the design of targeted educational programs to meet evolving clinical staffing needs, while contributing to systemwide leadership initiatives.

Dr. Starnes-Ott has over 30 years of nursing experience and a strong record of academic leadership. Since joining UTMB in 2020 as Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the inaugural Betty Akins Chair in Nursing, she has advanced innovation in education, instructional design, and program evaluation. She was inducted into the UT System Shine Academy in 2022.

Her accomplishments include launching two post-BSN-to-DNP nurse anesthesia programs in Texas, securing COA accreditation, leading early adoption of the AACN Essentials, and guiding the School of Nursing through successful CCNE reaccreditation in 2024.

Her research is supported by $5 million in funding and focuses on provider communication, crisis management, and patient safety. She is also a dedicated mentor and was named the 2025 Mentor of the Year by the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

Dr. Starnes-Ott remains active in national and state leadership, currently serving as President of the Texas Nurses Foundation, and is a Fellow of both the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and the National Academy of Practice.

President-Elect

Andrew Denny, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CHC, FACHE

(2026-2027)

Andrew Denny is an established nursing and healthcare professional with over 20 years of clinical, regulatory, and operational leadership experience. He currently serves as the Vice President of Accreditation for the Northern Market of Children’s Health System of Texas, where he provides strategic leadership and direction for all accreditation-related functions to support the growth and development of clinical programs. This role has responsibility for providing strategic leadership and direction for all accreditation-related functions to support the growth and development of clinical programs. His responsibilities include identifying and advancing process improvement opportunities to ensure operational compliance with regulatory and accrediting agencies, including but not limited to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Texas State Board of Pharmacy, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), College of American Pathologists (CAP), and the Texas Board of Nursing.

Andrew’s clinical experience focused on pediatric inpatient psychiatry with an emphasis on adolescent eating disorders, depression, suicidality, and self-harm behaviors. Additional leadership experience spans clinical practice, compliance, internal audit, accreditation, and healthcare operations, with prior leadership roles including Policy Administrator, Program Director of Compliance–Internal Audit, and Director of Accreditation and Certifications. He earned a BA in Psychology from the University of North Texas, an ADN from North Lake College, and both a BSN and MSN in Nursing Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington. He holds the Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) credential, is board certified as a Nurse Executive (NEA-BC), and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Secretary

Delia “DeeDee” Abbott, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC

(2025-2027)

Delia “DeeDee” Abbott, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, is the Director of Nursing Clinical Excellence at Baylor Scott & White Health Greater Austin Region. She oversees the Magnet® Recognition and Pathway to Excellence® Programs for seven hospitals, one free-standing emergency hospital, and numerous clinics.

With 44 years of nursing experience, Abbott's career spans med-surg, home health, emergency care, nursing professional development, nursing leadership, and nursing excellence. She holds ANCC board certifications in Nurse Executive Advanced and Nursing Professional Development.

Abbott has been a member of the Texas Nurses Association (TNA) and American Nurses Association (ANA) since 2017, serving as chair of the Nursing Professional Development Committee from 2023-2025. Recently elected as President-Elect for TNA District 5, she also serves as a director-at-large for the Central Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (CTONL). Her professional memberships include TNA/ANA, CTONL, the Association of Nursing Professional Development, Sigma Theta Tau International, and Phi Kappa Phi. She is a recipient of PerfectServe’s 2024 Nurses of Note award program.

Dr. Abbott earned her AAS with a certificate in Practical Nursing from Seward County Community College in Liberal, KS in 1981, her ADN from Seminole State College in Seminole, OK in 1998, her BSN from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, OK in 2008, her MSN from Grand Canyon University in 2017, and her DNP in Executive Leadership from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2022.

Treasurer

Rachael G. Levy

(2025-2027)

Rachael is a passionate litigator, zealously defending her healthcare clients in all phases of the litigation and pre-litigation process. She focuses her practice on the representation of health care institutions, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers in both litigation and disciplinary actions before their respective licensing boards. Since 2007, Rachael has defended her clients and acted as their trusted advisor through complex legal proceedings, including handling every step of their litigation processes through jury trials in both federal and state courts. She was thrilled to open her own law firm, RG Levy Law, PLLC, in September 2023 to continue this work.

Rachael obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in 2004. She then moved to Chicago, graduating from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2007. In 2016, she left her cold weather days behind and moved back to Houston, Texas where she grew up to be closer to family. She has been fortunate to represent clients that inspire her to honor their hard work through her own. Rachael looks forward to growing her practice with the upmost dedication to her clients.

Directors

J. Rebbecca Harris PhD, MSN/MHA, RN, CHSE

(2026-2028)

Dr. Harris earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from Nova Southeastern University and is expected to complete her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) post-master's certificate at the University of Texas at Arlington in Fall 2026. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Health Administration from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lubbock Christian University, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from New Mexico State University.

With more than 27 years of nursing experience, Dr. Harris has built a diverse clinical background that includes aesthetics, wellness, emergency and trauma care, perioperative nursing, post-anesthesia care, and nursing education.

Dr. Harris began her academic career as a nurse educator in 2011, joining the faculty at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. In 2021, she joined Texas A&M University–Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), where she served as the BSN Program Coordinator and Simulation Director while teaching across multiple nursing courses. In the Fall 2024, she served as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Nursing at LeTourneau University. In addition to her academic roles, Dr. Harris is an NCLEX Specialist with Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) and is the founder and owner of Western Wellness & Aesthetics in Greenville, Texas.

Dr. Harris is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the Texas Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, the Emergency Nurses Association, the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, the National League for Nursing, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Omicron Delta Chapter). She is also a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE), reflecting her commitment to excellence in nursing education and simulation-based learning.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Dr. Harris enjoys team roping, gardening, and spending quality time with her husband, Todd, and their many cherished friends.

Michael Kumura, DHA, MHA, MBA, SWP, CCWP

(2025-2027)

Michael Kumura, DHA, MBA, MHA, SWP, FACHDM is a healthcare educator, consultant, and workforce strategist dedicated to strengthening the future of healthcare through education, leadership, and sustainable workforce solutions. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Texas State University in the College of Health Professions, where he teaches and mentors students preparing for healthcare careers and graduate study.

Dr. Kumura brings more than 10 years of experience across healthcare operations, workforce strategy, consulting, and higher education. He also serves as a principal consultant, supporting healthcare organizations with workforce planning, fair market value analysis, and operational strategy. His previous leadership experience includes partnering with health systems and healthcare organizations to improve staffing models, reduce labor challenges, and support long-term organizational performance.

Through his service on the Texas Nurse Foundation Board of Directors, Dr. Kumura is committed to supporting nurses and advancing the Foundation’s mission through advocacy, philanthropy, education, and leadership development. He is especially passionate about building stronger pathways for healthcare professionals and helping create systems where nurses and healthcare teams can thrive.

Christina Murphey, Ph.D., RN

(2025-2027)

Dr. Christina Murphey is a Professor and Associate Dean, serving as Chief Nurse Administrator at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS). With over two decades in higher education, she brings extensive academic and administrative leadership to her role, overseeing nursing program operations, academic affairs, curriculum development, and student learning outcomes in alignment with the college’s mission and vision.

A fellow of both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Leadership for Academic Nursing and the Wharton Executive Leadership Program, Dr. Murphey is also certified in Effective College Instruction by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE). Dr. Murphey holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, a Master of Science in Nursing Administration and Health Care Systems, and a Ph.D. in Nursing Science from The University of Texas at Austin. She also completed advanced graduate studies in molecular genetics at Georgetown University. She served as a Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically with the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) Summer Genetics Institute.

A certified obstetric nurse, Dr. Murphey has over 20 years of nursing experience, encompassing high-risk obstetric nursing, clinician education, nurse management, nursing education, academic nursing, administration, and research. Her research and scholarly interests center on perinatal health promotion, social determinants of maternal health, and biobehavioral aspects of maternal care. She currently serves as the Site Principal Investigator on a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded interdisciplinary research project, CHAMPions (Community Hands Advancing Maternal Health Promotion Program), which aims to develop nurse-led interventions to improve maternal health outcomes.

An engaged leader in professional service, Dr. Murphey is a longtime member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Texas Nurses Association (TNA). Her service includes roles on the now-dissolved ANA Center for American Nurses Policy and Advocacy Workgroup, the previously convened ANA Moral Resilience Professional Issues Panel, and the TNA Education Committee. She previously served as President of TNA District 5 and was honored as one of five exemplary nurses to receive the TNA District 5 Fabulous Five Award. Dr. Murphey has served on multiple boards and currently contributes to the 23-member Texas Department of State Health Services Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, including its Research and Publication Subcommittee. She is also a member of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) Ethics and Public Policy Committee and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) Scientific Council Committee. A dedicated scholar and mentor, she has authored peer-reviewed publications with faculty and doctoral students and regularly presents at conferences, workshops, and academic events.

Outside of her professional roles, Dr. Murphey enjoys outdoor activities, spending time with her husband and their beloved golden retriever and rescue dog.