DATE OF BIRTH: Feb. 14, 1957.

FAMILY: Wife, Lianne, a nurse who has made a career change and is finishing her last year of law school; children, Alexandra, 8, Hayden, 6, and Nicholas, 18 months.

PETS: A pair of dogs, two cats, and a gerbil.

MY WORK DESCRIPTION: Medical director for the central Texas region of VistaCare Family Hospice. I also do private palliative medicine consulting and am volunteer faculty for the palliative care fellowship program at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

MY PHILOSOPHY ABOUT WORK: A commitment to caring produces therapeutic benefits. It is so easy to make a difference in the well- being of a patient.

I FEEL MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN: I can help patients understand difficult choices; I can help colleagues understand difficult patients; and I can help my wife understand that I’m not trying to be difficult.

HOW MY PEERS SEE ME: Hmmm ... a bit off-beat, but quite competent – I hope.

WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW IS: My casual demeanor is deceiving and I take most things seriously.

I MOST ADMIRE: The people that I have the good fortune to be associated with, my caring friends at VistaCare Family Hospice

HOW I RELAX: I go home – 10 acres out in the Hill Country. It is a refuge and cycling.

MY FIRST PAID EMPLOYMENT: Hospital corpsman in the U.S. Coast Guard. I joined at age 17 with a GED diploma.

LAST BOOK I READ FOR PLEASURE: "Redwall" by Brian Jacques.

FAVORITE MUSIC: Rhythm and blues, cajun, and country (Texas artists mostly).

FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican, three times a day!

IF I WEREN’T IN HEALTH CARE, I’D PROBABLY BE: A herpetologist.

WHAT I’D REALLY LIKE TO TELL MY PATIENTS IS: I believe the human condition is as important as the medical condition.