Described as a city within a city, Texas Woman’s University – Houston is strategically located within the Texas Medical Center. The synergies between the university and the surrounding healthcare sector provide students with the exposure, experience, and knowledge needed to excel in their careers upon graduation, with many of them being employed in the industry even before walking the stage. In an interview with Invest:, Texas Woman’s University-Houston President Monica Williams highlights the growth of the university’s presence in the Houston market and what the future may look like as they finalize their strategic plans

What have been the biggest changes for Texas Woman’s University – Houston in the past year?

As the inaugural president of Texas Woman’s University – Houston, it has been more than I dreamt it would be. I am a native Houstonian, and I watched the Texas Medical Center grow and develop over the past half-century. I catch myself looking out of the 10th-floor window and marvel at what surrounds our beautiful campus. We are in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and to have the opportunity to build on top of a 70-year history just takes my breath away. Looking at the work of Monica Christopher in Dallas helps me envision what may be to come for Houston. The geographic difference between where we are in the system, 300 miles away from Denton and Dallas, is a little different for us. The last eight months have been employing a laser-focused view to set the foundation of our upcoming strategic planning process. We are assembling a steering committee to help us envision what Houston could be in the near future. With our 70-year history in the Texas Medical Center, and the fact that outside of our partners and supporters, not many people know we are here, we will focus on charting the next 70 years of our history in the city within the city that is our campus. 

What do you believe makes Houston the right environment for your offerings and programs?

I have spent more than 25 years in the higher public education sector, and there is something magical about TWU in general. Among our guiding principles are opening doors, fueling innovation, and cultivating grit. These are not just words but actions that govern our DNA. It is the secret sauce we give our graduates and stands out among all other professionals. The biggest upside is being located in the Texas Medical Center. Our students are learning and then going right next door across campus to become the best in their professions. They are already familiar with what is around them and where they will work. Our excellent faculty and academic programs in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other health areas are happening right in their backyard, giving us the leading edge to go right into work experience after leaving our great institution. 

What broader market trends are influencing TWU’s offerings and programs?

Things are evolving in a way where technology is infused into the classroom through AI, and simulation methodology, and our students are exposed to all of this. In Houston, we have some of the most cutting-edge labs. Our students get real experiences through experiential learning right here on campus. They spend approximately four days a week on clinical rotations right across the street. Leading institutions such as Methodist Hospital, MD Anderson, and Texas Children’s Hospital are our neighbors, and students are within reach of them. We offer what these institutions want to see and what they want our graduates to be equipped with.   

What feedback are you hearing from healthcare institutions regarding current workforce challenges?

Nursing is a big part of the shortage. We concentrate not on what everyone else around us is doing but on what we know our partners need. We are in constant communication with healthcare leaders regarding the opportunities to fill workforce needs. We partner with their human resources departments to identify key occupations that need people in the workforce, and we are producing those students. Our students are employed as soon as they graduate, in some cases even before they become alumni. 

To what do you attribute the university’s success in occupational therapy and physical therapy programs?

Our PT and OT faculty are phenomenal and brilliant. Our students are cultivating that grit in the classroom. At any given time, you can walk into the lobby of our building, and you can see the students practicing and working. They interact with their peers and treat them as patients. They are getting experience through simulation. This gives us a leading edge. Aside from clinical rotations, they are experiencing it at every turn. These graduate students have matriculated through their undergraduate experience and proven themselves worthy of being in this program. You can see the intensity in their faces and their actions. They are serious about the oaths that they take and the work that they do. They know that it is pioneering. It is a part of who they are when they come into this program. 

What are the greatest opportunities for the institution to support Houston’s evolving healthcare sector?

In addition to healthcare, we are doing amazing work in other areas. We are partnering with independent school districts and community colleges to see what pipelines make sense for us to include in our strategic plan. For example, Coleman College, which is right across the street from us, has the most amazing laboratories, and they are working in the dual credit space to bring forward healthcare students to work in our healthcare fields as well as in education. There is a teacher shortage as well. We are looking at growing our partnerships with these independent school districts. We are at the table with them, helping them to imagine what it will look like to bring more teachers into the workforce. We are working with the community colleges to bring more allied health workers into the workforce. We are also hearing that TWU-educated teachers stay in the classroom 10 years longer than graduates from other universities. 

What is your outlook for the educational sector in the near future?

TWU is a member of the Houston GPS, known as the Guided Pathway to Success initiative. Our partners are community colleges that are concentrating on Houston’s regional higher education landscape. These primary efforts focus on improving the transfer pathways and reducing the time to degree while increasing the graduation rates. This is all of us locking arms. These are the efforts that offer our students the best experience across institutions and help us all as partners to achieve the goal of equitable, high-quality education for everyone. This is at the core of the roadmap for TWU in Houston.

Fort Bend County is experiencing rapid population growth, prompting local organizations to focus on maintaining key services. “Fort Bend County is probably one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. We are seeing a rapidly growing population and it’s going to grow even more over the next five years,” Freemon Walker, interim president of St. Luke’s Health-Sugar Land Hospital, told Invest:.

How is population growth in Fort Bend County impacting St. Luke’s and the services it provides?

Fort Bend County is probably one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. We are seeing a rapidly growing population, and it’s going to grow even more over the next five years. As a matter of fact, they’re projecting the population growth to average about a 6.3% annual increase, which is almost close to a million additional people coming into the Fort Bend County area. 

With that many people moving to Fort Bend County, we want to make sure that we can continue serving our community by growing key services and key access points so that those services remain available throughout Fort Bend. 

Regarding key access points, that means adding more primary care to our demographic area, creating access points for the different communities in which we serve. We are close to the Texas Medical Center, but we understand our community here in Fort Bend County, and we know that they do not want to drive to the Texas Medical Center to receive services. We’re doing our best to keep key services at the local institution so that our community doesn’t have to travel 30 to 45 minutes to the Texas Medical Center. 

What is your strategy regarding partnerships to help the community?

We partner a lot with a lot of nonprofit organizations here in the local community that provide key services. Our community grant initiatives are part of that. For instance, just this year, we awarded two organizations with $26,500 in grant opportunities to continue doing the work that they are doing throughout the community. All this aligns with our mission as part of the CommonSpirit health system. 

How are you ensuring financial sustainability for your hospital, but also maintaining high-quality patient care?

We have an obligation as a nonprofit healthcare organization to give back to our community. It’s pertinent for us to continue to operate and to continue to invest to make our operations efficient. We are always looking at opportunities to provide services more efficiently. For instance, in our primary care clinics, we have opportunities to provide telehealth and virtual visits. This means patients don’t have to come into our clinics. They can schedule virtual care appointments, which don’t require as many resources as are needed when a patient comes into a clinic. 

Regarding the hospital, we are continuing to focus on efficient operations to see more patients and to be able to provide high-quality outcomes for our patients.

How are you leveraging new technologies to create efficiencies for your team, and also to enhance patient outcomes?

Technology is constantly changing, and it’s constantly beneficial for us in the healthcare sector. One of the technologies that we use in our partnership with our local EMS agencies is Pulsara. Pulsara is a communication tool that allows us to communicate with our EMS partners before patients arrive at our hospitals. It provides us with information that allows us to be ready to receive those patients. For example, Pulsara can provide information on a patient who is in cardiac arrest. We can then activate our STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) teams and be ready to go once the patient arrives. That type of technology helps us to be more efficient in our operations.

What are your top goals over these next two to three years?

Over the next two to three years, we will be looking at the healthcare landscape in terms of planning and reimbursement, but the No. 1 goal is to maintain our high-quality service for our local community, making sure that we are taking good care of our patients. 

The No. 2 goal is to take care of our workforce, grow our workforce, and provide our workforce with the resources to be successful and to continue to provide the care that our community needs.

Our third goal would be around ensuring the successful financial operations of our company, of our hospital here in Sugar Land. We want to be able to continue to invest in our community. Being financially viable is key to being able to offer those services for our community. Those would be my top three priorities.

In an interview with Invest:, Heather Tussing, president of The Aspenwood Company, discussed how tailored efforts within the company’s communities provide better care for its residents. “Often in senior living, people have to leave the area where their medical facilities are, or where their favorite restaurants are. We change that narrative, and enable them to live where they’ve always lived,” Tussing said.

What makes Houston the ideal location to grow a company?

It’s an ideal business environment. There is so much growth in the Houston market, and there are many pockets of specificity in the market. We have communities in Tanglewood, River Oaks, and Southampton, where the residents have strong ties to their neighborhoods. We give them the ability to stay within the areas they’re familiar with, where there are medical services nearby that they’re accustomed to. 

Houston offers an exceptional business environment fueled by rapid growth and diverse opportunities. The city is made up of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own unique character and strong community ties.

For example, our communities in Tanglewood, River Oaks, and Southampton allow residents to remain connected to the neighborhoods they love while benefiting from convenient access to trusted medical services and resources nearby. By meeting people where they are, we’re able to honor their roots while supporting their evolving needs, making Houston a perfect place for growth.

What makes Houston an ideal place for people to set their roots?

Houston is such a diverse city, and it has something for everyone, from individuals at retirement age to those with young children. It has the largest medical center in the world, and the widest highway in the world. Houston is huge, but it can feel connected because of the various communities built within the city. 

What are the recent trends affecting your strategic decisions?

In Houston, we have been focusing on developments in areas where people are in proximity to their communities. For example, the luxury senior living community near Rice University enables individuals to remain close to the neighborhood they’ve always known. Often in senior living, people have to leave the area where their medical facilities are, or where their favorite restaurants are. We change that narrative and enable them to live where they’ve always lived. I want the individuals who come to live with us to live an even bigger life with us. Houston offers so many opportunities that we’re able to get people to enriching activities that meet everybody’s needs, from a ballgame to museums and the theater. 

How does The Aspenwood Company differentiate itself in Houston’s competitive luxury senior living market?

We ensure that if we’re in River Oaks, we’re truly in River Oaks. We see individuals marketing their presence in an area, but they’re actually outside that zip code. We don’t do that. 

It’s also about forming relationships in that market, like with the civic centers, and becoming entrenched in that community. For example, we have a partnership with Rice University to create an intergenerational program serving their students and members of our community. We ensure that what we’re doing is a win-win for both sides. 

At The Aspenwood Company, authenticity matters. When we say we have a community in River Oaks, we mean it—we’re truly rooted in the neighborhoods we serve, not just nearby. This commitment to location ensures that our residents remain connected to the places and services most familiar to them.

But it’s more than geography. We build meaningful, lasting relationships within each community. From engaging with civic centers to creating intergenerational opportunities, we’re intentional about becoming part of the fabric of each neighborhood. A great example is our partnership with Rice University, where students and our residents come together in a program designed to foster connection and mutual growth. Every initiative we take is designed to be a true win-win for our residents, our partners, and the broader community.

How are you meeting shifting expectations in senior living?

It’s important to understand that each pocket we serve, and each individual in those pockets, is different. Meyerland’s population will be different from that in River Oaks and Tanglewood. The Village of Tanglewood resembles a miniature White House with its history and preservation. The Doliver of Tanglewood, however, is much more modern. One product doesn’t fit all, and our programming is specific to that community. Our vice president of resident experience supports this idea of communities creating their own programming, which will then be tailored to every community’s preferences and beliefs. 

The process begins before the individuals move in, with listening to their life stories and discovering what they enjoy. Then, we can transition them seamlessly through a resident engagement platform, which uses AI as well. We can generate what content individuals want to see within a specific community, based on their preferences and history. It goes beyond programming what a day looks like. If somebody worked third shift as a nurse, at a factory, or they were an overnight ER physician, getting them to acclimate to a totally different schedule would not work well, because their circadian rhythm is completely different. That information allows us to tailor their experience when they move in. Instead of them fitting into our mold, it is up to us to adjust to them as individuals. 

What recent innovations have been implemented to deliver better care for the residents?

We have piloted a program called Inspiren, which is a fall-mitigation program using outline-style monitoring, instead of a camera. It allows us to see how a fall occurs so we can prevent it for that individual, and how long it takes for a team member to assist them, which enables us to make them feel safe more quickly. We’re able to then tailor their specific apartment to be the safest for them. This allows us to minimize hospital visits, unless they are necessary, such as when somebody hits their head. A hospital environment can be overwhelming, and for somebody who has Alzheimer’s or dementia, it can be traumatizing. 

We are also rolling out a program with Amba Health and Synergy Medical Group to bring advanced Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) solutions to its communities. This allows us to know the baseline for each individual through remote monitoring. We’re able to develop a routine for the individual that takes into account sleep quality, eating schedule, mattress type, and many other aspects. It can also allow us to see early-onset diabetes, or potentially a urinary tract infection, which can become serious in seniors and might cause cognitive deficits. If we can diagnose that in early stages, before they even have discomfort or challenges, we can help them live a better, fuller life.

What recent developments have been completed on the properties?

Over the past year, there were full renovations on two of our Houston communities, The Village of Meyerland and The Village of The Heights, including the installation of full-building generators. These are not just for emergency backup, but a full power restoration for apartment lighting, hallway lighting, and all other electrical needs. The Village of River Oaks and four of our Dallas communities have undergone a refresh this year. We continue to assess and revamp our properties and assets to stay marketable, because the residents who choose to live with us deserve to live in the best environment possible. 

How do you attract the necessary labor pool for a senior living house? 

We lead with culture. It is something that everybody feels when they walk into a community. The 

residents, the team members, and the family members feel that. It’s important to have a strong culture and great benefits in place. We evaluate and tailor the benefits by assessing what is important to the community team members and the office-based team members. The staffing concern has been stabilized over the last couple of years after COVID, and it speaks volumes that our Glassdoor rating is 4.9 stars, possibly the highest in a senior living organization. We do this with kindness and empathy, even when we have to make hard decisions. Most team members have the best interests at heart. Sometimes, they just need additional education, and we have to provide that learning opportunity to give them a chance to grow. We also have opportunities for continued advancement. 

How does the company strengthen the healthcare ecosystem within Houston and the surrounding region?

We are so fortunate to have the largest hospital network in the world, and that’s another reason why people should want to live in Houston. If we are sick, Houston is where we can have the best care possible. Our partnerships here allow us to continue to learn and evolve, and ensure that we’re providing the best care possible to our associates, team members, and residents. For example, our community at Rice Village is located right by the medical center, so our residents and team members have access to cutting-edge healthcare technology. 

What is your general outlook for the company?

The outlook for senior living this year has been positive, which is encouraging for future investment. Besides additional investment opportunities, we are continuing to dive into technology. We’re furthering our technology use next year because that will be a win-win for our residents and team members. We will also continue to focus on culture and show our team members how much they matter to us. Our success is only because of the team members in the community. 

Moreover, Houston is an amazing market for all levels of businesses. We have ultra high-end communities, as well as mid-luxury communities, depending on the location. Houston offers something for everybody, whether they’re at retirement age or just beginning their career. The educational opportunities in Houston are fantastic as well.

WM’s acquisition of Stericycle marked a strategic move into the growing medical waste sector. “Rather than building one organically, which would take years, we opted to acquire an established network,” said Rafael Carrasco, President of WM Healthcare Solutions, in an interview with Invest:. Houston’s talent and innovation ecosystem supports this expansion, alongside WM’s focus on sustainability, home health waste services, and regulatory leadership.

What role has Houston played in supporting WM’s strategic expansion, including the Stericycle acquisition?

It’s been a year since our announcement to acquire Stericycle, a publicly traded company and leader in regulated medical waste services. These deals tend to be complex and drawn out, so we were excited to finalize it. The acquisition officially closed in November 2024, and we’ve been integrating the business for several months now.

WM has long been the largest environmental services provider in North America, but we lacked a comprehensive regulated medical waste platform. Rather than building one organically, which would take years, we opted to acquire an established network. 

The strategic rationale for the acquisition was grounded in growth. The regulated medical waste sector is expanding faster than the traditional solid waste sector in the United States. While solid waste typically grows with GDP, healthcare services have been increasing 5% to 7% annually over the past three years. That forecast signals strong volume growth and makes it a compelling avenue for expansion. It also enables us to offer a more comprehensive suite of environmental solutions to our customers, combining medical waste disposal with traditional hazardous and non-hazardous waste services.  

Why is Houston an ideal location for WM’s headquarters and continued investment?

Houston is our home, and in 2021, we opened a new campus downtown, occupying nine floors of the Bank of America Tower. The space has even been featured in several architectural publications. We often receive positive feedback regarding our office space, with employees particularly appreciating the collaborative spaces and modern design. It’s great having such a thoughtfully designed space now that we’re back in the office most days.

Being in Houston also gives us access to exceptional talent. It’s particularly relevant for our healthcare solutions segment, as Houston is a hub for medical innovation and care. Additionally, we benefit from proximity to major universities, including the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas system. These institutions support our recruiting efforts and provide a deep talent pool for sectors such as healthcare, energy, and environmental services.

What industry trends or challenges are you observing in the healthcare and industrial sectors?

We often get asked about regulatory challenges. Interestingly, WM tends to thrive in high-regulation environments. We operate well above minimum standards and often exceed industry norms.

In healthcare, regulatory complexity is significant, involving local, state, and federal agencies like the FDA, EPA, and even the USDA in some cases. We’ve built a strong regulatory affairs team both in Washington, D.C. and locally to stay engaged and proactive. In fact, we’re partnering with agencies to help shape policies, such as those addressing fugitive emissions at landfills, expanding access to safe consumer drug disposal, and saving healthcare workers’ time while maintaining proper waste management.

In terms of trends, demand for at-home care is projected to accelerate, generating more waste and more demand for proper medical and pharmaceutical waste disposal options. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including an aging population, the increasing use of self-injectable medications to treat chronic diseases, and more stringent regulations for proper pharmaceutical and medical waste disposal.

How are you supporting client sustainability goals, and what partnerships are helping meet those needs?

As part of our Stericycle acquisition, many of our healthcare clients, including major hospital networks, are large, national players seeking comprehensive sustainability solutions to meet their recycling and waste diversion goals. They want to reduce CO2 emissions, minimize waste to landfills, and improve reporting transparency.

We look forward to offering our robust analytics and reporting platform to enhance our regulated medical waste services. This is something our sophisticated customers, from hospital systems to national retailers, are increasingly demanding. Using a single vendor for all waste streams can enable healthcare facilities to manage their sustainability, compliance, and cost containment goals in an integrated manner.

WM has been aligned with sustainability long before it became a trend. We’re investing more than $3 billion in renewable energy projects and recycling infrastructure across North America from 2022 to 2026. This includes capturing methane from landfills and converting it to renewable natural gas, as well as upgrading and automating recycling facilities like our recent development in New Braunfels, Texas.

Are there specific services in higher demand from Houston-area clients?

It’s still early in our healthcare solutions rollout, but we’re seeing growing interest from healthcare systems in the Houston area. They’re particularly excited about our reporting tools and self-service capabilities to measure and report on sustainability performance and more.

Our national clients already expect this level of service. The ability to track and manage waste comprehensively, from cradle to grave, is a priority for them.

How is WM attracting and retaining specialized talent in Houston?

We’re fortunate to be in Houston, widely recognized as the energy capital of the world. It offers a rich pool of professionals experienced in both traditional and renewable energy. We’ve brought some of these individuals into our renewable energy division.

Also, for younger generations like millennials and Gen Z, sustainability is a major motivator. We offer them the opportunity to work on impactful projects that align with their values, which is something that differentiates us from many other companies.

What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?

First, we want to complete our $3 billion in investments in recycling and renewable natural gas on time and ensure they deliver the promised returns. Execution is a core strength for us.

Second, we are focusing on strengthening recycling through our capital investments, developing

markets for recycled materials, working with producers on developing packaging that is recyclable and, in those states that have enacted Extended Producer Responsibility, working

with those EPR organizations on providing solutions for their goals.

We’re also continuing to invest in technology, including automation, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics. These tools are helping us streamline our operations, improve safety and compliance, and empower our customers to make more informed decisions about their waste streams to keep communities safe, healthy, and thriving.

For WM Healthcare Solutions, the rise of home health care is an exciting area. With 14 million residential customers, we’re well-positioned to support safe and compliant disposal for home-administered care. We offer a mail-back program for pharmaceuticals and sharps waste, and we’ve recently opened a state-of-the-art, regulated Hospital, Medical, and Infectious Waste Incinerator in McCarran, Nevada — the most advanced of its kind, which has set a new industry standard to safely treat potentially infectious materials and safely dispose of unwanted medications.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about WM’s presence in Houston or new developments?

Yes, we also manage waste from airlines and cruise ships, which is known as “regulated garbage” per requirements from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Regulated garbage is managed using similar treatment processes as we do for regulated medical waste to ensure foreign pests and organisms are not introduced into the United States. Every port city, including Houston, requires this service. Now that we’ve acquired Stericycle, we offer a full-service solution for compliant regulated medical waste disposal as well as recycling and reuse solutions to drive sustainability goals.