Meet the Team

Craid Boudreaux, DO, is Board Certified in Family Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1986. Hook’em! In 1996, he received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of North Texas Health Science Center/Texas College Of Osteopathic Medicine. After twenty years in private practice with a successful, primary care group in The Woodlands, Texas, he joined Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine striving to make an impact on the future of medicine in Texas and the region.

Dr. Boudreaux has a passion for family medicine and considers it an honor and a privilege to care for his patients. He believes in compassionate care for all of his patients that takes into account their individual circumstances, desires and needs in order to help them optimize their physical, mental and spiritual health. Dr. Boudreaux and his wife of 30 plus years have 3 wonderful sons. He enjoys time with family, playing the guitar, singing, the performing arts, travel, exercise and outdoor activity.

“It is good to love many things, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.” - Vincent van Gogh

Ouida Collins, MD, is interested in research focused on generational care. This includes care of the patient and the family caregiver. Currently, she serves as Co-Chair for a collaboration between the Alzheimer’s Association and the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Through this partnership plus community engagement, their goal is to increase awareness and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. They will accomplish this goal through research involvement and advocacy. In addition, she is passionate about food, cooking, and ways to improve one’s diet as a means to prevent and control disease. Dr. Collins is grateful to be able to combine her interest in the Culinary Medicine Course.

Megan Woolford, MD, is originally from Stafford, Texas, just southeast of Houston. Dr. Woolford completed her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Texas A&M University. She then went to medical school at Baylor College of Medicine located in the Texas Medical Center. After experiencing medical practice in the big city, Dr. Woolford was interested in community-based medicine. She completed residency in Family Medicine at Lonestar Family Health Center, where she served a largely unfunded, underserved population. She developed a passion for teaching both her patients and medical students on her team.

Elizabeth Sargent, DO, is a board-certified family medicine physician. She went to the University of Mississippi for her Bachelor of Arts and William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine for her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at McLaren Macomb part of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Statewide Campus System. Before starting her position at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, she worked for Baylor Scott & White in the greater Dallas area. Dr. Sargent enjoys partnering with her patients to help them achieve their health goals. She is excited about the opportunity with SHSU to educate both her students and her patients about the ever-evolving field of medicine.

Glenda Read, MD, is a “med-peds” physician, certified by both the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. A native Texan, she grew up in Arlington, Tx. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology before attending the University of Texas Health Houston McGovern Medical School. After a 4-year combined residency program for both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health-Shreveport, followed by a year as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, she joined the faculty as Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She loved her time in academic medicine, but it did not take long for Texas to call her home!

She moved to Huntsville and joined a successful primary care group practice, where she had the privilege of providing care to people of all ages—children, adults, and sometimes multigenerational family members—for more than 20 years.

Dr. Read values long-term relationships with her patients to provide comprehensive care focused on disease prevention and treatment plans that balance current recommendations with quality-of-life goals for each patient. She believes in compassionate, personalized care that encourages patients to optimize their physical, mental, and spiritual health.

She is excited to be at SHSU Physicians, where she can serve existing and new patients and make an impact on the development of future Texas physicians through partnership with Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM).

In her free time, Dr. Read enjoys gardening, sports, music, and spending time with her family and friends.

Candace Walkley, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine (IM) and Pediatrics in the Department of Primary Care at the College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from University of Texas at Arlington and her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

She completed a 4-year combined IM/Pediatrics residency training program, followed by a 2-year fellowship in adult Infectious Diseases (ID), at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC). Dr. Walkley was then appointed Assistant Professor of IM and ID at LSUHSC, where she served as the IM Junior and Senior Clerkship Director, ID Fellowship Curriculum Coordinator, and ACGME Subspecialty Education Coordinator, as well as maintained an active clinical practice in ID and IM. Later, Dr. Walkley served as Associate Director of Education for the MedStudy Corporation, where she created evolving study materials for residents and practitioners of IM/Pediatrics, with specific emphasis on review for success on national board exams. Dr. Walkley also has worked clinically as a primary care internist at the VA’s large community-based outpatient clinic in Colorado Springs, and then as an IM/Peds physician in private practice in Huntsville, Texas. Initially board certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and adult Infectious Diseases, Dr. Walkley maintains certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition to academic and clinical work at SHSU-COM, she continues to teach IM continuing medical education activities and dedicated board-review courses.

Dr. Walkley believes that medical competency comes after a student acquires medical knowledge (mostly learned “one case at a time”) and adopts the professional behavior of caring and dedicated educators, who make it their mission to provide as many individualized learning opportunities as possible. Dr. Walkley chose to join the SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine because of an overarching desire to help build a college of medicine that is strongly-oriented to the mission of wellness and primary care.

Awards and Honors: Dr. Walkley was granted several awards for outstanding teaching as a house officer and ID fellow, the Joseph E. Loewenstein Outstanding Teaching Award in 1999, and the Distinguished Faculty Award for Humanism in Medicine in 2006. She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society.

Lesley Gardiner, MD, PhD, FAAP is an assistant professor of Pediatrics in the department of Primary Care at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Gardiner was awarded the Presidential scholarship for Texas A&M Corpus Christi, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She then attended Texas A&M College of Medicine in College Station where she obtained her Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Dr. Gardiner received her PhD in systems biology and translational medicine for her work with Chronic Kidney Disease and metal toxicities.

Dr. Gardiner pursued her Pediatric Residency training at McLane Children’s Hospital Baylor Scott & White in Temple, Texas, where she served as Chief Pediatric Resident. She is a recipient of the “Gene Lawyer Award” given to the resident who “Best demonstrates the qualities of excellent patient management, clinical care, and advocacy for children”.

Dr. Gardiner is board-certified in Pediatrics and has served as a pediatrician in the Conroe area over the past 4 years, first at Texas Children’s Pediatrics and now at SHSU Physicians. Dr. Gardiner is passionate about serving children and their families. She believes that all children and families should be treated with respect, compassion, and kindness. She enjoys educating children and their families about their child’s health and encourages joint decision making as she sees her role with families as a partnership.

As a mother of 3, Dr. Gardiner understands firsthand the challenges and joys of being a parent and wants to support both children and their families as they navigate childhood and adolescence while promoting health and wellbeing.

Dr. Gardiner enjoys traveling, hiking, dance, and hosting events for family and friends.

Glenda Read, MD, is a “med-peds” physician, certified by both the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. A native Texan, she grew up in Arlington, Tx. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology before attending the University of Texas Health Houston McGovern Medical School. After a 4-year combined residency program for both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health-Shreveport, followed by a year as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, she joined the faculty as Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She loved her time in academic medicine, but it did not take long for Texas to call her home!

She moved to Huntsville and joined a successful primary care group practice, where she had the privilege of providing care to people of all ages—children, adults, and sometimes multigenerational family members—for more than 20 years.

Dr. Read values long-term relationships with her patients to provide comprehensive care focused on disease prevention and treatment plans that balance current recommendations with quality-of-life goals for each patient. She believes in compassionate, personalized care that encourages patients to optimize their physical, mental, and spiritual health.

She is excited to be at SHSU Physicians, where she can serve existing and new patients and make an impact on the development of future Texas physicians through partnership with Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM).

In her free time, Dr. Read enjoys gardening, sports, music, and spending time with her family and friends.

Natasha Shah, MD, FAAP, is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the department of Primary Care at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. A Native Texan, Dr. Shah attended the University of Texas at Austin and then received her Doctor of Medicine from Texas A&M College of Medicine. Dr. Shah always knew she wanted to be a Pediatrician and stay in Texas to serve the children of this great state. She then completed a three year Pediatric Residency at The University of Texas at Austin – Dell Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Shah is Board Certified in Pediatrics. After residency, she worked in a Primary Care setting as a general pediatrician in the Katy, Texas area. She has a special interest in Global and Rural health and has been on many medical mission trips from the Texas-Mexico border to Uganda, Africa, and other places all over the world. She also has an interest in childhood preventative care, allergies, and childhood obesity prevention and care.

Dr. Shah has a passion for pediatric primary care and truly cares for the patient as a whole. She enjoys being a teacher and healer to all the little patients and just as importantly their families.

“In pediatrics we get to see children grow up and my goal as your children's pediatrician is to instill in them a sense of belonging and hope for their future and guide them in their healing during times of illness.” – Dr. Shah

Dr. Shah enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being involved in church activities, and watching sports – she is a huge Houston sports fan- from the Texans, Rockets and Astros, and likes to travel all over the world both for leisure and mission work.

Dr. Curka was born in New Jersey and graduated from Boston College in 1978. He received his DO degree in 1983 from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a rotating internship at Saginaw Osteopathic Hospital in Saginaw MI, and then entered active duty with the US Army and was assigned to Germany as a general medical officer. In 1986 was accepted into the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Brooke Army Medical Center and graduated in 1988.

After completing his military service in 1990 he came to Houston and worked for the City of Houston and the Houston Fire Department as an Associate EMS medical director until 1994.

Dr. Curka has practiced Emergency Medicine in Texas and Kansas and has served as clinical faculty in Emergency Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, the University of Kansas, and the University of Texas Medical Branch.

In 2005 became board-certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and practiced OMM in the Family Medicine department at UTMB and later in private practice.

He is married to Jacqueline Curka and lives in Houston. He tries to play guitar and barbecue and volunteers as a captain of the Sports Medicine Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Karen Nelson, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist who has worked in various mental health settings across 25+ years of experience. Therapeutically, she collaborates with clients to identify their personal strengths and resources that can be utilized to work through problems people may be facing. Approaches such as CBT and mindfulness-based therapies are employed to assist in this solution focused process.
Dr. Nelson earned her doctorate from the University of Houston. In addition to her work at SHSU Physicians, she is a faculty member of the SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

I have been in the medical field for over 25 years, mainly in family medicine. I also have experience in Urology, Allergy, and Gastroenterology and briefly in Cardiology. I find the field of medicine extremely interesting and I love helping patients with their healthcare. I chose to take my position with SHSU Physicians to being part of this exciting new adventure SHSU has developed. Osteopathic Medicine and the new SHSU Physicians clinic are working together to establish an amazing learning model that also serves the community…THAT is exciting!