Ophthalmologist Dr. Mary “Kelly” Green of Marble Falls was appointed to the Texas Medical Board by Gov. Gregg Abbott. Her six-year term will expire in April 2031.
Green’s first meeting as a board member is June 12-13. Her appointment was confirmed by the Texas Senate in mid-May.
“My first goal as a new board member is to learn a lot,” said Green, who was also appointed to the Texas Medical Board District Four Review Committee in 2024. “My ultimate goal is to protect patients in Texas from harm.”
The Texas Medical Board, which consists of 12 physician members and seven public members, is in charge of licensing new physicians in the state, evaluating patient complaints, and deciding what to do with them.
Green is the first woman ophthalmologist and only the third ophthalmologist ever to serve on the board.
“I didn’t know that when I got the appointment,” she said. “I found out later.”
Being sworn into office is not as formal as the appointment. Green only had to find an official to swear her in and sign the paperwork.
“I know Gil (Jones) is always in Starbucks, so I went there and asked him if he would do it,” she said. She also got a selfie with the former district judge after the swearing-in.
Kelly is an eye surgeon and the owner of a private ophthalmology practice in Marble Falls. She is a member of the Texas Medical Association, Burnet-Lampasas County Medical Society, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and Marble Falls Education Foundation Board.
Additionally, she is an oral board examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and a former volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in West Africa, where she taught physics and chemistry in French.
Green received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Trinity University and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
“(Serving on the board) combines the two things that are important to me—aside from my family, obviously: service to the community and medicine,” Green said. “I have learned that about myself as I’ve aged. Time on the medical board does that.”
She said the Texas Medical Board is one of the most important of the many boards and committees filled by governor appointees, and she is appreciative of the opportunity to serve.
“I want to thank the governor for appointing me and my family for supporting me,” she said.
Also appointed to the board were:
Devinder S. Bhatia, M.D. of Houston, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in the field.
Luisa del Rosal of Dallas, an entrepreneur and the owner of EverLine Coatings Fort Worth Metroplex, a contributing columnist for The Dallas Morning News, and the Colin Powell teaching fellow and special advisor for the Southern Methodist University John Goodwin Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs.
James “JD” Distefano, D.O. of College Station, a board-certified physician at Cornerstone Sports Medicine who serves as a team physician for Texas A&M University Athletics.
Tomeka Herod of Allen, president of The Wilkins Group, Inc.
Robert David Martinez, M.D. of Edinburg, a hospitalist physician and medical director at DHR Health.
Jason K. Tibbels, M.D. of Bridgeport, a practicing family physician who serves as the chief medical officer at Lantern, a Dallas-based company delivering specialty care across the country, and as executive medical director for Solaris Hospice.