Dawn Zierk first called Lake Havasu City, Arizona home, but after living in at least a half dozen different national and international locales, she now calls Dallas home, along with her husband and two sons.

Her travels took her from Arizona to Los Gatos, in San Francisco’s South Bay, Simsbury, Connecticut, Manlius in upstate New York, before heading to college in Binghamton, New York, where she was a pre-med major. Then came a big trans-Pacific leap to Seoul, South Korea, where Mrs. Zierk taught high school math and biology to expatriates and Korean nationals alike.

Mrs. Zierk returned to the United States, earning an M.B.A. from Syracuse University before embarking on her early career as a financial analyst in the San Francisco Bay area – with internet hardware provider, Cisco. Dawn met her husband, David Zierk, while visiting her aunt in Belvedere, California. After having their two sons, they moved from Belvedere to Hawaii’s Big Island.

In late 2019, they moved and chose to settle in Dallas, where the family was drawn to the city’s great schools, health care, and easy travel accessibility. Dallas residents Hale and Dee Dee Hoak would introduce Mrs. Zierk to the Southwestern Medical Foundation. Hale, along with his father, Jim were board members.  

Recently, Mrs. Zierk expanded on her current volunteer experiences at UT Southwestern, through her membership on several committees as part of the President’s Advisory Board (the group charged with advising UT Southwestern President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., plus the institution’s senior leadership, on numerous opportunities to advance its mission), and fundraising for the institution’s current, highly ambitious project: construction of a new pediatric campus, in partnership with Children’s Health.

Speaking of this sprawling endeavor, Mrs. Zierk said, “The new pediatric campus will be such an enormous benefit to Dallas by offering great health care to our kids and, simultaneously, attracting even more families to our city.”

Describe your own health care experience and relationship with UT Southwestern?

Moving to Dallas from Hawaii, just as COVID-19 was starting, was a tremendous change. My first experience with UT Southwestern was when I herniated a disk in my neck. UT Southwestern’s Carl Noe, M.D., Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, was fantastic and called to check on me multiple times to ensure I was feeling better. Shortly after that, Greta Szabo, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, diagnosed me with EoE – or eosinophilic esophagitis – which caused a swallowing issue I had been having for a couple of years. Dr. Szabo evaluated me and despite our best efforts, we were unable to determine the allergy causing this condition. Thankfully, the condition is now fully controlled with medication. Our dear friend, Hale Hoak knew that my husband, David, and I had been involved with boards in our prior communities, and he knew that I was interested in continually learning about health-related topics, which is why he invited me to join the Southwestern Medical Foundation board. About a year ago, I joined the President’s Advisory Board, where I sit on the Patient Services Committee and the Executive Committee.

What qualities of UT Southwestern’s care distinguish it as one of the best medical centers in all of Texas and beyond?

 Every time I’ve seen a doctor at UT Southwestern, I’ve been impressed with how much time they are willing to spend with me. Having lived in many other cities, I’ve often felt that doctors were hurrying to get to their next patient, and I felt rushed if I had additional questions. Serving on the Patient Services Committee of the Foundation Board has given me insights into the UT Southwestern patient-centered environment, which is unique and greatly improves a patient’s experience during challenging times. The compassionate care I’ve received there truly distinguishes UT Southwestern for me.

What makes your volunteer work for UT Southwestern especially rewarding? 

Being a volunteer with UT Southwestern has felt like joining a group of friends who all care deeply about making our health care system one of the best in the world. Everyone I’ve met is committed to helping use their particular skills to benefit our community. Volunteering here has expanded my awareness of the communication, empathy, and teamwork required to help those in need. The Southwestern Medical Foundation is well-run and an excellent steward of its assets. It has enabled UT Southwestern to undertake significant projects and it advocates for the needs of physicians, researchers, medical students, and other medical professionals. The more I learn about the innovative research happening at UT Southwestern, the more compelled I am to support the mission and strategy of this impressive organization.

What do you enjoy most about being on the President’s Advisory Board, and participating in other educational opportunities offered by UT Southwestern?

Through the meetings I attend for the President’s Advisory Board, The Vanguard lectures, discussions at House Calls events, demonstrations at An Evening with DocStars, and the Carolyn P. Horchow Women’s Health Symposiums, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about various medical roles, the latest procedures and protocols, and the challenges faced by patients, health care professionals, and UT Southwestern as a whole.

What motivates your generous support of the new pediatric campus and other projects that will have an impact on the North Texas community?

As a mother, I know how important it is to have access to outstanding health care in the event your child needs it. The new pediatric campus will provide the highest level of NICU, the highest level of pediatric trauma care, and accommodate a significant increase in the number of beds and operating rooms, which is necessary for our rapidly rising pediatric population. The new UT Southwestern/Children’s facility will be state-of-the-art and transformational for our community’s most vulnerable children, who require complex treatment that cannot be provided anywhere else. This project will have an incredible impact on the children of the North Texas community.

• Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science.