Our Team
Susan M. Cooley, PhD, RN, CPNP
Susan M Cooley is a nurse practitioner with over forty years experience. Since retiring as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Dr. Cooley consults with hospitals and healthcare organizations. Because of her long tenure, she has developed broad connections within Healthcare.
Personal health crises led to Dr Cooley’s understanding of the patient experience. A mother of four, she was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer at age 40. In addition to her years-long treatment for colon cancer, she has been hospitalized for two, unrelated, life threatening diagnoses and survived both. These experiences were life-changing and she learned, first hand, the difficulties in navigating a medical life crisis. Her TEDX talk – The Other Side of the Stethoscope – describes her personal experience as a nurse, now patient in a modern hospital. As a patient, Susan began to understand the disconnect that can occur between patient and healthcare providers and began a service to improve the patient experience.
Susan learned more as she used her skills (managing in-home caregivers, medical equipment, doctor visits, etc.) to help her parents age-in-place in the last decade of life. Susan uses these skills to assist others in finding solutions across the healthcare system.
Along with her daughter, Mary Senkel, she founded Care Consultants of Texas to help guide patients across the lifespan. Her passion is helping people become partners with their healthcare teams.
A native Houstonian, Susan Cooley has four children and a growing number of grandchildren. She is an avid photographer and gardener.
Mary Senkel, MSN, RN, FNP
Mary Senkel is a Family Nurse Practitioner. Her nursing education includes a BSN from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and MSN from the University of Texas Cizik School of nursing. She began her career as an Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner where she gained a breadth of medical knowledge. Working in some of the busiest ER’s in the nations, she realized the importance of patient education and case management for patients with a new or chronic illness. Since 2014, Mary provides direct patient care to vulnerable families and children with complex medical needs.
When her father was diagnosed with lymphoma, Mary helped navigate the complex and overwhelming MD Anderson System in the Texas Medical Center. She became the primary liaison between patient and his medical providers as well as family members. She realized first-hand the complexity of the family caregiver role.
Mary Senkel is an expert in case management across healthcare organizations. She excels at navigating complex medical systems and advocating for the best care for patients.
A Family Nurse Practitioner and mother of two young children, Mary is the go-to person in her community for information about the health and well being of children and families.
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