Kathryn Kimbrough Waldrep ’72, ’73
Dr. Kathryn Kimbrough Waldrep ’72, ’73 has spent her career championing the health and well-being of women. In so doing she has brought over 6,000 new lives into the world.
A founding partner at Vernon & Waldrep OB-Gyn Associates, Dr. Waldrep specializes in minimally invasive and pelvic floor surgery. She has served in many leadership positions in her profession, including president of the Medical City Dallas Hospital staff in 1993, reputedly the first female chief of staff of a major hospital in the country.
The path to Waldrep’s medical career began at SMU. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from the University and was a member of Tri Delta, Mortar Board and Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She went on to earn an M.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and completed her internship and residency at Parkland Hospital, where she served as the first female chief resident.
Through the years she has been active in promoting women’s health on many fronts. She has mentored numerous SMU students and supported their applications for medical school as she allowed them to shadow her in surgery and in her practice. Waldrep has been committed to training a new generation of physicians as an associate professor at UT Southwestern in Dallas and as an adjunct professor at UNTHSC in Ft. Worth. She is also proactive in advancing women’s health as the founder of Practice Research Organization, a clinical research firm dedicated to women’s health studies.
In 2005 she received SMU’s Women’s Symposium Profiles in Leadership Award, recognizing her significant contribution to Dallas women. She also served on the leadership team for the Harold Jeskey Scholarship Fund, one of her beloved SMU professors.
In addition to her groundbreaking role at Medical City, Waldrep has served as President of the Ambulatory Surgery Center and has chaired numerous hospital departments and committees.
She served as President of the Southwestern Gynecologic Assembly in 2003. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She has been honored by her peers to be voted "one of the best doctors in Dallas" in D Magazine for 20 consecutive years. She has also been active on and served on numerous committees for the Dallas County Medical Society.
In the community, Waldrep served on numerous boards, including The Science Place, Young Life Regional Board, International Women’s Forum – Dallas, Council for Life, and the Parkland Foundation Board. On the Parkland Foundation Board, she was instrumental in fundraising for the new Parkland county hospital.
Faith is central to her life. She is an active member and teacher at Fellowship Bible Church Dallas and has led a weekly women’s Bible study in her home for more than 15 years. Waldrep was honored in 2015 with the Texas Christian Leader of the Year Award by Christian Union.
Her biggest accomplishment is a marriage of 50 years to a Mustang – David Waldrep ’70, ’73, ’93 and her three awesome children: Kristen, Kevin and Kyle ’16 and four amazing grandchildren.