Celebrating Excellence: Dr. Beverly Gor Honored for Contributions to Health Education and Advocacy for Underserved Communities

As a grocery store owner’s daughter, Beverly Gor has been paying attention to what people eat and how their diets impact them for most of her life.

It’s no wonder she’s been formally recognized for her work as an advocate, educator and researcher in nutritional science, with particular expertise in understanding and reducing health disparities in underserved communities.

Dr. Beverly “Jeanie” Quan Gor, a native Houstonian of Chinese American heritage, was recently bestowed the Maroon and White Award from Texas Woman’s University, a recognition that the university reserves for alumni and certain others who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement and have provided exceptional service to the university.

The honors arrive after having spent a Texas-focused health services career, primarily in Houston where she not only trained and worked but also where she grew up closely observing the food habits of those in her multicultural neighborhood.

From early on, Gor – who retired in 2019 but continues to serve as a volunteer on the AARP Texas Executive Council -- said she was exposed to an immense diversity of Asian cuisine, as well as Mexican-American foods that dominated the diets of her Houston neighborhood. Her parents operated a grocery store attached to the living quarters where her family lived.

“It was a great multicultural exposure to a lot of foods,” she recalls.

Dr. Gor earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics and food service management from the University of Houston, her master’s degree in nutrition and food science from Texas Woman’s Institute of Health Sciences-Houston Center, and a doctoral degree in allied health education from the University of Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.

Some of her most impactful work transpired at the Center for Research on Minority Health at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where she focused on reducing health disparities in underserved communities.

It’s been close observation of the world around her that has inspired much of her work. For instance, years ago, Gor’s father, who was born in China, suffered a heart attack, and she noticed that other Chinese-born men developed heart disease after living in America and despite widespread assumptions about the healthiness of Asian diets. “I said, `Something’s not right here,’ and that led her into deeper studies.

While research on this topic hasn’t been published, Gor brought attention to an area of study around acculturation of diets. Specifically, she saw that many Asian immigrants changed from healthier, low-cholesterol diets in their birthplaces to high-fat, high-sugar eating in the United States.

But despite her deep understanding of nutrition, Dr. Gor is not one to impose certain eating habits on others. “I almost don’t like to tell people I’m a dietitian because they tend to go into a defensive mode,” she said. “I think food is meant for us to enjoy. Just don’t go overboard. Try to eat more plant-based foods and whole grains. And I believe in beef. I’m a Texas girl. But you kinda need to know what your body can tolerate. And I’m a big believer in exercise.”

At an award presentation ceremony held in late April at TWU’s Denton campus, Dr. Gor reflected on some of her highest professional achievements.

She mentioned having been a co-founder of the Asian American Health Coalition that established the HOPE Clinic, a health center which has five locations and serves thousands of Texans. She also mentioned her numerous published research works and “the privilege of mentoring many students.”

At AARP Texas, Dr. Gor has continued her advocacy focus for the underserved, and has been an inspiring mentor for many family caregivers and others.

AARP Texas Director Tina Tran and Charlotte McKenzie, our volunteer state president, attended the honors ceremony with Dr. Gor.

"We are incredibly proud of Dr. Beverly Gor, a valued member of our AARP Texas Executive Council, for receiving The Maroon and White Award from Texas Woman's University,” said McKenzie. “This honor reflects not only her dedication and exemplary service in her professional endeavors, but also her passion for making a difference. Her contributions exemplify the values of AARP and we are so pleased to have her as a part of our team."