Gay Dodson is a 1969 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy. After graduation, Gay worked as a community pharmacist in the Dallas area for 13 years. While working as a community pharmacist, she was an active member of the local, state, and national pharmacy associations.

Gay has been an employee of the Board since November 1982 and served for 2 years as Field Compliance Officer in the Houston Area, 3 years as Senior Compliance Officer in the Austin office, and almost 10 years as Director of Compliance before being appointed to her present position as Executive Director on June 28, 1997. In her position as Executive Director, Gay serves as the chief executive officer of the agency and an ex-officio member and secretary of the Board of Pharmacy.

Her awards and recognitions include: 2013 Kappa Epsilon Career Achievement Award; 2012 State Agency Council to the Governor's Commission for Womens, Outstanding Women in Texas Government; 2010 Texas Society of Health System Pharmacists’ Distinguished Service Award; 2007 National Association of Board’s of Pharmacy’s Lester E. Hosto Distinguished Service Award; 2006 Texas Pharmacy Association’s Distinguished Service Award; 2000 University of Texas College of Pharmacy William J. Sheffield Outstanding Alumnus Award; 1997, Recognition Award from the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists in “ recognition of her commitment, leadership, and dedication in advancing the practice for pharmacists and the patients they serve ,” 1993 award for Outstanding Service from the Texas Pharmacy Association; and the 1989 Linda T. Rodgers Memorial Leadership Award from Kappa Epsilon. She is a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Texas Pharmacy Association, Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Capitol Area Pharmacy Association, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. She is currently serving as Chair of the Texas Health Professions Council. Ms. Dodson is also a Past-President of the University of Texas College of Pharmacy Alumni Association and is an active member of the University of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band.