UTSA alumna builds a multidisciplinary health team to serve veterans in the community

JUNE 17, 2022 — Kimberly Anderson ’19 is following her passion to make a meaningful difference in the way San Antonio provides health care services to a particular population.

Majoring in public health, one of several programs in the UTSA College for Health Community and Policy, Anderson has set out to affect meaningful change in the way that health and wellness services are provided.

It is her work with a locally based center that serves vulnerable populations that made her keenly aware of the multiple issues that affect a community’s health, and the necessity to change the way we address those issues.

Anderson asks, “Are we spending our money making our country well, or are we just feeding this sick-care system that we have?”

“I have a real passion for supporting the family system of veterans and how the socioecological model supports the reduction of veteran suicide.”

Anderson is the wellness director for Endeavors, an organization that incorporates comprehensive and innovative services to help vulnerable people and families in crisis—including veterans, people struggling with mental illness and persons who are disabled.

This past November, Anderson, was named director of Endeavors’ latest facility, the Veteran Wellness Center, which provides high-quality care to all veterans and their families regardless of discharge status.

Her mission is personal.

“I’m the spouse of a veteran, so I have this unique perspective,” she said. “I have a real passion for supporting the family system of veterans and how the socioecological model supports the reduction of veteran suicide.”

After spending the last two years building the facility’s wellness model and implementing the program, Anderson now oversees the very program she built—all part of her internship as a public health student.

Her role also gives her the opportunity to hire UTSA students for internships and full-time jobs.

Anderson is proud of her role helping to build a unique service model for veterans. It is a system that incorporates various programs—including social work, public health and fitness—to provide an array of services to care for them.

She is also grateful for the team of colleagues, friends and family that were her support group.

“I am very, very proud of building a diverse and multidisciplinary team that work so well together,” Anderson said. “I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without really leaning into the all the people around me—my family, my fellow students, my mentors, and leadership—and not being afraid to ask for help.”

The mission of the College for Health, Community and Policy is to develop solutions to affect change for complex social issues to improve the well-being of communities and the world.

UTSA is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic transformation.  UTSA aspires to become a model for student success, a great public research university, and an exemplar for strategic growth and innovative excellence.

— Amanda Cerreto