Angelina County & Cities Health District is powered by a group of amazing individuals who strive every day to provide critically needed public health care to the residents of Angelina County. Let us introduce you to some of them!
Martha Hernandez is an East Texan through and through. She graduated from Diboll High School, received an associate degree from Angelina College and then earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University. She’s one of several ACCHD staff members who are fluent in Spanish and, really, it was her desire to help the Spanish-speaking community that drew her to public health.
After serving on boards of various nonprofits, Martha was inspired to make a career change. She saw a need in the community for Spanishspeaking volunteers, and she wanted to make sure those in the community who are low-income or uninsured were having their voice heard. Now, as the Coordinator of our Children with Special Health Care Needs program, Martha and her team directly serve the community by providing family support and resources. As she says, “our daily mission and purpose is to ensure that you can live your best life!”
After graduating from Hudson ISD, Cortney O'Bryant, LBSW, MSW earned a Bachelor and Master of Social Work Degree from Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Social Work. She began her public health career with Woodland Heights Medical Center before joining the ACCHD team as our Public Health Social Services Coordinator, working primarily with the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) program.
Cortney finds inspiration in her desire to help others, and she’s able to do just that through the CYSHCN program where she researches and locates resources her clients need most. She describes the program like this, “CYSHCN is a very inclusive program. We work with children with various diagnoses/pending diagnoses, from obesity and diabetes to autism. If in doubt regarding your child’s eligibility for CYSHCN, don’t hesitate to make contact. We are here to help YOU.”
Erica Meza has been positively impacting the lives of mothers and their newborns as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for Angelina County WIC for more than 15 years. After the birth of her first child, Erica’s mother-in-law encouraged her to breastfeed, offering advice and support throughout the process. She then exclusively breastfed her next two children. During those times, Erica was actually a breastfeeding participant at WIC so when an opportunity opened to support other moms and babies as a peer counselor, she jumped at the chance.
Nearly two decades later, Erica says she has learned the four most important things a woman needs when breastfeeding are education, support, encouragement and sympathy. She understands that no two breastfeeding journeys are the same and that no matter how a mother chooses to breastfeed – be it exclusively or combined with formula – her goal is to show how breastmilk in any amount is beneficial to both mother and baby. Ultimately, Erica has learned that “lifting a mom up during their breastfeeding journey is crucial.”
Vickie Jones, LVN, was born and raised in Lufkin, graduating from Lufkin High School before completing an Associate’s Degree in Radiologic Technology at Angelina College in 2004. She followed that degree up with a License of Vocational Nursing from Panola College in 2010. Vickie counts her grandmother as the inspiration for a career in healthcare, and it’s long been her goal to join the public health field. That goal was realized in September of 2023 when she joined the Angelina County WIC team.
Vickie’s personal motto is, “Children first, now and always,” and that’s the exact spirit she’s sharing with the Angelina County community. She sees WIC as a great resource tool for families, describing it as a guide to healthy food choices that can impact children long after they leave the program. Vickie is sure to point out, too, that not all rumors about WIC are true. Yes, you can still have an income and be eligible for WIC and all its benefits!
Kim Johnson, RN, has worked in the healthcare field for close to three decades. She joined ACCHD 22 years ago, and she now holds the title of Director of Nursing & Clinical Services. Kim graduated from Nacogdoches ISD in 1991 and attended Panola College for her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and Licensed Vocational Nursing Certificate.
Kim grew up with a fascination with hospitals, so she knew she always wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives through the field of healthcare. Her area of specialties is vast, covering maternal and child health, women’s services, family planning, tuberculosis control, immunizations, laboratory and primary health care services. Kim and her team “strive to deliver quality healthcare for those that do not have access to affordable healthcare” and public health nurses like her “focus on prevention of illness, injury or disability, the promotion of health and the maintenance of all populations.”
Patricia Caraway, FNP, first stepped into the healthcare world at Angelina College where she pursued an Associate Degree in Nursing. She continued her education at Stephen F. Austin State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing, with her focus as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
After participating in clinicals at ACCHD, Patricia was inspired by the compassion and care she witnessed, so she decided to enter the realm of public health and join our team. She says, “I was so excited to learn from the other providers and see just how much of a difference they make in the lives of the people in the community. I wanted to be a part of something I view as so special.” Now, Patricia is doing just that, providing “great healthcare, including prevention services and screenings, and a wealth of education” to parents and their children!
Ann Watson, RN, attended San Augustine High School, Angelina College and Stephen F. Austin State University, and she’s been a registered nurse since 1974. Ann has worked in a number of areas since then, including the emergency room, med-surg center, family practice and public health. She’s been with ACCHD since 2009 and just like with every career phase before it, she’s been rewarded by the patients she helps.
As a Public Health Nurse Educator, Ann focuses on providing education to Angelina County residents on diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease and stroke, and she does that by speaking to individuals at ACCHD itself and at businesses, churches, industries, civic groups, non-profit organizations – all at no charge. Ann describes ACCHD as “the hidden jewel in Angelina County.” In her work, she visits with many people who do not seek out healthcare because they cannot pay for care but at ACCHD, there are few or, in many cases, no out-of-pocket expenses.
Ann says, “More people need to take steps to put their health and the health of their family as a higher priority in their daily lives. We are here to help, to care for their needs, to educate, to immunize, to link them to others in our community for all their daily needs…Our staff is knowledgeable, professional, friendly and always here with a smiling face to meet their needs or refer them elsewhere if needed. They just need to take the first step to qualify and let us do the rest!”
Sarah Adams recognized at an early age the importance of access to good medical care when she witnessed her grandmother battle diabetes. She’s worked in the medical field for more than 39 years now, 21 of which have been in the public health realm with ACCHD. In that time, she’s been the Director of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Infectious Disease & Surveillance and now, Immunizations.
With the immunizations department, Sarah has helped lead public health responses in a 3-county jurisdiction for H1N1, Zika, Ebola, Hurricanes Katrina/Rita/Harvey, COVID-19 and MPox. Their daily goal, though, is to help ensure our community is safe from vaccine-preventable diseases by providing vaccines to infants, children, adolescents and adults. In addition, this department oversees a number of programs, such as the Texas Vaccine for Children (TVFC) program, performs immunization audits for area schools and daycares, and provides education and outreach.
Sarah says of ACCHD, “The Health District is working ‘behind the scenes’ daily helping ensure we have a healthy community. I believe we are stewards of our community, and we should provide the best public health services to our most vulnerable and underserved populations. While working at the Angelina County & Cities Health District, I have seen the difference we make in our community while working together for a healthier tomorrow.”
Dalia Gonzalez graduated from Lufkin High School in 1998 and holds an Associate of Science degree from Panola College. Even as a young child, she recognized the need for more bilingual personnel in our community, and her role as a bilingual Eligibility Receptionist is invaluable to our team.
In that role, Dalia is responsible for all incoming applications, be it for our Preventive Health Care program or for Medicaid/SNAP. She gathers all the necessary documents from patients, verifies their coverage if needed and schedules appointments. Dalia says of her department, “We strive to help everyone that walks through our doors and if we’re unable to help, we’ll get a referral to someone who can. We want everyone to get the help they are seeking!”
Rubi Vazquez also graduated from Lufkin High School and is another invaluable bilingual team member at ACCHD. She’s been working in public health for five years now, a role she was inspired to pursue by her mother. As the Eligibility Manager, Rubi oversees the application process for all of the different programs offered by ACCHD. She’s in agreement with Dalia about the goal of this vital department, “We are here to help our patients as much as we can!”
