Program Office Staff
The South Texas Area Health Education Center Program Office provides administrative, fiscal, and programmatic oversight to the five regional Centers. Under the leadership of Interim Director Pamela Recto, the aim of the ST-AHEC Program Office is to meet the goals of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Model grant. The Program Office works with the regional offices to build region-wide network capacity and strengthen academic-community linkages.
M. Danet Lapiz Bluhm, Ph.D., R.N., M.S.C.I., FAAN, A.N.E.F.
Professor & South Texas AHEC Program Director
E-mail: lapiz@uthscsa.edu | Phone: 210-567-5790
I am a registered nurse of Asia-Pacific heritage with graduate degrees in neuroscience and clinical investigation. Having been raised in the Philippines and educated in different parts of the world, I have observed how stress and trauma transcend social boundaries and affect health. This experience has influenced my program of science, which focuses on the health of vulnerable populations, especially related to stress. I have had a track record research on preclinical models for neuropsychiatric disorders, investigating the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms associated with the effects of stress. At the School of Nursing, I have engaged in translational clinical research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as education-based and community service-based diversity research to improve patient-centered outcomes. Funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) provided opportunities to build capacity and engage Veterans and Filipino-Americans on PCOR, advocacy, and as full partners of research. My main goal is to improve patient outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations.
Joe Zapata, Jr., M.S.S., C.H.W.
Manager of Academic Programs
E-mail: zapataj@uthscsa.edu | Phone: 210-567-0482
Joe Zapata, Jr., M.S.S., is the Manager of Academic Programs for the South Texas AHEC, office of Research Initiative. He also serves as the Texas AHEC Consortium Project Evaluator representing the ST-AHEC and as the Clinic Coordinator for the Community Health Worker COVID-19 (CHW-COVID19) and Community Health Worker Opioid Use Disorder (CHW-OUD) Project ECHO. Joe is a 2010 graduate of UT-San Antonio, where he received his Master of Science in Sociology degree. Joe joined the South Texas AHEC in 2015 and currently serves under Dr. Pamela Recto at the School of Nursing. Joe’s research topics of interest include demography and social stratification. Joe lives in San Antonio with his lovely wife, Katherine, and two children, Zoe and Luke.
Annette Zavala Idar, B.B.M., C.H.W.
Business Administrator
E-mail: zavalaa@uthscsa.edu
Annette Zavala Idar, B.B.M., is the Business Administrator for South Texas AHEC. Annette has been with UT Health San Antonio since 2008 and started in the Department of Physical Therapy as an Admissions Counselor to prospective students. She now performs administrative and financial insight into strategic planning for South Texas AHEC incorporating analysis of existing and proposed grant projects, trend analysis, and demographic forecasting. She received her Associate in Accounting degree from Northwest Vista College and earned her Bachelor’s in Business Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Annette was born and raised in San Antonio and enjoys attending Spurs games with her husband and three daughters.
Martha Castilla, C.H.W., C.H.W.I.
Senior Health Educator
E-mail: castillam@uthscsa.edu
Ms. Castilla is the youngest of seven siblings and the first of five generations of her family to attend Edgewood schools. Ms. Castilla has lived, worshipped, and worked in the Edgewood School District most of her life. Ms. Castilla worked in the health field for 23 years as a Medical Business Manager for an OB/GYN Clinic before moving into Community Health Work. She attended UTSA’s nonprofit management program and became the founding executive director of the Edgewood Family Network and co-founder of Heart for the Neighborhood. Ms. Castilla also co-develops the Promotores en Presencia Viva at UT Health Science Center. She has previously held community health training and advocacy roles at the Madonna Center, The Bexar County Health Collaborative, and the Texas A&M CHW Program. She attended the Texas A&M CHW Instructor Program. Currently, she is working with the South Texas Area Health Education Center on COVID-19 education, training, and outreach projects for community members, CHWs, and Promotores.
Veronica “Roni” Vela, M.A., C.H.W.I., C.H.W.
Program Coordinator
E-mail: velav4@uthscsa.edu | Phone: 361-881-8133
Veronica Vela is a graduate of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, earning a Master of Arts degree in Psychology. She is a Community Health Worker and Community Health Worker Instructor. She worked for several years serving her local community with the South Coastal AHEC office prior to transitioning to her current role as Program Coordinator with South Texas AHEC programs. Her previous work has focused on improved outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders and rural communities.