Bexar County has hired Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo to lead its new public health division, officials announced Thursday.
The Preventative Health and Environmental Services Department was formed this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic in an effort to align county health-related services, expand access to preventative health care and reduce health disparities for county residents.
“Health disparities have long existed in Bexar County, and those disparities are even more pronounced in unincorporated areas,” Guerrero-Guajardo stated in a news release. “I sincerely appreciate the support of the county manager and the court, and I am confident that we can create real impact on health and wellness for individuals and families — and be in an excellent position to respond for the people of Bexar County if and when the next public health emergency occurs.”
She has lived experience with those disparities, growing up in Alvin, Texas, where her family relied on public health services.
“Some services were preventative care, but most care was only available when you were very sick,” she said. “I know what it means to lack access to care and to have limited options for creating a healthy life.”
That drove her to pursue bachelor’s degree in biology, a master’s in public health with a concentration in disease control from University of Texas Health Houston School of Public Health and a doctorate in education and organizational leadership and program evaluation from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Guerrero-Guajardo previously served as chief information officer for Workforce Solutions Alamo. She’ll start her work with the county on Nov. 10.
“Going through COVID and not having the expertise on hand was a bit challenging,” stated Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “Andrea knows this community and knows the health problems we face. I’m confident that with her guidance we’ll be able to get ahead of some of these underlying issues such as heart disease and diabetes.”
The new department, a collaboration with the University Health System, is funded by $60 million in federal pandemic relief grants.
County commissioners have said the department will complement, not duplicate, the work done by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.
