Angela Alaniz
Angela Alaniz, BA
For more than 25 years, Angie Alaniz has been a dedicated advocate for rural health equity, working to expand healthcare access, strengthen communities, and drive sustainable solutions across Texas. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she has built her career on the foundation of collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to improving health in rural areas. From the start of her career at the Brazos Valley Council of Governments to leadership roles as associate director at the Center for Community Health Development, director of the Texas A&M Healthy Texas Institute, and now director of operations at the Texas A&M Rural and Community Health Institute (ARCHI), she has remained committed to helping rural communities define their needs and take action to improve health outcomes.
Her work has focused on bridging gaps in health care access, strengthening rural hospitals, and addressing social determinants of health. She has led community health assessments, built and supported regional health coalitions, and implemented innovative models of care delivery that ensure services are both accessible and sustainable.
At ARCHI, she continues to lead efforts in rural hospital sustainability, care delivery transformation, and collaborative health improvement strategies, always ensuring that local voices guide the solutions.
It was during her time at the Center for Community Health Development that Angie first met Dr. Carly McCord, forging a professional relationship that would have a lasting impact. McCord credits Angie's mentorship as instrumental in shaping her career, particularly in learning how to successfully find and write grants, navigate university infrastructure and policies, and most importantly, understand what it truly means to work with communities, not just in them. Angie's guidance in these areas has not only influenced Dr. McCord's approach to telehealth and rural mental health services but has also helped shape the broader mission of the Telehealth Institute itself.
Angie's leadership is driven by the belief that where a person lives should never determine their ability to access care. Her impact is seen not just in the programs she has developed and the policies she has influenced, but also in the communities that are stronger, the hospitals that remain open, and the lives that have been improved through her work. Through vision, persistence, and an unwavering dedication to rural communities, she continues to be a champion for lasting change in rural health care.
At ARCHI, she continues to lead efforts in rural hospital sustainability, care delivery transformation, and collaborative health improvement strategies, always ensuring that local voices guide the solutions.
It was during her time at the Center for Community Health Development that Angie first met Dr. Carly McCord, forging a professional relationship that would have a lasting impact. McCord credits Angie's mentorship as instrumental in shaping her career, particularly in learning how to successfully find and write grants, navigate university infrastructure and policies, and most importantly, understand what it truly means to work with communities, not just in them. Angie's guidance in these areas has not only influenced Dr. McCord's approach to telehealth and rural mental health services but has also helped shape the broader mission of the Telehealth Institute itself.
Angie's leadership is driven by the belief that where a person lives should never determine their ability to access care. Her impact is seen not just in the programs she has developed and the policies she has influenced, but also in the communities that are stronger, the hospitals that remain open, and the lives that have been improved through her work. Through vision, persistence, and an unwavering dedication to rural communities, she continues to be a champion for lasting change in rural health care.