Introduction
The Veteran Health and Wellness Collaborative (VHWC) is a statewide partnership of organizations sharing a mission to support those with military service along with their care partners. The VHWC brings together parties to build or expand pathways through which U.S. Armed Forces veterans along with their care partners optimize health and wellness outcomes.
VHWC’s overarching goal is to serve as a statewide hub connecting stakeholders from academia, state and local governments, and community-based organizations. The VHWC is supported by an Administrative Core Team working with an Advisory Council to share information, discuss pertinent issues, and prioritize topics for advocacy and action. VHWC involvement occurs through Community Engagement, Education & Training, Advocacy, and Research & Evaluation projects and activities.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council is currently prioritizing topics for action. Stay tuned for more information as that process is finalized. Information on Advisory Council members is available on the Advisory Council tab. If you are interested in joining the Advisory Council, contact VHWC at ihp.vhwc@msu.edu.
Administrative Core Team
The Administrative Core Team supports operational needs of the VHWC. MG Dean G. Sienko, MD, MS, (U.S. Army ret.) serves as Senior Advisor.
Senior Advisor- MG Dean G. Sienko, MD, MS, (U.S. Army ret.)
General Sienko retired in 2015 as a Major General after a 33 year career. His last assignment in the Army was as the commanding general of the Army Public Health Command, a 3,500 person organization that provides technical support and expertise in preventive medicine, public health, health promotion, and wellness to military units around the globe. In addition to his military service, General Sienko served as Vice President for the Carter Center and Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health, and Director of the Institute for Health Policy at the College of Human Medicine.
Additional members include persons affiliated with the MSU Colleges of Human Medicine and Nursing, Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, and University of Texas at El Paso.
- Ann Annis, RN, PhD
- Parker Brisbee
- Joan Ilardo, PhD, LMSW
- Erica Farr, MPH, CHES
- Ariel Hawthorne, MPH
- Steve McCartney
- Kathleen Oberst, RN, PhD
- Dave Schneider, MPA
- Emre Umucu, PhD (University of Texas- El Paso)
If you have any questions or want to speak with someone regarding the VHWC, you can email ihp.vhwc@msu.edu.
The Veterans Day event, “Resilience in Service: Honoring the Strength of Our Veterans,” was held on November 11, 2024. The event was recorded and is available here.