Bridging Cultura & Public Health
"Where culture meets community health, amplifying voices,
building bridges, and leading with corazón."
Welcome to the official page of Dr. Moni Avila, a cultural educator, public health leader, and lifelong advocate for community-rooted change. Moni’s work lives at the intersection of cultura, healing, and justice.
As a community advocate, CHW instructor, and founder of MAS for the Masses, she brings years of experience in grassroots organizing and culturally grounded education. Moni built the CHW Hub’s training program from the ground up, creating systems and partnerships that have empowered hundreds of frontline workers across Bexar County.
This space was created to share her journey and uplift the voices and stories of those often overlooked. May you find inspiration, connection, and the courage to lead with your whole self. Bienvenidos.
Her Story
Moni Avila's story is one of resilience, purpose, and an unwavering belief in the power of people. A former high school dropout and single mother of four, she returned to school with her children alongside her, often completing homework together at the kitchen table. What began as a personal journey to create a better future became a lifelong commitment to education, service, and community leadership.
Rooted in the Historic Westside of San Antonio, Moni founded MAS for the Masses, a grassroots initiative dedicated to making culture, history, and community knowledge accessible to everyone. She believes that history is a living teacher, that trust is earned through authentic relationships, and that the wisdom within communities is just as valuable as the knowledge held by institutions.
Today, Moni works at the intersection of crisis response, emergency preparedness, public health, and community resilience. She collaborates with first responders, frontline professionals, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders to strengthen systems of care before, during, and after times of crisis. Her work focuses on developing leaders, strengthening organizations, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and building resilient communities through trust, collaboration, and service.
Throughout her career, Moni has championed Community Health Workers and other frontline professionals as essential partners in advancing health and resilience. During her leadership with the Community Health Worker HUB, she expanded professional development opportunities across the country, helping connect thousands of frontline workers with continuing education, leadership development, and collaborative partnerships that strengthened communities long before disasters occurred. That experience continues to shape her belief that resilient communities are built through relationships, shared leadership, and sustained investment in the people closest to the work.
Moni holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation, where her research explored the experiences of Community Health Workers navigating culture, identity, and systems of care. As an educator, leadership coach, emergency management professional, humanitarian advocate, and grassroots organizer, she brings together research, lived experience, and practical leadership to help organizations build cultures grounded in trust, accountability, and belonging.
Her writing explores leadership, organizational culture, public health, emergency management, and the human side of service. She is passionate about helping leaders understand that lasting impact is created not only through strategy and policy, but through integrity, relationships, and the trust they cultivate with the people they serve.
Whether she is facilitating a training, responding to community needs, mentoring emerging leaders, or writing, Moni believes meaningful change begins by listening, honoring lived experience, and leading with both courage and compassion. Every space she enters becomes a bridge between academia and community, between policy and practice, and between systems and the people they exist to serve.
Impact
Moni Avila designs initiatives that equip organizations and frontline professionals to better serve their communities. Her work spans professional development, workforce capacity building, emergency preparedness, public health, and cross-sector collaboration, with an emphasis on creating practical solutions that produce lasting impact.
During her leadership with the Community Health Worker Hub, Moni developed training infrastructure, educational programming, and strategic partnerships that expanded access to continuing education for Community Health Workers and frontline professionals across Texas. Her efforts connected thousands of participants to evidence-informed training while strengthening collaboration among healthcare systems, public agencies, higher education, and community-based organizations.
Her experience extends beyond workforce development into crisis response, where she has coordinated multidisciplinary partnerships, supported operational readiness, and contributed to systems that improve how organizations prepare for and respond to complex community needs. She believes effective coordination begins long before an emergency, through planning, collaboration, and investment in the people responsible for carrying out the work.
Moni's doctoral research, Nepantlera Community Health Workers: Transcending Invisible Borders in Urban Spaces, examined how Community Health Workers navigate institutional, cultural, and linguistic boundaries to improve communication, access, and outcomes. Her findings contribute to a growing body of scholarship recognizing Community Health Workers as essential partners in strengthening public health systems and advancing community resilience.
Whether developing curriculum, facilitating learning, coordinating initiatives, or bringing diverse partners to the table, Moni's work is driven by a commitment to practical leadership, measurable outcomes, and building systems that better serve both organizations and the communities they support.
Role in Action:
Developing People
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Designing learning experiences that strengthen the knowledge, confidence, and capabilities of frontline professionals, leaders, and community-based organizations.
Building Organizational Capacity
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Creating training, partnerships, and collaborative strategies that improve preparedness, crisis response, public health practice, and long-term community resilience.
Connecting Systems
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Bringing together government, healthcare, nonprofit, academic, and community partners to foster collaboration, align priorities, and create sustainable solutions to complex challenges.
Translating Research into Practice
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Applying evidence, lived experience, and community insight to develop practical approaches that improve leadership, organizational culture, and service delivery.
"Meaningful change doesn't happen because people work harder. It happens when people are equipped, organizations are aligned, and communities are trusted as partners in the process." — Moni Avila
Professional Development & Community Impact
Moni Avila believes that investing in people is one of the most effective ways to strengthen organizations and communities. Throughout her leadership with the Community Health Worker Hub, she designed and coordinated professional development opportunities that equipped Community Health Workers and other frontline professionals with practical knowledge, fostered cross sector collaboration, and expanded access to continuing education across Texas.
From August 2023 through September 2025, Moni coordinated 77 trainings and professional development opportunities, engaging 2,677 Community Health Workers and frontline professionals while awarding 6,338.5 continuing education hours. Through intentional collaboration with 26 community organizations, she helped leverage more than $505,957 in direct and in kind community support, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can significantly expand impact while operating with limited public resources.
Her work included both certified continuing education and broader professional development programming designed to address emerging issues in public health, emergency preparedness, leadership, and community resilience.
During Fiscal Year 2025 alone, Moni coordinated 38 trainings and professional development events, serving 709 participants, including 231 unique participants, and awarding 5,169 continuing education hours.
Of those initiatives, 26 non certified professional development events engaged 525 participants and provided 4,328 hours of professional development. Training topics included reproductive justice, Community Health Worker reentry journeys, San Antonio history and community tours, violence prevention, community leadership development, mental health, and other culturally responsive learning experiences that strengthened workforce knowledge and community engagement.
Moni also coordinated 12 certified continuing education trainings, reaching 184 participants and awarding 841 certified continuing education hours. Certified learning opportunities focused on data and evaluation literacy, climate justice, emergency preparedness, and community storytelling, providing practical skills that participants could immediately apply within their organizations and communities.
The success of these initiatives extended far beyond the classroom. Community partners contributed meeting space, expert facilitators, educational resources, participant support, and other in kind services that expanded access while reducing costs. By aligning organizations around a shared commitment to workforce development, Moni transformed collaboration into measurable results that strengthened both the professionals serving communities and the systems supporting them.
Highlights
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77 professional development trainings and learning opportunities coordinated
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2,677 Community Health Workers and frontline professionals engaged
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6,338.5 continuing education hours awarded
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38 trainings and events coordinated during Fiscal Year 2025
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709 total participants in Fiscal Year 2025
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231 unique participants in Fiscal Year 2025
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26 non certified professional development events
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525 participants in non certified programming
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4,328 non certified professional development hours awarded
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12 certified continuing education trainings
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184 participants in certified continuing education
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841 certified continuing education hours awarded
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26 community organizations engaged through strategic partnerships
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$505,957 in direct and in kind community support leveraged through collaboration
Education, Achievements, and Presentations
Education
San Antonio College
Associate of Arts
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Journalism with a concentration in Photography
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Mexican American Studies
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Liberal Arts
University of Texas San Antonio
Bachelor of Arts
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Mexican American Studies
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Minor in Public Administration
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Concentration in Non-profit Management
University of Texas El Paso
Master of Arts
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Leadership Studies
- Concentration in Community Engagement
Arizona State University
Doctor of Education
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Leadership Studies and Innovation
Fellowships, Recognitions, and Nominations
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2026 – 2026 LTPC Policy and Leadership Fellows Program
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2025 –Texas Association of Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, 2025 Women of Distinction Award
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2025 – National Association of Community Health Workers, Change Agent Award
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2025 – Nominee, Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellowship: Fixing Work in the South
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2025 – Nominee, Las Comadres Nora Awards- Comadre Community Service Award
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2024 – Fellow, Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing (CoHLI)
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2024 – Nominee, Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellowship
See the desktop site for additional certifications, presentations, and awards
Certification
Emergency Management Training & Certifications
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ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-300, ICS-400
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IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS)
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IS-800 National Response Framework (NRF)
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IS-2200 Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions
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IS-230 Fundamentals of Emergency Management
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IS-235 Emergency Planning
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IS-120 Introduction to Exercises
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IS-130 How to Be an Exercise Evaluator
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IS-244 Developing and Managing Volunteers
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IS-288 Role of Voluntary Organizations in Emergency Management
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IS-2901 Introduction to Community Lifelines
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IS-909 Community Preparedness
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MGT-412 Sport and Special Event Evacuation & Protective Actions
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REx Standard Reunification Method
Community Health Worker Emergency Preparedness & Response (CHW-EPR) Initiative Training Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI)
2026 Certified Professional Coach
International Coaching Federation
Professional Development Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care
Indiana University's Center for Rural Engagement, School of Social Work, and
School of Public Health- Bloomington
2025 Project Management Professional (PMP Course Complete)
Texas Victim Assistance Training
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Community Health Worker Emergency Preparedness & Response (CHW-EPR) Initiative Training
Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI)
2024 Six Sigma Black Belt
Management and Strategy Institute
Mental Health Peer Support Certified
Form Communities / Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
2023 Birth Doula
San Antonio Birth Doula (SABD)
CompassionateUSA
Compassionate USA
Mental Health First Aid
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
2022 Community Health Worker Certification
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Community Health Worker Instructor Certification
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Business Expertise in Administration & Management
University of Miami
Honoring the Journey through Awards, Fellowships & Recognition
Shared Honors: Community-Led, Community-Fueled!!!
These awards do not belong to Moni alone; they belong to every student who thought it was too late, every frontline worker whose labor goes unseen, and every community that dared to imagine something better. Each recognition is a reflection of the people who have walked with her: the mujeres, elders, children, colleagues, and ancestors who shaped her path. Moni carries these honors not as personal trophies, but as affirmations that community-rooted leadership matters, and that healing, justice, and culture belong at every decision-making table.
Fellowships, Recognitions, and Nominations
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2026 Nominee, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Women in Leadership Advocacy
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2026 Fellow, Latino Policy and Leadership Center - Fellows Program
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2025 Texas Association of Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, 2025 Women of Distinction Award
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2025 National Association of Community Health Workers, Change Agent Award
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2025 Nominee, Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellowship: Fixing Work in the South
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2025 Nominee, Las Comadres Nora Awards- Comadre Community Service Award
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2024 Fellow, Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing (CoHLI)
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2024 Nominee, Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellowship
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2024 City of San Antonio Fourth Quarter EnCore Innovation Recognition
Academic & Leadership Awards
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2019 COEHD Undergraduate Summer Research Intern
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2018–19 McNair Scholar Fellow
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2018- 19 Mellon Humanities Pathway Fellow
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2018–19 AHSIE Seed to Tree Scholarship Recipient
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2018 San Antonio College Distinguished Graduate
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2018 Student Leadership Institute Scholarship
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2018 Master Leadership Program Scholarship
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2017 NSLS Engaged Leader Award
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2017 SAC President’s List
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2017 2nd Place, Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest, SAC
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2017 Student Leadership & Success General Scholarship
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2017 First Place, Black History Month Essay Contest, SAC
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2017 SAC United Foundation Scholarship
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2017 Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas Scholarship
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2017 Women’s Empowerment Conference Cathy Hoy Scholarship
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2017 Alamo Colleges Foundation Scholarship
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2016 St. Philip’s College Honors Award
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2015 St. Philip’s College Honors Award
Presentations & Panel Discussions
Juried
November 2025 Accepted, Empowering Community Health Workers: Leveraging a Community of Practice for
Workforce Development, American Public Health Association
November 2025 Accepted, Platiquemos! An Innovative Peer-Led Approach to Professional Development in
Community Health Workers, American Public Health Association
May 29, 2025 Presenter, The Critical Role of Community Health Workers in Emergency Preparedness and
Response Efforts, 2025 Texas Emergency Management Conference
March 27, 2025 Presenter, One Step towards Organizational Change: Community Health Workers Evaluation
Capacity Building, 2025 Texas Evaluation Network (TEN) Virtual Institute
November 15, 2023 Accepted, Community Health Workers Professional Support and Workforce Advocacy,
American Public Health Association 2023 Annual Meeting and Expo.
August 4, 2023 Panelist, The act of balancing parenting, education, and community, as Community Health
Workers, National Association of Community Health Worker Unity Conference
June 9, 2023 Panelist, Community Voices on Health Equity, Health Confianza, Health Equity in Action
Summit
March 28, 2023 Panelist, From Community to Institution: The Importance of Alliances, Collaborations, and
Reciprocal Relationships to Provide Health Resources and Support to Underserved
Communities, Teaching Prevention: Leadership for Health Equity
March 24, 2023 Accepted, Collective Testimonios-Nontraditional Student Reflections: Experiences in el Torre
de Marfil, NACCS Tejas Foco
August 4, 2022 Moderator, Community and Health Education: Bridging the Community and Institutional Gap
through Community-Based Learning and Cross-sector Collaboration, National Association of
Community Health Worker Unity Conference
May 20, 2021 Presenter, MAS (Mexican American Studies) for the Masses: Building Community and Ethnic
Pride Through Historia y Arte, La Lucha Sigue: Continuing the Fight for Dignity, Education,
and the Chicano Identity, TACHE
April 12, 2019 Panelist, Lessons From Amá: Activism, Mentorship, and Healing Strategies Within and
Outside Academia, National NACCS Conference
March 30, 2019 Accepted, Cross-Sector Collaboration and Community-Based Learning.SECOLAS-
Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies, Oaxaca, Mexico
February 16, 2019 Presenter, Closing the Gap through Community-Based Learning, NACCS Tejas Foco
November 17, 2018 Presenter, Mexican American Studies for the Masses: 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Civil
Rights Commission Hearing on Mexican-American Studies in the Southwest
November 17, 2018 Presenter, Mexican American Studies for the Masses: 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Civil
Rights Commission Hearing on Mexican-American Studies in the Southwest
May 18, 2018 Presenter, Community Activism and Organizing Then and Now, El Mundo Zurdo, An
International Conference on the Life and Work of Gloria E. Anzaldua
April 21, 2018 Presenter, Myths, Folklore, and Legends: Bridging Stories across Cultures and Communities,
National Council for History Education
February 24, 2018 Presenter, Myths, Folklore, and Leyendas: Bridging Stories across Cultures and Communities
through Latino Literature, UTSA National Latino Children’s Literature Conference
March 25, 2017 Presenter, UTSA National Latino Children’s Literature Conference
Invited
March 18, 2025 Presenter, Language, Literature, and Art, Texas A&M San Antonio
September 6, 2024 Language, Culture, and Communication in Latine/x Health, Texas A&M San Antonio
August 27, 2022 Presenter, I can’t… Language, Culture, and Communication in Latine/x Health
Panelist, CHW certification, pathways to higher education, professional and workforce
development, Northwest Vista Community College
July 14, 2022 Presenter, Cross-sector Collaborations with local agencies, community, and K-12 Education,
UTSA Summer Bridging Institute for Academy for Teaching Excellence
May 1, 2019 Keynote Speaker, San Antonio College 2nd Annual University Signing Day
March 30, 2019 Presenter, Re-envisioning Our Future by Revisiting the Past through Testimonios Teach for America Latinx Corp Member Summit, San Antonio
November 17, 2018 Panelist, Chicana Activism and Leadership: 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Civil Rights
Commission Hearing on Mexican-American Studies in the Southwest
April 11, 2018 Presenter, San Antonio College Mexican American Studies Fine Arts
July 14, 2016 Panelist, “Mentorship for a Lifetime of Learning” UTSA Summer Bridging Institute for
Academy for Teaching Excellence
April 2016 Presenter, “Stand by Your Sisters- Radical Mothering as a Rite of Passage” Women’s
Empowerment Conference, Austin, Texas
Additional
August 21, 2025 Guest Speaker, The Role of CHWs in Public Health, Westside Education and Training Center
June 7, 2025. Judge, 2025 San Antonio Pride Pageant
November 8, 2023 Panelist, Visiting the Past to Gain Perspective on the Present, Light The Torch Community
Health Worker Summit, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District
February 9, 2017 Presenter, “Cross-Sector Collaboration for Community Education”
UTSA Civic Engagement Summit
August 13, 2016 Panelist and Moderator and Summer Round-up Facilitator, Youth Conference
MAS for the Masses hosted by Cafe College
July 30, 2016 Presenter, “Movimiento y Metal” MAS for the Masses Summer Workshop Series
June 18, 2016 Facilitator, “Community- Break-out Session” Summit on Implementing Mexican American Studies in Texas Schools Pre-K through 12
June 18, 2016 Panelist, 2016 MAS TX EDUCATION Pre-K through 12 SummitSan Antonio College
Media Mentions
Video & Broadcast
“Podcast – The Heart of Preparedness: People, Purpose & Public Health”, Domestic Preparedness – July 23, 2025
“NCHE’s Culture of Health Leadership Institute Announces 3rd Cohort”
EIN Presswire / WKRG – June 20, 2024
News Features & Articles
“Grassroots Group Teaches Mexican-American History to San Antonio Youth”
San Antonio Express-News – June 24, 2017
“Mas for the Masses: How San Anto Brings Xican@ Studies to the Gente”
Xica Nation – August 27, 2015
“San Antonio Artist Establishes ‘M.A.S. for the Masses’”
La Prensa de San Antonio – June 25, 2015
“Westside’s Barrio Barista Hosts M.A.S. for the Masses”
Rivard Report – July 18, 2015
“Taking Mexican-American Studies to the Masses”
USA Today – Hispanic Living – September 17, 2016
Biography
Moni Avila, Ed.D., is a public health and emergency preparedness professional, leadership educator, and community organizer dedicated to strengthening organizations, developing frontline workforces, and advancing resilient communities. Her work spans crisis response, workforce development, emergency preparedness, public health, and cross-sector collaboration, with a focus on translating research into practical solutions that improve systems and strengthen community partnerships.
As the founder of MAS for the Masses, Moni has expanded access to ethnic studies, civic learning, leadership development, and community engagement through grassroots education. Throughout her career, she has designed and led professional development initiatives that have equipped thousands of Community Health Workers and frontline professionals with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to better serve their communities.
Moni earned her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University, where her research explored the experiences of Community Health Workers navigating cultural, institutional, and linguistic boundaries within public health systems. Her scholarship contributes to the growing recognition of Community Health Workers as essential leaders in advancing health equity, community resilience, and emergency preparedness.
Drawing from lived experience, academic research, and professional practice, Moni brings a systems perspective to leadership, organizational development, and community collaboration. Her work is grounded in the belief that lasting impact is achieved by investing in people, strengthening partnerships, and creating organizations that are responsive to the communities they serve.