June 5, 2025
By Dr. Pat Lee
As President & CEO of Central Health, I often say that the health of our community depends on the strength of our connections, to each other, and to opportunity.
One of the most powerful examples of this is our Medical Assistant Training Program, in partnership with Austin Community College. Through this program, we created a pathway for Travis County residents to enter the healthcare workforce, and in doing so, we’re doing more than filling jobs.
We’re transforming lives. Take the story of Sarai Vences, an Eastern Travis County resident whose journey is featured in a recent story we published. Sarai is a recent graduate of Del Valle High School, and was seeking for a career path that would allow her to work for her community and to help people like her mother, who are so often excluded or unable to advocate for their own health care.
With training from this program, she went from struggling to find stable work to building a career in health care. Sarai’s new career as a medical assistant gives her purpose, stability, and a way to serve others. Her story is inspiring, and it’s also a reminder of why we do this work.
Central Health and ACC founded the medical assistant program only a year ago in that short time, 33 MAs have graduated and are now working in clinics throughout the area. Programs like this are about meeting the growing demands of our health care system, but they’re also about something bigger. They’re about building a more equitable, more resilient community where everyone has the chance to thrive.
At Central Health, our mission is to improve the health of Travis County residents with low income by connecting them to care. We can’t do it alone. Thanks to strong community partnerships, we don’t have to. Together, we’re creating real opportunities and better outcomes for all.
I invite you to read Sarai’s story — and imagine what’s possible when we invest in people.