Blogs – Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

The Pursuit of Excellence: MHM’s Journey to Baldrige

Steven Cavazos on April 23, 2026

The roadmap to excellence is shaped by lessons learned and opportunities for improvement; however, it is also a commitment from team members across Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM). To transform its internal culture and strengthen the level of care and partnerships in the communities it serves and walks alongside, MHM began exploring the Baldrige Excellence Framework.

Over the years, MHM has created policies, processes, and procedures, sharpening its focus on continuous improvement. This intentional approach led to significant milestones in the organization’s excellence journey, including submitting an application for the 2025 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award—the nation’s only presidential honor recognizing performance excellence. MHM received the prestigious recognition as a 2025 finalist and was one of only six organizations across the country to advance to the awards’ final phase and receive a Best Practice Spotlight for its Thriving Workforce.

In March 2026, a delegation of MHM team members traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to attend the Baldrige Award Ceremony, which was held ahead of the 37th annual Quest for Excellence Conference. Team members attended various sessions during the three-day convening, learning and engaging with other Baldrige recipients. The conference also provided an opportunity for MHM to share its story of excellence on a national stage.

Creating a Legacy of Excellence:

Officials with the Baldrige Foundation, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) presided over the award ceremony and presented the six organizations with their respective awards and recognitions. Representing MHM on stage was Oanh Maroney‑Omitade, Senior Vice President of Organizational Excellence. “When I stop and think about all the things we have done over just the past five years, it’s been phenomenal, and it has helped us become better as an organization,” she said.

Maroney‑Omitade believes embracing change has strengthened the organization’s mission of Serving Humanity to Honor God. “We have to decide if we are going to let change happen to us or if we are going to manage change in ways that help us be successful as an organization and accomplish our mission, which is about our patients.” Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of MHM, credits team members across the organization for forging a path toward excellence. “Together, we have built a stronger culture that continues to elevate how we work, lead, and serve. At MHM, our commitment to excellence is more than just high standards; it is embracing our responsibility to serve the least served with integrity, compassion, and lasting impact.”

The conference opened with keynote remarks from speaker Molly Baldrige, daughter of Malcolm “Mac” Baldrige, for whom the award is named. He was known for his dedication to and advocacy for American industry, trade efficiency, and global competitiveness during his tenure as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Courage, humility, and discipline were described as hallmarks of his character—virtues which shape modern‑day approaches to leadership and excellence.

Elevating Diverse Voices in Diverse Places:

Various sessions were held throughout the conference, including panel discussions presented by MHM leaders and staff. Jennifer Knoulton, Vice President of Community Health & Wellness, and Jessica Muñoz, Vice President of Communications, led the Serving Diverse Customers & Markets session. MHM team members, Melanie Call, Community Investments Manager; Lorraine Hernandez, Director of Patient Services; and Matt Leonard, Director of Communications, served as panelists.

The discussion highlighted how MHM refined its key processes to provide exceptional integrated and patient-centered care, elevate customer voice, and build trusted relationships. “People were interested in our model of working with uninsured and underinsured populations; they recognize that it is a huge need. The way we work with the broad definition of healthcare, moving across different sectors, is essential for organizations to think about,” said Knoulton.

Muñoz emphasizes the importance of improvement and believes communities benefit when organizations can learn from one another. “This is about us sharing what we’ve learned in the markets that we serve and then drawing inspiration from what other people have learned so that we can continue to get better.” She said listening and partnering with communities is critical to creating processes that work. “We don’t ever want to think we have the right answer; we want it validated by the people who live there and who are experiencing the access to care that we are trying to create.”

Strengthening Workforce and Purpose:

Maroney‑Omitade and Bridget Lamme, Vice President of Human Resources at MHM, led the Developing a Thriving Workforce session. Panelists included MHM team members, Mike Cervera, Director of Human Resources; Sophia London, Community Health Worker Manager; and Melody Swisher, Director of Organizational Learning and Development. The session focused on MHM’s practices and model for workforce engagement, which led to a Baldrige Best Practice Spotlight. Lamme shared why it is important to take care of the workforce that takes care of the work. “There are so many things that we are doing in our strategy; you’re going to need staff that are thriving to be able to do that work. You start with the staff, and it carries out into the community.”

The conference concluded with a Q&A that featured the 2025 Award Recipients and Best Practice Spotlight Organizations. Maroney‑Omitade sat down to reflect on MHM’s journey to Baldrige, which had been years in the making. She said that by creating a capacity for excellence and organizational alignment, MHM reached numerous milestones and gained invaluable lessons, leading to national recognition. “We’ve moved along this process together, and we’ve learned as we’ve gone, and there have been wins along the way.”

The MHM delegation departed Baltimore with a new perspective on their work and approach to excellence. Niebla Marcela Alba, RDH, Dental Hygienist at the Dixon Health & Wellness Center, and Alexandra Quintero, Dental Assistant at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center, were part of the team that attended the conference.

“Overall, attending the conference left me feeling motivated and better equipped to pursue meaningful improvements. It reinforced the idea that excellence isn’t a destination, but an ongoing process that requires commitment, adaptability, and a willingness to learn,” said Alba. Quintero shared, “I felt deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from and witness the journeys of other organizations striving for excellence. It is a source of empowerment to realize that I am part of our own path toward creating a similar framework.”

Maroney‑Omitade said she is grateful that team members were able to hear and learn from others during their time in Baltimore. She believes it is the lessons they take back that will lead to more change. “We don’t have to go back and move mountains every day; it’s incremental growth, and collectively, if we are all on that journey for improvement, that incremental growth is significant.”

Congratulations to Dr. Phillip Brown, DDS

DW Admin on November 8, 2019

Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.’s Senior Vice President of Dental Services, Dr. Philip Brown, has been inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists (ICD). Dr. Brown was honored for his extraordinary service and leadership at the ICD’s 85^thAnnual Convocation, held in San Francisco, California, Sept. 6.

Dr. Brown was presented with a membership plaque, a gold lapel pin and gold key symbolic of the fellowship for conspicuous service rendered in the art and science of dentistry, during the convocation.

“I was nominated by a colleague to join the organization. I sent in my application and it was approved by the board and then I was inducted into the group,” said Dr. Brown. “It is an honor to receive this recognition and it is humbling. It was overwhelming and I felt like I was graduating from college, again. It is a big honor for me.”

Dr. Brown was among 350 other dentists from around the world to be inducted into the College this year. The College, with representative chapters in more than 123 countries, has over 11,000 members — including 6,500 in the United States.

The ICD members often participate in mission trips to various countries around the globe to provide critical dental care to the underserved.

“I felt like I really fit in to this organization because that’s what Methodist Healthcare Ministries does — we serve the underserved in our communities. It’s our mission field,” said Brown. “We are doing what medical teams on mission trips do — all day and every day,” he said.

His passion for “treating people, not teeth,” which is his mantra, is the driving force behind his commitment to providing the highest quality of care to the least served in our communities. Dr. Brown’s dedicated work and expertise is the epitome of Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ mission, “Serving Humanity to Honor God.”

He said Methodist Healthcare Ministries is at the forefront of integrated healthcare which provides care to the whole person by utilizing a high degree of collaboration and communication across the organization. The goal is to make connections to systemic ailments including coronary artery disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, depression, and others, so that a patients’ health needs are better identified and addressed.

“We practice integrated healthcare at Methodist Healthcare Ministries because we invest a lot of our attention to the whole person so that we can provide the best in healthcare to our patients,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I felt connected to ICD. They too are passionate about bringing wellness to those in need.”

Dr. Brown plans on getting more involved with ICD and hopes to dedicate some of his time to volunteer work. One of his goals is to be part of a mission trip in the future. He said it’s a way for him to give back to others.

He and his brother are both dentists. His brother is in private practice. “We both enjoy working with our hands and we are both artistic,” he said.

When Dr. Brown isn’t leading his dental teams at Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Dixon Health & Wellness Center, Wesley Health & Wellness Center and its two School-Based Health Centers, you can bet he’s somewhere taking photos of whatever captures his eye. His love for photography started in college.

“I take my camera everywhere I go. I like taking photos of my family, as well as places I’ve traveled to,” he said. “One of his most cherished photos is of his parents’ hands. “I was at church with my parents that day and I noticed their hands as they sat together so I decided to capture that image.”

The photo of his parents’ hands is displayed in his office, along with several other images including his travels and family. Aside from photography, he also enjoys scuba diving with his sons.

Dr. Brown and his wife, Elaine, have two sons — Jason, 34, an emergency room physician in Houston, Texas, and Kyle, 29, a firefighter with the San Antonio Fire Department. They also have two grandsons — Braxton and Joshua. His wife, Elaine, is a retired radiologist.

He’s served at Methodist Healthcare Ministries for 24 years. Dr. Brown said serving others and helping improve their lives is a great feeling. “It’s unexplainable. We are not just changing teeth; we are changing lives every day. And, ultimately, we are saving lives. To see a patient, look and feel better is an overwhelming feeling.”

The ICD is the pre-eminent honorary organization of the world’s outstanding dentists involved in “Serving Others.” It is dedicated to the recognition of outstanding professional achievement, meritorious service and the continued progress in the profession of dentistry for the benefit of all humankind.

Improving Access to Water is Critical for the Health of All Texans

DW Admin on October 31, 2019

Having access to clean, potable water, indoor plumbing and a wastewater system is something many Texans take for granted. However, thousands of Texans, mostly living along the Texas-Mexico border in colonias lack these basic amenities. The State of Texas defines a colonia as “a residential area along the Texas–Mexico border that may lack some of the most basic living necessities such as potable water, septic or sewer systems, electricity, paved roads or safe and sanitary housing.”

As President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., I have heard the stories of Texans living along the border who are struggling with access to basic needs, and I’ve witnessed first-hand how the lack of potable water, septic or sewer systems, electricity, paved roads or safe and sanitary housing create barriers to health.

One example is the community of La Presa, a colonia in Webb County near Laredo. La Presa is a community of approximately 300, surrounds a lake at the center of town that is hidden by trees. Most families in this colonia do not have access to potable water and often have to drive to Laredo to pump water for their washing machines, sinks, toilets and tubs. The water isn't clean enough to drink so families must buy water bottles.

It's a tragic situation that many Texans are trying to solve. Webb County is moving forward with a first-ever water dispensary for their community, which is targeted to launch the summer of 2020. And, thanks to a partnership between Texas A&M University’s Colonias Program and the U.S. Department of Defense, the flood-prone road that families in La Presa depend on to get to school and work will be improved. It’s a great step forward, but there are hundreds more communities like La Presa that need help.

According to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, there are nearly 500,000 Texans living in nearly 2,300 colonias. 61.4 percent live at or near the federal poverty rate. 73.1 percent are U.S. citizens. In just six Texas counties along the Texas-Mexico border, 38,000 colonia residents do not have access to clean drinking water.

It bears repeating. Thousands of our fellow Texans are living without the most basic living necessities. No problems of this complexity have silver bullets, but there is a tangible way to stand beside our fellow Texans in pursuit of a solution simply by exercising your right to vote.

At Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., our mission calls us to “Serve Humanity to Honor God.” We fulfill our mission in a number of ways, including through the direct services we provide through our clinical operations and the grant funding we award to nonprofit organizations across South Texas – all sharing our commitment to helping increase access to care for the least served. However, we also seek to play a leading role in shaping the state’s policy agenda through our advocacy efforts.

During the Texas Legislature’s 86^th Legislative Session, our organization, alongside other partners, supported the passage of Senate Bill 2452, which became known as Proposition 2 on the November ballot after being passed by both the Texas House & Senate.

Proposition 2 is a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution that will allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue general obligation bonds for the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP). EDAP is a program created by the Texas Legislature to assist disadvantaged communities with critical infrastructure projects. The amount of the bonds allowed by Proposition 2 cannot exceed $200 million and would be used to develop water supply and sewer projects in economically depressed areas, such as colonias, of the state.

This is a bill that passed with bipartisan support. However, to become law, it requires approval of the majority of Texas voters this November 5.

What can you do to help? Exercise your right to vote at the ballot box. By voting “Yes” to Proposition 2, you are ensuring that distressed communities across Texas have access to funds that will improve access to clean water.

Early voting started Monday, October 21 and runs through Friday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5.

In Texas, we take great pride in being there for one another. Be sure to lend a hand to your fellow Texans and vote “Yes” on proposition 2, so that all Texans can gain access to the clean, potable water we all need to live longer, healthier lives.

Jaime Wesolowski is President and CEO, Methodist Healthcare Ministries.