08/07/2025
In honor of National Health Center Week, we’re proud to highlight the incredible work of Veronica Hernandez from Mary's Center.
During a time when thousands of low-income DC residents face uncertainty around healthcare coverage, Veronica has been on the frontline working tirelessly to ensure that every eligible person is enrolled in a health plan. Her dedication is unmatched.
Veronica’s journey began 10 years ago with Mary’s Center’s Home Visiting Program, where she saw firsthand the challenges families face in accessing community resources. That experience ignited her passion to do more. She joined the Entitlement team two years later and, in 2024, became the program’s manager.
Her work is especially vital for those who don’t speak English or are illiterate in their native language. Veronica helps residents navigate complex systems and verifies eligibility for programs like Medicaid, Medicare, DC Healthcare Alliance, Immigrant Children Program, SNAP, and TANF, guiding them through every step. In 2024 alone, Veronica and her mighty team of three along with the DC Health Link in-person assisters and Maryland health connect team enrolled over 28,000 DC and Maryland residents into these health programs.
But her impact doesn’t stop there. Veronica educates elected officials, testifies at DC Council, and engages with community leaders to advocate for those she serves. Her story is one of resilience and purpose. She immigrated from El Salvador in 2003, overcame financial barriers, and worked in landscaping and house cleaning before earning her degree in psychology from Trinity College.
In 2024, she earned her master’s in social work from Catholic University, and she’s now pursuing her social work license.
Veronica says Mary’s Center has been her inspiration...and we say Veronica is an inspiration to us all! 💙
