Faculty and Staff
Dr. Kelly Clary
Ph. D, MSW
Dr. Clary is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University and is co-leading this project. She has led and co-led numerous internally and externally funded research projects understanding and supporting the well-being of military members and Veterans over the past seven years and has 25 published peer-reviewed articles. Most of her research has used qualitative methodology to understand substance use behaviors, mental health, and well-being among Veterans across the United States and specifically in Texas and Illinois. Notably, she is currently serving as Co-Investigator of $100,000 National Institutes of Health Grant supporting Veteran suicide interventions and was Principal Investigator of an internal Texas State University $5,320 grant supporting the well-being of student Veterans via the use of photovoice methods—an innovative qualitative methodology used to encourage participants to share their stories and lived experiences via images, photos, videos, and storytelling.
Dr. Katherine Selber
Ph. D., MSW
Dr. Katherine Selber is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. She holds a Bachelors in Psychology from The University of Texas Austin, a Masters in Social Work from the University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas Austin. In 2015 she was awarded the statewide Texas Veterans Commission Patriot Award and appointed as the Texas State University System Research Fellow from 2017-2018 where she conducted a review of veteran programming on campuses in the system.
Dr. Selber is a co-founding member of the Texas State University- Veteran Advisory Council (VAC). Since 2008 she has provided leadership in developing Texas State’s award- winning program for serving the campus’ veterans and military connected students. She has supervised Social Work student interns in a special program, the Veterans Initiative, that serves the student veterans on campus and in the community. She also teaches a graduate course on Veterans Transitions and has trained over 650 students interested in working with veterans in the community. She has established collaborations with hundreds of national, state, and local veteran service organizations including various Veterans Administration clinics across the country.
She has conducted research on veterans’ needs, veterans in transition, health and behavioral health issues, and building capacity in veteran service organizations. She has been the recipient of grants from state and federal entities and foundations including from the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Heath Resources Services Administration grants and Chase Foundation for providing training stipends to MSW students, many of them veterans and military family members, to work with veterans upon graduation. She has published and presented on issues related to veterans.
Dr. Selber is a military family member. Her son deployed six times for over 1500 days in Iraq and Afghanistan. She understands personally issues of military service and sacrifices.
Dr. Heriberto Arambula
Ph. D.
Dr. Heriberto Arambula is an independent researcher, military veteran, and a Pat Tillman Scholar. He is a program manager at Patriot’s Hall, a 10-acre retreat and resource hub for veterans, active military, and their families in Dripping Springs, Texas. He’s deeply interested in improving schools, enhancing school safety, and addressing military veterans’ challenges as they transition to civilian life. His journey started with the events of 9/11, leading him to a Baghdad deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, shaping his commitment to supporting veterans in their post-military transition.
Heriberto holds a B.A. in history and political science, an M.A. in teaching, and a master’s in business tailored to veterans’ needs. He earned his Ph.D. in Education from Texas State University, where he focused on trauma and social integration among Central Texas veterans. Beyond academics, Heriberto actively engages in meaningful initiatives that aim to preserve veterans’ stories through various mediums. He’s collaborating to create a digital exhibition for veterans with the Alkek Library at Texas State.
Dr. Khoi Nguyen
Ph. D
Dr. Khoi Nguyen is an expert in emerging technology. He has dedicated his career to elevating the stories of under-represented communities using immersive and emerging technology.
Dr. Nguyen holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of California, Irvine. He has won numerous awards and grants for his work in computational science and immersive technology. He is currently building and innovating on the Alkek Laboratory for Immersive Arts and Sciences (ALIAS). In it’s ambition, ALIAS will house the largest collection of immersive stories of under represented communities in the world.
Kristin Van Diest
MS
Kristin Van Diest is the Head of Special Collections and Archives at Texas State University and serves to lead her team in creating a more accessible, organized, and well-preserved archival presence on campus. She received a MS of Library Science and a Graduate Certificate in Archival Management from the University of North Texas. Professionally, her work centers around the preservation and support of the stories of Veterans and Military-Affiliated students and families in the TXST community and surrounding area. Her experience in digital publishing and archival practices allows her to lean into innovative and adaptive approaches to promoting and accessing research materials. visibility and digital publishing platforms. She currently serves as co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Open Initiatives in Academic Libraries and the journal manager of the Journal of Interactive Veteran Experiences.
Graduate Research Assistants
Kasandra Moore
MSW Graduate Student
Kasandra Moore is a graduate student in the school of Social Work at Texas State University. She is a U. S. Army veteran and registered Yoga Therapist. Her experience as a transitioning service member and military spouse encouraged her to pursue a career in the helping professions. Upon completion of her degree, she looks forward to continuing to serve women veterans and service members. Spending time with her family, traveling and reading are a few of her many hobbies. She believes storytelling is an important tool to aid in healing and is committed to the success of the TEXVET Legacy project.
Viktoria Hernandez-Vélez
MSW Graduate Student
Viktoria is the daughter of two enlisted Air Force retirees. She is from San Antonio, Texas, where she received her undergraduate degree from UT—San Antonio in Art and Spanish. She is attending Texas State University for her Master’s in Social Work. Before joining the TexVet team, Viktoria had three years of experience working with children and families as a Teacher. Viktoria is bilingual and brings her technology and language experience to the research team. She enjoys working with children and families, and upon completion of her degree she looks forward to serving service members and their families.
When not working or in school, Viktoria enjoys spending time with her dog, Luna. Together they go on hikes, or paint and enjoy movies. She also enjoys volunteering for the Ride On Center for Kids in Georgetown, Texas, where she assists in equine therapy programs that help children with disabilities, Veterans, and their families.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Alexandra VonHindenfalken
Psychology
Originally from Round Rock, TX, Alex is a Marine Corps Veteran with 12 years in service. She separated as an E-6 SSgt. She worked as a small arms repair technician and a substance abuse control officer. She has been stationed in many different locations to include Virginia Beach, VA, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in Stuttgart, Germany. She is working towards her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. She has a 10-year-old dog named Kyro and loves to spend her time with him camping, hiking and traveling. She also enjoys painting, reading and caring for her many plants.
Donald Sifuentes
English
Donald, a native of California retired after serving nearly 30 years as an officer in the United States Army. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree in History. He is currently working toward a second Bachelor of Arts degree in English (Creative Writing) with a minor in Music and is looking toward an MFA or a Ph.D. He enjoys singing Renaissance polyphony, gardening, and riding horses. He has earned a private pilot’s license and plans to spend summers in Europe working on languages. He will use his years of service and experience to help make possible the goals of the TexVet Legacy Project.
Fernando Aguilar
Social Work
Fernando Aguilar is a graduate student at Texas State University, where he is pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the School of Social Work. As a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, Fernando’s time in the service shaped his deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by veterans and their families. This experience motivated him to pursue a career in social work, with a particular focus on giving back to the veteran community. Fernando aspires to work with veterans or Hispanic families, believing in the power of empowerment to help individuals and families overcome challenges and reach their full potential. His dedication to supporting veterans is further demonstrated through his involvement in the Texas Veteran Legacy (TexVet Legacy) project. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, Fernando enjoys spending time with his family, as well as engaging in outdoor activities like hiking and traveling.
Larry Lopez
Computer Science
Larry enlisted in the US Army as a Field Artillery Specialist and served for 20 years. He was assigned to numerous staff and leadership roles and retired as a First Sergeant. Larry’s interest in computers and goal to complete a PhD program in CS have led him to continue his education journey with Texas State University. Larry’s work after the military has been in finance, administration, and technology sectors, gaining expertise in software engineering, DevOps, and Agile methodologies. Additionally, his commitment to the veteran community has led him to the Texas Veteran Legacy program. When not coding, Larry enjoys weight training, photography, and mentoring transitioning veterans. Larry is a lifelong student of learning with a passion in leveraging technology to make a meaningful impact and aims to inspire others in the tech community.
William McCarty
Computer Science
William is an undergraduate research assistant and computer science major at Texas State University. Originally from Arlington, Texas, he is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran dedicated to advancing research in computer science. William is passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world problems and is involved in veteran-related outreach and support.
Madi Garcia
Digital Media Innovation
Madi is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served for six years as an aircraft maintenance technician on the B-1 bomber. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, she is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Media Innovation with a minor in Human Resource Development and Training at Texas State University. She also holds an Associate of Arts degree in Radio-Television-Film. Madi brings her extensive experience in technology and visual storytelling to her current role, combining technical expertise with a passion for education and creativity.
Madi enjoys teaching individuals how to utilize emerging media and technology and is dedicated to telling others’ stories through visual media. She volunteers as a videographer for the nonprofit We Are Those People, which focuses on sharing the stories of individuals in addiction recovery. After graduation, Madi plans to continue empowering others to leverage technology and media for impactful storytelling
In her free time, Madi enjoys watching movies, spending time with her cats, and contributing her videography skills to nonprofit organizations.