Andrew Ward.

Andrew Ward is the Founder and CEO of the Acadiana Veteran Alliance (AVA), a Louisiana-based nonprofit dedicated to improving veteran well-being through innovative, evidence-based solutions that address the physical, mental, economic, and social challenges veterans face after military service. A U.S. Army veteran and nationally recognized leader in veteran workforce development and community engagement, Ward has spent the past decade building collaborative programs that connect veterans with meaningful careers, healthcare, and lasting support systems. Under his leadership, AVA has become a model for integrating public, private, and nonprofit partnerships to improve veteran outcomes.

Ward is leading one of the nation’s most innovative approaches to veteran mental health through AVA’s Integrated Heal Veteran Program, which combines Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) treatment for trauma-related symptoms with structured telehealth counseling and long-term community support. The program has demonstrated promising outcomes and is helping reshape how organizations think about treating PTSD, anxiety, and suicide risk among veterans. His work has brought together healthcare providers, researchers, government agencies, and philanthropic partners to advance scalable, data-driven solutions that improve quality of life for those who have served.

In addition to leading AVA, Ward is an Alumni Scholar of the George W. Bush Institute Veteran Leadership Program, the founder of The Boot, Louisiana’s statewide military talent recruitment initiative, and co-founder of PathRecon, a workforce technology platform connecting transitioning service members with education and employment opportunities. He is a frequent speaker on veteran healthcare innovation, workforce development, and public-private collaboration, and remains committed to ensuring that every veteran has the opportunity not just to survive after service, but to thrive.