Kimberly McConnell, EdD, is a Senior Research Associate in the Samueli Institute’s Military Medical Research Program located at San Antonio Military Medical Center. McConnell earned a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California and has more than 12 years of education experience. She has worked in a variety of educational settings including curriculum development projects, elementary teacher and community college professor.

McConnell has considerable experience with research, particularly interventional studies, focusing on maintaining the health and wellness of service members. She has been involved with TSNRP-funded research concerning Soldiers at San Antonio Military Medical Center for over 6 years. Prior to coming to the Institute she was intimately involved as the Program Manager with a project focusing on compassion fatigue in the Institute of Surgical Research (US Military Burn Center) and a community reintegration project for wounded service members with the Center for the Intrepid. She is passionate about assisting with programs to increase the mental abilities of service members.

She is currently an Associate Investigator (AI), or consultant, on several Department of Defense-funded studies including a randomized control trial that compares two non-pharmacologic therapies with standard of care for the treatment of chronic pain in injured Service Members; a Defense Medical Research and Development Program (DMRDP) project for a non-pharmacologic intervention for effects on sleep, stress, and resilience in military couples; and a TSNRP funded device study investigating the efficacy of use in the treatment of chronic low back in injured Service Members.

McConnell is enthusiastic about food and nutrition and enjoys the art of cooking. She has co-authored a cookbook and has been featured in various cooking demonstrations throughout the city of San Antonio.