Cari Anderson, Director of Dental Counseling and Wellness Support Services at the College of Dentistry and an Assistant Director of University Counseling Service, was named a recipient of the Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award. 

The awards recognize accomplishments that have significantly benefited the university, brought honor or recognition to the university, and had a significant positive impact on the state of Iowa.

Anderson's tireless advocacy for reduction of mental health stigma and suicide prevention within the dental field have extended beyond the University and into the state of Iowa. Internally, she developed a Student Advisory Board to advocate for student success and mental and physical well-being. From this initiative, which began in 2017, she created a thriving peer-to-peer mentor program at the College of Dentistry, and, with the help of her Student Advisory Board, have now extended its footprint into the state of Iowa and nationally with active UI alums serving as peer mentors and provider advocates.  

Additionally, she brought the Green Bandana Project to the College of Dentistry and implemented suicide prevention curriculum targeted at the College of Dentistry, training students, residents, faculty, and staff on how to be an ally to those who are struggling with suicide ideation and how to intervene effectively. 

Anderson has joined the Iowa Dental Association's initiatives to improve the wellbeing of all dentists in the state, and she serves as a consultant on the Delta Dental of Iowa Association Foundation's Mental Health Task Force and as an ambassador for the Make It Ok program. She possesses an extraordinary gift for fostering confidence, delivering invaluable insights on self-advocacy, and nurturing leadership qualities in not only her students and mentees but also among her colleagues and everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.

Anderson received her Bachelor of Arts in Family Services and Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa in 2012 and her Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa in 2015.