Whitney Mendoza

Adjunct Professor of Law

Education

LL.M., Georgetown University
J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law
B.A., The University of Texas at San Antonio, magna cum laude

Biography

Whitney C. Howe-Mendoza is an active-duty Air Force Judge Advocate (JAG), currently serving as the Legal Advisor to the Air Force Surgeon General. In this role, she provides strategic legal counsel on health policy, medical ethics, patient safety, and standards of practice. She supports the Air Force Medical Service’s $6.2 billion, 44,000-person integrated health care delivery and readiness system, serving 2.6 million beneficiaries at 76 military treatment facilities worldwide. During her 12 years as a JAG, she has served as a trial-level prosecutor where she prosecuted felony offenses subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, a Victims’ Counsel, and a Medical Law Attorney.

Howe-Mendoza is an accomplished speaker, regularly teaching at conferences and professional courses on military and medical law topics including medical malpractice, HIPAA, ethics, healthcare risk management, regulatory compliance, medical readiness, and the Law of Armed Conflict.

Howe-Mendoza received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from The University of Texas at San Antonio where she graduated magna cum laude, a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, and an LL.M. from Georgetown University. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.

Global Health Law

Public or Private University? New Legislation Caps Veterans’ Educational Choices that Could Cost Less, 14 SCHOLAR 1075 (2012).

Served as an Editor for the Air Force Law Review and the 2025 & 2026 editions of The Military Commander and the Law.

Legal Statements