Kevin E. Edmundson Bio
Kevin Edmundson
Co-Founder, Co-Chair & Vice President
Viviscent Wellness Foundation
Kevin’s life story is deeply woven into the mission and soul of Viviscent Wellness Foundation. Between 2018 and 2022, Kevin faced some of the toughest battles of his life. He lived through periods of homelessness, fought opioid addiction, and worked day by day to rebuild his life. During that time, Kevin discovered what so many people in crisis already know — real, intentional, safe housing is not just shelter. It is stability, dignity, and the firm ground on which healing can happen.
Small homes and the support of a caring community became a turning point in Kevin’s recovery. Having a place of his own gave him room to breathe, focus on healing, and rebuild relationships that had been strained or broken. That experience reshaped his life and ignited a mission within him to help others find the same foundation that helped save his own life.
Kevin’s deep faith has been a source of strength throughout his journey. His relationship with God carried him through the darkest moments and continues to guide his leadership with compassion, humility, and purpose. Kevin often says that in the hardest times he learned that “faith is unseen but felt, faith is strength when we feel we have none, faith is hope when all seems lost.” His faith is not just personal — it is a central part of the culture and heart of the foundation he helps lead.
Together with his longtime friend and partner Jason Rayner, Kevin co-founded Viviscent Wellness Foundation with a shared conviction: that every person deserves a safe home and support that meets them where they are. Their vision goes beyond building structures. It is about building communities, creating support systems that help people heal from trauma, overcome addiction, and rebuild their lives with purpose and opportunity. From the beginning, their focus was on veterans, underserved families, survivors of domestic violence, and anyone seeking a second chance.
Kevin’s professional experience gives him a unique perspective on systems, operations, and care. He spent many years working within the hospital system at Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he gained deep insight into healthcare delivery, crisis response, and the needs of patients and families. His 25-year career in Oklahoma also included roles with ConocoPhillips and Phillips Petroleum, where he developed operational knowledge, logistical skill, and an ability to move teams and projects forward with precision and urgency — skills he now uses to scale the foundation’s work.
Education has also been central to Kevin’s journey. He earned a Master’s in Health Sciences from the University of Oklahoma, where his graduate work focused on rapid housing solutions after major storms. His thesis examined how housing systems can respond quickly and efficiently to crisis, bringing safe shelter sooner to people in need. Kevin is continuing his academic path with the goal of earning a doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, deepening the research and evidence that support innovative housing solutions.
Kevin has also navigated life with high-functioning autism, a diagnosis that came later in adulthood after years of being labeled only as “hyperactive” as a child. Understanding his neurodiversity gave Kevin insight into his strengths and challenges and helped him embrace his identity more fully. That clarity became another turning point in his life, strengthening his resilience and shaping how he leads with intentionality, empathy, and focus.
Today, Kevin works closely with the Board of Directors and the Executive Leadership Team at Viviscent Wellness Foundation to ensure every program, policy, and strategy reflects the foundation’s mission. He leads with urgency balanced by compassion, always centering the people the foundation exists to serve. Kevin’s lived experience — from homelessness and addiction to academic study and professional insight — shapes a leadership style rooted in real understanding, measured impact, and unshakable hope.
Kevin’s journey is not just a testimony of overcoming adversity. It is a mission statement in motion — a life transformed and committed to transforming others. Through faith, courage, and action, Kevin strives to build homes, restore futures, and strengthen communities so that others may have the stability and hope to rise as he did.