As a child growing up between Jamaica and Central Florida, Dr. Atalie Ashley-West dreamed of one day becoming Jamaica's Minister of Health. Surrounded by public health nurses, including a great aunt who was among the Windrush nurses who helped establish England's National Health Service, she developed an early appreciation for the role public health plays in improving lives. Years later, that passion found its home at USF’s College of Public Health, where an unexpected class would shape the course of her career.
Homeschooled by her mother, Ashley-West earned a U.S. high school diploma at just 15 years old and became one of the first in her immediate family to attend college, earning an associate degree at Valencia College and a bachelor's degree in psychology from USF.
Although she had planned to study psychology for her graduate degree, it was an introductory epidemiology elective during her final undergraduate semester that changed everything.
"I signed up for the class because I had time," Ashley-West said. "I fell in love. It completely altered the course of my life."
She enrolled at the COPH and said she was eager to absorb every opportunity she could find. While balancing multiple jobs, internships and research assistantships, Ashley-West immersed herself in biostatistics, epidemiology and community-based research.
"I had no money, no real guidance and was an absolute sponge," she said. "The COPH was a safe space for me to learn."
One of her proudest accomplishments as a student came through research supporting maternal and child health initiatives and Hillsborough County Public Schools. Years later, she learned that her statistical analysis helped inform a district policy that created additional support for students with excessive unexcused absences.
"I statistically demonstrated that children who qualify for free or reduced lunch are more at risk for truancy," she said. "Truant behavior as early as kindergarten and first grade predicts third grade math and reading scores."
Just as influential as the research were the faculty members who invested in her success.
"Drs. Deanna Wathington, Julie Baldwin, Adewale Troutman, Dawood Sultan, Kevin Sneed and Ofelia Schutte mentored me, challenged me, taught me how to think, not just what to think and inspired me to be a better human and academic," she said.
Behind those accomplishments were significant personal challenges. Ashley-West's family experienced financial hardship after her mother left an abusive marriage. Although she earned full academic scholarships throughout college, she worked while attending school and accumulated substantial student loans to cover living expenses. During her final year of graduate school, she also became the caregiver and medical surrogate for her terminally ill grandfather, delaying graduation by a semester.
"My MPH graduation photos are our last family photos," she said.
Ashley-West graduated with a master of public health from the COPH in 2012.
Ashley-West attended her MPH graduation at the Yuengling Center in 2012. (Photo courtesy of Ashley-West)
"There is nothing about the distribution and determinants of health that does not interest me," she said. "Our emotional and physical health are inextricably intertwined with the social, economic and political environments. All policy is health policy, and all individual health depends on public health infrastructure."
Rather than slowing her down, the hardships Ashley-West experienced strengthened her commitment to improving health systems and the lives of the people they serve. She continued her education by earning a PhD in health services management and research from the University of Central Florida.
Today, Ashley-West serves as vice president of the Digestive Health and General Surgery Institute at AdventHealth, where she helps guide the future of digestive health, hepatology, general surgery and colorectal surgery across one of the nation's largest nonprofit health systems. Her career has included roles as an epidemiologist, professor and researcher. Now, she mentors and hires the next generation of public health professionals.
Looking back, she credits the COPH with providing the foundation for every opportunity that followed.
"My time there was life and career altering," she said. "None of my current life would be possible without the instruction and relationships I made at the COPH."
Fast Five
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
Minister of Health in Jamaica
Where would we find you on the weekend?
The gym or on my road bike
What is the last book you read?
“Kingdom of Ash” by Sarah J Maas
What superpower would you like to have?
Telepathy
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
Can’t pick just one, but I can recite “Mrs. Doubtfire” from memory! Love that movie!