Ashley Murray
Ashley Murray received her Bachelor’s of Applied Arts and Sciences from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX in 2006 and in 2012, Ashley received her Master’s of Public Health in 2012,despite facing many obstacles in her path during that time. Overall, Ashley has 18 years of healthcare experience, serving the Tampa Bay community members in various capacities, beginning her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant providing care to the elderly residents and rehab patients within the facility; then cross trained as a Social worker within the same facility, where Ashley first held her first professional role within healthcare;learning about connecting to community health resources to provide the best care for her patients and their families.Ashley also has had experience serving in a Supervisory role for Concordia Village as a Business Office Coordinator supervising CNA’s & HHA’s and scheduling homecare services for the residents of Concordia Village; and later worked with Baycare Homecare scheduling Home Health services for patients discharging from hospitals and rehab facilities.
While Ashley has held various positions in healthcare, she realized later that her passion was truly in Public Health, and through the years, she has strived to work in the field, but unfortunately, she kept receiving “No’s”, but despite all of this she kept persevering, and finally received an opportunity to gain some experience serving in her second Supervisory role as a VolunteerCoordinator with Suncoast Hospice in St. Pete, FL and sending Hospice volunteers to patients’ and their families during their end of life journey;training Hospice Volunteers.
Later, she began volunteering with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County as a Vaccine Ambassador, and conducting surveys with the public, focusing on the Covid-19 vaccine and finding out which areas within the county had more vaccine hesitancy, and conducted various research and assisted with a Community Health Needs Assessment to address the community health needs.
Through Ashley’s dedication to her volunteer work, the Program Manager informed her about two job opportunities within theFlorida Department of Health, which led to Ashley working on the COVID-19 Response team and conducting interviews with individuals within the county who tested positive and providing the latest health education and CDC Guidance to ensure patient’s safety as well as their families and the community members within Hillsborough County. This opportunity allowed for more experience within Public Health, but still didn’t provide that hands on care approach where she could connect with people within the community.
Eventually, Ashley left the Florida Department of Health and later served as an Accountant for a year with the Florida Department of Revenue, and gained a new skill set, which Ashley didn’t mind, but she always maintained the goal of truly working within the field of Public Health . In closing, Ashley has served with Walmart Health as a Community Health Specialist in Wesley Chapel, in which she has has been able to provide the hands on care and face to face meeting with patients and their familites to address their Social Determinants of Health, planning community outreach events; also tasked with teaching Healthy living Nutrition classes every two weeks with basic tips on portion control and healthier eating options as well providing and partnering with local community based organizations within the Pasco and Hillsborough County to spread awareness to comunity members.