Ashley Williams, M.D., a trauma, acute care and burn surgeon with USA Health in Mobile, has been chosen for the Modern Healthcare’s 40 Under 40 class.
The program recognizes emerging leaders under the age of 40 who are making meaningful contributions to their organizations and influencing health care through innovation, leadership and measurable impact.
“This award is so well-deserved and speaks of her vision and leadership,” said Jon Simmons, M.D., FACS, chief of trauma, acute care surgery and burns at USA Health and trauma medical director. “She has a rare ability to see upstream solutions to complex problems like violence and health inequity and then build programs that truly change lives.”
Williams serves as director of the USA Health Center for Healthy Communities, where she leads initiatives focused on violence prevention, community engagement and health equity. Under her leadership, the center secured $1 million in funding to launch a hospital-based gun-violence prevention initiative that engages victims of violence during their hospital care to help break cycles of retaliation and re-injury. She also co-founded Project Inspire, a hospital-based youth mentorship program that provides trauma-informed training, CPR and Stop the Bleed certification, professional development and mentorship for justice-involved teens.
“By investing deeply on the front end, we have seen lives saved and major reductions in gun-related crimes and incarceration,” Williams said. “Over time, I have applied these principles to an expanded scope of public health practice including pressing health-related issues such as access to care, service delivery, environmental health impacts and health policy and advocacy. I believe this is the future of health care — innovative, preventive strategies to address the challenges we face.”
In addition to her clinical role, Williams also serves as an associate professor of surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama.