Impacting Infant Mortality in Tennessee

Meet Ashley Brooks, MPH
The Ohio State University
Health Behavior/Health Promotion
Tennessee Department of Health
Contact Ashley

Finding Work in Tennessee
Ashley knew exactly where she wanted to be after finishing her MPH degree at The Ohio State University (OSU). Her family and (then) fiancé were living in Nashville and she knew that is where she would start her public health career.

After conducting a search using md.com, she found work as a Public Health Coordinator at Tennessee State University. She impacted student health by organizing health seminars, fairs, and awareness campaigns, collecting student immunizations records, and assisting with new student orientations.

Tennessee Department of Health
After eight months at Tennessee State, Ashley interviewed and was accepted for a post at the Tennessee Department of Health as the State Child Fatality Review Coordinator.  She found the position by meticulously scanning the Department’s job postings and applying once the job became available. Her work stems from Tennessee law mandating the review of every child death between 23 weeks and 17 years of age.

Ashley works on the administrative end of this department by offering support to thirty-four local fatality teams who review deaths within their jurisdictions. She provides technical support, manages the timeline for death reviews, trains staff, and attends local meetings. At year-end, Ashley creates a formal report that is delivered to Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee General Assembly. This report is used to guide legislation regarding infant mortality.

Ashley has been able to use her background in health promotion as a contributor to the statewide Safe Sleep campaign. This initiative was created to educate parents and caregivers about infant sleep-related deaths. She and her colleagues are proud to be part of a movement that is helping to decrease infant mortality in the state of Tennessee. 

Staying Connected
Ashley stays connected by being part of the Tennessee Public Health Association. She is also active with the Collaborative Improvement & Innovation Network (COIIN) to Reduce Infant Mortality. This partnership provides support for professionals working to impact child mortality rates.

Ashley’s Advice for You
If you are hoping to work at the state level, Ashley suggests that you include some finance and resource classes in your graduate school experience. She took several classes outside her school of public health and these have made a huge impact on her preparation for state-level work.

Ashley also suggests that you get involved as a public health volunteer. She says that it is challenging to get a job with the government because of a lack of available positions. It is crucial to have volunteer and work experience that will set you apart from your peers.

Contact Ashley
Questions for Ashley? Click here.