Dr. Ashley Robertson and her husband were looking for a new place to call home that would be family-friendly and good for their careers, and fell in love with Fort Wayne.
Shortly after settling in, Dr. Robertson joined the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health as an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management to support the Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management (BSHSM) program at IU Fort Wayne.
“My role is to help bring the same awesome educational and professional development opportunities that the BSHSM program at IUPUI offers to Northeast Indiana,” Dr. Robertson said.
The Fairbanks School of Public Health now offers a minor in Health Services Management on the IU Fort Wayne campus, and will be enrolling for the HSM major starting in January 2021.
Dr. Robertson has years of success serving as program director for Samford University's undergraduate health administration program and most recently Purdue Fort Wayne’s undergraduate and graduate health administration programs.
In addition to teaching and interacting with students, which is her favorite thing to do, she will be focused on creating awareness of the program in the region.
“I will also be focused on further developing relationships with stakeholders in the Fort Wayne area, both for internships and engagement opportunities for students, as well as how the HSM program can fit into the broader community for the good of everyone,” said Dr. Robertson, who stressed the city’s need for more healthcare administrators.
“Fort Wayne's healthcare community is absolutely booming, and there's a real need for healthcare administrators in the area, but many in the community are unaware of the value (or even the existence) of a health services management degree. I'm hoping we can change that and demonstrate our value quickly and effectively.”
Dr. Robertson said she is thrilled to join a well-established and well-regarded program, with all of the attendant resources and opportunities for students.
“Since the program will be within the Fairbanks School of Public Health, but located in Fort Wayne, my role will also include ensuring active and continuous engagement between the two campuses,” she said. “I could not be more excited to be a part of the new wave of health education IU Fort Wayne is bringing to the region.”