We are excited to introduce you to Ashley Pool, the new president of Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro.
Ashley has more than 25 years of health care experience as an intensive care unit nurse, nurse practitioner, rural clinic owner and hospital administrator. She comes to Highlands Medical Center from Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville, where she served as both chief executive and chief operating officer.
During her tenure at Lakeland, Ashley led the facility from near closure to become a sustainable rural hospital.
“I am very excited to be joining the Highlands Medical Center and Huntsville Hospital Health System team,” she said. “Highlands has an exceptionally talented group of people focused on delivering the best care possible to those they serve. We will continue to focus on the future in terms of system growth, reputation, quality outcomes, and cutting-edge care.”
Ashley holds two nursing degrees (bachelor’s and master’s) from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and also earned a Master’s in Management of Health Care degree from Vanderbilt. She is active in various community and statewide organizations including Rotary, Civitan and the Alabama Hospital Association.
Ashley is married to Athens family physician Dr. Tracy Pool. They have four children, two stepchildren and four granddaughters – plus two more grandchildren on the way.
She succeeds John Anderson, who spent 2 ½ years as interim president of Highlands Medical Center. During that time, he not only guided the Scottsboro hospital through COVID-19 – he oversaw its transition into the fast-growing, not-for-profit Huntsville Hospital Health System.
With more than 700 staff members, Highlands is one of the largest employers in Jackson County.
