Say hi to Ashley!
Dr. Ashley Garling joins the CHC as the new Assistant Director of Programs.
After earning her doctorate in pharmacy from Virginia Commonwealth, Ashley started her clinical practice in North Carolina, and her work in health communication brought her to Texas. She worked as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy before transitioning to the Center for Health Communication. At the College of Pharmacy, she led forty local and national media events, including podcasts, radio, television, and news interviews. Additionally, she taught over 48 platforms, workshops, and continuing education sessions in her area of specialty, stigmatized health conditions in the community. She has also had the privilege of testifying twice for the United States Congress House Ways and Means Committee on medical access and telehealth bills by invitation from Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett.
Dr. Garling's career pillars focus on public activation of sensitive health topics, empowerment of underheard voices, and innovation in health communication. Her expertise in stigmatized health topics such as mental health, suicide, and substance use disorder has been recognized nationally. She has been nominated annually for her teaching, service, and scholarship. In 2020-21, she was awarded the Dr. Carolyn Brown DEAI Champion Award and the 2021 Teaching Excellency Award, a testament to her outstanding contributions to diversity and inclusion in pharmacy education.
When she's not serving healthcare professions, Ashley teaches trauma-informed equestrian practices to trauma survivors and advocates for children who have lived with adverse childhood events. She enjoys sharing meals with her family and loves all animals, especially dogs and horses.