UAB Medicine welcomes 9th cohort of Institute for Leadership

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office welcomed 22 individuals in its ninth cohort of Institute for Leadership in August 2024.

The goal of the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership is to enhance existing personal, leadership, and management competencies while leveraging current leadership strategies and trends. The 6 -month program features guest speakers from executive-level leadership positions at UAB, including former Institute for Leadership graduates.  

“We have our largest cohort yet from all over the various entities of UAB Medicine,” said Jean Ann Larson, Ed.D., MBA, BSIE, FACHE, LFHIMSS, FIISE, Chief Leadership Development Officer. “They are seasoned leaders with a variety of backgrounds with a common goal and commitment to improving their ability to lead the organization and engage employees during unprecedented change and opportunities for UAB Medicine.”

Learn more about the ninth cohort of UAB Medicine’s Institute for Leadership  

Amy Beard, MSN, R.N., NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, Hospital Administration

Amy Beard is a health care executive, multi-state licensed RN, MSN, and board-certified Nurse Executive, Advanced, with extensive operational and clinical leadership roles in progressive non-profit and for-profit health care systems. Most recently, she served as CNO of UAB Callahan Eye Hospital and previously with Brookwood Medical Center. In all her roles, Beard has remained laser focused on ensuring excellence in service to all patients, from neonatal to the elderly. Analytical, business and clinically savvy, and financially astute, Amy has been a trusted resource to C-Suite executives and health care leaders, frequently called upon to navigate organizations through highly challenging internal and external challenges. An exuberant coach and mentor, Beard is known for her characteristic energy, transparency, and demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex, large-scale responsibilities concurrently. Working across service lines, medical disciplines, facilities, patient populations, and points of service, Amy has been the driving force of performance turnarounds and industry-recognized, award-winning accomplishments. Beard earned her MSN degree, with a concentration in Executive Nursing Administration, from the University of South Alabama, Mobile, and her BSN degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Micah Beavers, MBA, CISSP, Dir-Healthcare Info, Sec-ENT HSIS

Micah Beavers works in HSIS as a Director for the Information Security Team. He has worked at UAB since 2016 performing various roles on the InfoSec team such as: Incident Response, Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance, Security Architecture, and IT Risk Management. Prior to coming to UAB, Beavers worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) in the Information Security Department. While Working at BCBSAL, he obtained his MBA from UAB with a focus on Information Security. His goal is to continue his career in health care and find more effective ways to ensure that patient data is protected while providing it to clinicians in an efficient manner.

Anyet Belyeu, DNP, ACNP-BC, MSN, BSN, Senior Director, Digestive Health Endoscopy Services

Anyet Belyeu is a board-certified acute care nurse practitioner with seven years of nursing leadership experience. Belyeu started her nursing career in 2008 in the MICU before continuing her career path to become a nurse practitioner, a role she has held since 2011 with leadership involvement since 2016. Belyeu completed her doctorate from UAB in 2017. In the PACT she had the opportunity to grow her leadership skills as the lead nurse practitioner for the Highlands clinic for two years. She then transitioned to manager of Advanced Practice Providers in 2018, during which time she helped increase access to the PACT clinic to ensure more patients have anesthesia evaluations prior to the morning of surgery. Belyeu’s next leadership role included the Director of Perioperative Services with oversight over PREOP and PACU at UAB North Pavilion and UAB Highlands.  She also served in the Engagement Director role for Clinical Practice Transformation (CPT) and gained additional experience with leading large groups as well as the opportunity to engage in the publication process, which included two manuscripts that are being circulated for publication opportunities.  She then found her way back to an operational opportunity within the ENT clinic, where she has been interim Senior Director for GI Services since October 2023.

Glenda Black, R.N., MSHQS, BSN, CNML, LSSGB, Senior Director, Surgical Nursing

In her role as Senior Director of Surgical Nursing at UAB, Glenda Black is responsible for five inpatient med-surgical units. The scope of her responsibility includes four medical-surgical units (vascular surgery, head neck plastics and urology, GI surgery, and GI SurOnc) and one surgical intensive care unit (SICU). The five units total more than 130 inpatient beds daily. Black has more than 20 years of experience in the nursing profession with a broad range of leadership experience. She recently transitioned from being the nurse manager for a 29-bed GI Surgery Unit for the past six-plus years. During that time, she also served as the Chair of the Nurse Managers Council and was instrumental in changing the job description for the assistant nurse manager role. She worked with the HR department and the CNO to review/define and eliminate the minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree. This opened the door for seasoned registered nurses that could function as informal charge nurses to serve in formal leadership positions as ANM (assistant nurse managers) for the organization. Black has also worked as a Research Coordinator for Vascular Surgery, Interventional Cardiology, and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Additionally, she has served as a coordinator in both the Quality and Regulatory departments within UAB Medicine. She completed the Geriatric Scholar program and has been a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt since 2017. She obtained a Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Safety from UAB in 2017 and has been a Certified Nurse Manager Leader since 2019.

Daran Brown, R.N., MBA, Senior Director, Clinical Finance Management, Resource Management Systems

Daran Brown is the Senior Director of Clinical Finance Management and leads the Resource Management Systems Department at UAB Medicine. In this capacity, Brown leads the Position Control Management and budgeting process for the Department of Nursing and for UAB Hospital’s Clinical Labor. In more than 20 years of nursing experience, Brown has served as the Manager of Patient Safety, and as the Nurse Manager of the Gastrointestinal Nursing Units at UAB Medicine. Brown is a published author on a range of topics including Early Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), Nurse Staffing, and EMR Early Warning Score tracking to manage postoperative complications.

Steven Brown, M.D., CAQSM, Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Steven T. Brown, M.D., CAQSM, is the Chief of Sports and Exercise Medicine and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UAB. He also serves as the Director of Point of Care Ultrasound for the Heersink School of Medicine and in this role, he has created and implemented a new longitudinal curriculum teaching ultrasound to all medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty throughout the School. Dr. Brown’s clinical practice is comprehensive Sports Medicine with a focus on non-surgical orthopedics. He also serves as a Team Physician for UAB Athletics, United States Football League (USFL), USA Wheelchair Rugby, Birmingham Legion FC, and Birmingham Bulls Hockey.

Josh Carter, Ph.D.

Josh Carter, Ph.D., a native of Lawton, Oklahoma, moved to Birmingham in 2002 as an adjunct Spanish instructor for Samford University and UAB. He later served for 10 years as the Director of the UAB Office for Study Abroad from 2003-2013. In the 10 years under his leadership, the UAB Office for Study Abroad increased the number of students (especially under-represented minority students) studying overseas from 12 to more than 500.

Dr. Carter attended the University of Oklahoma, where he earned his B.A. in Spanish Language in 1999 and his M.A. in Spanish Literature in 2001. He completed his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at UAB in 2015. His dissertation focused on Emotional Intelligence and the study abroad experience. Dr. Carter was recognized in 2021 as an inaugural recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Shared Values, which honored Blazers who demonstrated one or more of UAB’s Shared Values in the course of their work during the extraordinary times presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. He was a member of the 2012 class of UAB’s Blaze Leadership Academy. He was also the recipient of the 2012 UAB President’s Diversity Award for “contributions to inclusion on campus and beyond.” In 2008, he was recognized at the Southeastern regional level as the recipient of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators International Excellence Award for “exemplifying the true spirit of international educational exchange and demonstrating outstanding local and regional leadership within his or her institution, the community, or region.”

Kayla Cooney, MBA, BSN, R.N., AMB-BC, Manager, Patient Healthcare Coordination Center

Kayla Cooney joined UAB in 2019. Outside of work, she finds fulfillment in serving on the Jimmie Hale Mission Young Professionals Board. Contributing to such meaningful work beyond the confines of the office walls is a privilege she holds dear. Cooney is always looking for new knowledge and experiences, and hether pursuing formal education or diving into a book that piques her interest, she is constantly seeking ways to broaden her horizons. When not engaged in work or community service, Cooney is often found in her garden.

Toni Gaston, BSN, MSN, Nurse Manager, Surgical Nursing-Acute Care

Toni Gaston has more than 20 years of experience in nursing leadership. She loves learning new things, mentoring and coaching new staff. One of the things that motivates Toni is challenging others to reach their goals and supporting them as they take on challenges outside of their norm. She has been an integral part of establishing several hospital wide projects at UAB such as Geriatric Scholar Program and Diabetes Scholar Program. She is currently piloting Team Nursing on her unit. This team consists of two licensed staff members and one non-licensed staff member, responsible for the care of a large number of patients. Gaston is interested in expanding her leadership skills in order to enhance her professional development and to maintain current skills and knowledge for professional advancement.    

Moheb Gohar, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Moheb Ashraf Emeel Gohar, M.D., is an anesthesiologist and critical care physician in the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. He is also the program director for the Anesthesiology Critical Care Fellowship. Dr. Gohar was born and raised in Egypt and went to medical school at Assiut University. He moved to the U.S. in 2015 to start his residency in anesthesiology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, followed by fellowships in Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the same institution. He moved to Alabama in 2021 and joined UAB as an assistant professor. Dr. Gohar is currently enrolled in the MBA program at UAB’s Collat School of Business to learn and advance in his leadership and administrative roles in the health care field.

Sasha Harris, DNP, MSHQS, R.N., MEDSURG-BC, NE-BC, Senior Director, Medical Nursing

Sasha Harris is a proactive and patient safety-focused nurse leader with more than 12 years of experience in nursing. She is proficient at maintaining efficient, high-performance, and quality-driven health care units. She possesses strong communication skills and is a tactical planner with skills in problem-solving and conflict management. Harris is a nurse leader known for quality, culture success, and excellence. In her role as Senior Director of Medical Nursing at UAB Hospital, she oversees the Hospitalist, General Medicine, and Nephrology units on the main UAB campus. Harris is active in the community and a part of numerous organizations including lifetime membership with the National Black Nurses Association, a member of the Birmingham Regional Organization of Nurse Leaders, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, among others.

Megan Hays, Ph.D., ABPP, FAACVPR, Associate Professor, Director of Wellness Education, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UAB Medicine Office of Wellness

Megan Hays, Ph.D., is an associate professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Hays received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in rehabilitation psychology at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is board-certified in the specialty of rehabilitation psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology and is a fellow of the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. She also serves on the board of directors for the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology and the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. In addition to Dr. Hays’ clinical practice – which involves the psychological assessment and treatment of adults with a wide range of medical trauma – she serves as the Director of Wellness Education for the UAB Medicine Office of Wellness. In this role, she supports the UAB Medicine community by providing a variety of wellness services and developing wellness programming and resources for employees. Dr. Hays received the UAB Dean’s Excellence Award in Service for her work focused on the well-being of health care workers.

Anand Iyer, M.D., PSPH, Associate Professor, ACMO Medicine – Pulmonary, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine,

Anand S. Iyer, M.D., MSPH is a pulmonologist and associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine with joint appointments in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care and the School of Nursing. He serves as Associate Chief Medical Officer for UAB Medicine and built the pulmonary program for Jefferson County citizens at Cooper Green Mercy Health Services. He is also a physician investigator in the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center. Dr. Iyer is UAB’s first recipient of a Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award, one of 10 Beeson Scholars selected nationwide as emerging leaders in the field of aging who receive a K76 grant from the National Institute on Aging, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and the American Federation for Aging Research. His clinical, advocacy, and research interests focus on improving health care for people living with serious respiratory illnesses and eliminating health care disparities across the Deep South. His research crosses domains of implementation science, clinical trials, health services research, and patient-centered outcomes research. He has a particular interest in improving the well-being of people living with COPD through geriatrics and palliative care. Dr. Iyer is a national leader at the American Thoracic Society and has testified to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging on behalf of older Alabamians. Dr. Iyer is a three-time UAB graduate and hails from Anniston, Alabama.

Rachael Lee, M.D., MSPH, Associate Professor, Chief Healthcare Epidemiologist, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

Rachael Lee, M.D., is an associate professor in the UAB Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases and a clinician investigator with broad knowledge of health care-associated infections.  Throughout her infectious diseases fellowship, she has focused on infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, particularly their effect on patient outcomes. Dr. Lee completed a fellowship in quality and patient safety, with a certificate from the UAB Quality Academy, a graduate-level certificate program that gave her a basic understanding of process development and improvement of patient-safety initiatives.  In her current role as Chief Healthcare Epidemiologist, she leads and manages a large team of physicians and infection preventionists and is integrally involved in health care management that includes regulatory review, patient safety, quality improvement, clinical practice and education, and public reporting of infections. Her research focuses on the complex relationship between hospital epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, and antibiotic stewardship in order to prevent morbid infections in vulnerable patients.

Jimmie Loats, MBA, Associate Vice President, Business Ops. & Analytics, Financial Operations & Analytics

Jimmie Loats received his B.S. in Computer Science from Southeastern Louisiana University and MBA from UAB. Loats has more than 21 years of experience with a large academic medical center leveraging enterprise data and business intelligence to focus on measurable performance improvement in roles diversifying across the academic, research grant, and health care settings. Loats was named the Associate Vice President of Business Operations & Analytics for Perioperative Services, Heart & Vascular Services, Inpatient Wound Care, and Trauma Burn in 2023, where he works closely with key operational leaders, Hospital Finance, Decision Support, and the VP of Clinical Operations. Loats leads the business operations, Implants & Charge, and Business Intelligence divisions to drive best-in-class measurable performance through improvement initiatives and strategic alignment with clinical stakeholders.

Brandi McCleskey, M.D., Associate Professor, Vice Chair of Education, Department of Pathology

Brandi McCleskey, M.D. is an associate professor in the field of forensic pathology in the UAB Department of Pathology. She serves as an Associate Coroner/Medical Examiner for Jefferson County, Alabama. She is renowned for her contributions to academia, the practice of forensic medicine, and mentorship of students and trainees. Dr. McCleskey earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed a residency in both Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at UAB, where she also served as the Chief Resident in Anatomic Pathology. She then pursued her passion for Forensic Pathology at UAB where she worked at the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office to complete her fellowship. She obtained board certification in Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic Pathology. She was offered an opportunity to remain at UAB in the Forensics Division after her fellowship and chose to begin her career as an academic-based Forensic Pathologist. She became active in research and built collaborations with experts in clinical fields and public health. Leveraging the power of primary mortality statistics, she helped inform many high-powered publications and presentations shared in a variety of journals and national platforms. In all her roles, particularly those as Career Advisor for HSOM, Pathology Residency Training Program Director, and Vice Chair of Education for the Department, Dr. McCleskey has passionately worked to cultivate the next generation of pathologists and forensic pathologists, emphasizing the importance of mentorship in building a robust, well, and diverse workforce. Her value to the field of forensic pathology was recognized in 2022 by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) Iceberg Award for Special and Ongoing Service and by election to the Board of Directors of NAME that same year. Additionally, she was nominated for the Dean’s Excellence Award in 2020 for Teaching and won the Dean’s Excellence Award in 2021 for Mentorship, which further illustrates her contributions to education and training at UAB. Her focus is helping aspiring medical professionals navigate challenges, make informed career choices, and develop into confident and capable leaders. By championing and implementing holistic review practices in residency recruitment, she has been instrumental in ensuring an equitable environment for the recruitment and training of a diverse group of budding pathologists at UAB. 

Cali Myers, MHA, Executive Administrator, Department of Emergency Medicine

Cali Myers is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, where she initially chose to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English Education, but changed course when she discovered the field of public health. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, she went on to the University of Florida, where she received a Master of Health Administration degree. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics from UAB in 2023. Her first professional role was to manage a small gastroenterology practice in North Florida. She then accepted a Medical Group Manager role at Haven Hospice, where she completed an internship in quality and performance improvement during graduate school. After several years there, she came to UAB in 2021, where she served as the Program Director II for the Department of Emergency Medicine. She took on the department’s Executive Administrator role in an interim capacity in June 2023 and in a permanent capacity in March 2024. Myers is an active participant in the Academy for Administrators of Academic Emergency Medicine, where she leads the Communications Committee as its Chair. She has also demonstrated commitment to excellence by pursuing leadership development in a variety of capacities, including becoming a member of Leadership Gainesville, Florida in 2020, completing the UAB CCTS/COERE Leadership Development Program in 2022, and completing the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy program in 2024. Myers is active in her community and serves as a member of the Junior League of Birmingham, where she has served as the Chair for the Food Rescue/Grace Klein Community volunteer group for two years. She is also passionate about animal rescue and volunteers with Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue, where she fosters cats and assists with administrative tasks.

Carson Phillips, MSN, R.N., NE-BC, Senior Director, Transplant Administration

Carson Phillips is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and started her career as a nurse at UAB Hospital in 2009.  She received her BSN and MSN from UAB School of Nursing (2009/2012). Phillips has held a variety of clinical and leadership roles throughout her career in health care, with the majority of her career in the field of organ transplantation. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Transplant Clinical Operations at UAB’s Comprehensive Transplant Institute, one of the busiest transplant centers in the country. 

Jennifer Philpot, MSHA, Senior Director, Heersink School of Medicine Development

Jennifer Philpot is a health care fundraising executive with more than 25 years of experience in fundraising operations and steering strategic development for health care organizations. Her expertise in major gift and grateful patient fundraising, strategic operations management, and building comprehensive fundraising programs has been the hallmark of her career. Her portfolio of fundraising experience includes work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Vanderbilt University, Baptist Health Foundation, St. Vincent’s Foundation, and UAB Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) where she serves as Senior Director of Development. At UAB, Philpot leads a team of talented development professionals charged with supporting the philanthropic initiatives of eight departments within the UAB HSOM and Callahan Eye Hospital. Philpot has been a member of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, the Alabama Planned Giving Council, and the Association of American Medical Colleges. She is currently the immediate past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Alabama and has served as AFP Alabama’s Ethics and Government Relations Chair as well as the Southeastern Representative on the AFP Global Nominating Committee. Philpot currently serves on a six-person AFP Global Executive Task Force examining AFP Global’s Leadership Pipeline and Development. She has served on the board of Leadership Vestavia Hills as Community Events Chair, overseeing Vestavia Hills Community Leadership Awards from 2015-2022 and the Barons Baseball Clinic for exceptional kids in Vestavia Hills City Schools. She was a founding board member of the Community of Hope Health Clinic where she served for eight years and as Board Chair for two years. Philpot is also a past board president of Camp Bridges Foundation and has volunteered her time with Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation and Easter Seals of Birmingham. She is a graduate of the Executive Master in Health Administration program at UAB. Philpot was also selected for the inaugural class of Baptist Health System’s Top Talent Leadership Development Program and participated in Ascension St. Vincent’s Mission and Mentoring Program. In 2023, she was recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Alabama Chapter as the William S. Roth Executive Fundraising Professional of the Year. 

Lalita Samant, Ph.D., Professor, Director, Cancer Biology Ph.D. Theme, Associate Director for Training and Education, O’Neal Cancer Center, Department of Pathology

Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Pathology, Associate Director for Cancer Training and Education at the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of the Cancer Biology Ph. D. Theme at UAB. She received her Ph.D. in Cancer Immunology from the University of Bombay, India, and completed postdoctoral training in the area of metastasis at Penn State University and at UAB. She was on faculty at the University of South Alabama before being recruited in 2012 to the Department of Pathology at UAB. She leads a robust research program on deciphering molecular instructions and signaling events that enable reprogramming of cancer cells and their microenvironment facilitating metastatic progression and treatment resistance. Her research program has received continuous funding since 2004 from multiple funding agencies including the NCI/NIH, Department of Defense, The Komen Foundation, Metavivor, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. Her international initiative for mentoring the next generation of metastasis investigators has culminated in the successful establishment of the Early Career Ambassadors of Metastasis Research program of the Metastasis Research Society. She is also a Board Member of the Cancer Biology Training Consortium.

Shi Wei, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Division Director, Department of Pathology

Shi Wei, M.D., Ph.D., obtained his medical degree in China and received his Ph.D. in Japan. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by residency in anatomic and clinical pathology and a surgical pathology fellowship at UAB. He obtained additional clinical subspecialty training at Emory, Mt. Sinai and Harvard Universities. Dr. Wei joined the faculty at UAB in 2009 as an assistant professor and quickly rose to the rank of tenured professor in 2016. He served as Section Head of Surgical Pathology from 2015 and Associate Division Director of Anatomic Pathology from 2019. In late 2021 Wei joined the faculty of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at KUMC as a Professor with Tenure and the Barbara F. Atkinson Endowed Professor, Director of Clinical Translational Research. He returned to his training ground as Director of the Division of Women’s Health, effective February 1, 2024. Dr. Wei is actively engaged in the diagnostic surgical pathology service and has special clinical interests in breast and bone/soft tissue pathology. Over the course of his career, Dr. Wei has rapidly developed into a leading expert in his fields and become an internationally recognized successful academic physician. He has edited three textbooks and contributed eight monographs, recognizing his expertise in these areas. Dr. Wei is a staunch promoter of resident education. He received the Leonard H. Robinson Award for Excellence in Resident Education in Anatomic Pathology in both the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 academic years. Some of his residents received distinguished honors in translational research under his supervision, including the Tandra Chaudhuri Award for Excellence in Cancer Research and the John R. Durant Award for Excellence in Cancer Research at O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2020 Dr. Wei was named one of the year’s Honored Mentors by the USCAP Foundation. Dr. Wei’s major research interests include discovery and evaluation of biomarkers in breast cancer and other malignancies, evaluation of prognostic factors in breast cancer and malignant bone tumors, and tumor bone metastasis. He has more than 300 professional writings in these fields, including more than 180 manuscripts in some of the leading peer-reviewed journals such as JAMA, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Modern Pathology. Dr. Wei is the Editor-in-Chief of Human Pathology Reports and has provided his vast expertise to a number of editorial boards, covering diagnostic and experimental pathology, and related disciplines.

Christopher White, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Christopher White, M.D., started his career in Emergency Medicine as a firefighter/EMT with Carroll County Fire Rescue and West Georgia Ambulance in Carrollton, Georgia, while completing his bachelor’s and master’s in biology from the University of West Georgia. After five years in the EMS and fire services, he entered Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia, in 2009. Afterwards, he completed Emergency Medicine Residency at UAB serving as Chief Resident from 2015-2016. Upon completion of residency, he entered active-duty service with the United States Air Force where he served as the EMS Director for Eglin Air Force Base and all surrounding territories. While serving on active duty, he received advanced training through the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine as well as the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills as a critical care flight physician. Upon completing his active-duty commitment to the USAF in 2019, he joined the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine as an assistant professor. During his tenure, Dr. White has been awarded resident teaching awards, selected to serve as Core Educational Faculty and served on several departmental committees. Additionally, he serves as the medical director for several Fire & EMS municipalities in the Birmingham area, as well as for the largest EMS educational institution in the State of Alabama. He also volunteers his time as the physician lead and liaison for UAB’s Active Shooter training program as well as for the entire Alabama Community College System.