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“Justice is what love looks like in public, just like tenderness is what love feels like in private.”
- Dr. Cornel West

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PopulationHealth Researcher 
Health Equity Strategist | Consultant | Speaker

I am Ashley K. Parks, a nurse practitioner, social science researcher, educator, and PhD candidate. My work explores the intersection of health equity, stigma, and the lived experiences of Black women. With nearly two decades of experience spanning primary care, critical care, emergency medicine, education, research, and regulatory affairs, I believe the best healthcare solutions begin by listening to the people who experience it.

 

My research focuses on the evolution of the Strong Black Woman schema across generations and its influence on health and well-being. Whether I'm leading research initiatives, writing scholarly manuscripts, publishing magazines, building brands with purpose, or shaping conversations around health equity and social change, I am passionate about turning ideas into impact and using evidence as a catalyst for advocacy, innovation, and meaningful change.

Black Women  Equity    Black Family 
Health Communications  Brand Strategy 

Health Policy  Population Health 

Social Determinants of Health

 Cannabis  Evidence Translation 

Reform    Justice  Compliance 

Policy Engagement

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Transforming lived experiences into evidence to advance health equity through advocacy, policy, and practice change.

Healthcare has taught me that every statistic has a story, every policy affects a person, and every unanswered question is an opportunity to create change. My work exists at the intersection of research, health equity, strategy, and storytelling - using evidence not simply to understand problems, but to challenge them. I believe research is more than discovery; it's a catalyst for advocacy, innovation, and systems change.

With nearly two decades of experience spanning healthcare, clinical research, higher education, and regulatory affairs, I have built my career around asking thoughtful questions that lead to practical solutions. My background as a nurse practitioner provides the clinical lens that informs my work, while my passion lies in advancing population health through research, policy, and community-centered approaches.

As a PhD candidate in Population Health and Policy, my research explores the evolution of the Strong Black Woman schema across generations and its influence on health, coping, and well-being. By examining the intersection of identity, lived experience, stigma, and the social determinants of health, I aim to generate evidence that informs equitable policy, strengthens public health initiatives, and amplifies voices that have too often been silenced.

Beyond academia, I'm passionate about making research accessible, actionable, and influential. Whether I'm designing research studies, writing scholarly manuscripts, publishing educational content, developing purpose-driven brands, or translating evidence into strategies that inform advocacy, policy, and practice change, my goal is always the same: to transform knowledge into meaningful impact.

 

My work extends beyond traditional scholarship to include health communications, strategic consulting, public speaking, and collaborative partnerships that bridge research with real-world application. I believe the most impactful change happens when evidence reaches the people, organizations, and decision-makers who can use it to improve systems and the communities we serve.

 

This website is a space to share my research, writing, publications, presentations, and evolving work in health equity. Whether you're here to explore a research collaboration, discuss a consulting opportunity, invite me to speak, or simply learn more about my work, I'm glad you're here.

Education &
Training 

“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.”
- Angela Davis 

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© 2023 by Ashley K. Parks

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