About Us

Our Mission

The Southern Kentucky Area Health Education Center strives to improve health in our 15-county region by linking community and academic resources.

To accomplish this, we:

Support students… by contributing to the recruitment and retention of health professionals.

Support practitioners… by providing resources such as learning services and continuing education in order to support health professionals.

Educate our youth… by providing timely, continuing guidance and information on health careers at critical points in students’ academic development.

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Our Service Region

The Southern KY AHEC's 15-county service region includes: Boyle, Casey, Estill, Garrard, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Mercer, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Wayne, and Whitley Counties.

We are administered through the University of Kentucky Center for Interprofessional Health and Community Education and hosted by Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Center, in Mt. Vernon, Ky.

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Our Advisory Board

Michelyn Bhandari
Department for Health Promotion and Administration
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, Kentucky

Steve Estes
President and CEO
Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center
Mt. Vernon, Kentucky

Marisa Greer, Ed.D, MSN, RN - Board Chair
Vice President of Academic Affairs
University of Pikeville
London, Kentucky

Brad Hall
Executive-in-Residence – Presidential Fellow for Strategic Initiatives
Eastern Kentucky University

Ron Meade
Dean of Health Siences
Somerset Community College
Somerset, Kentucky

Jerian Petry
Outreach Coordinator
U of L Peace Hospital
Richmond, Kentucky

Elizabeth “Fizzy” Ramsey
Physician Assistant
Kentucky One Internal Medicine Associates
Danville, Kentucky

Marjorie Rose
Clinical School Nurse
Corbin Independent Schools
Corbin, Kentucky

Rachel Woodall
Pharmacist
Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center
Mt. Vernon, Kentucky

Our Staff

Kelly Owens, Center Director

Anna Jones, Assistant Director/Outreach Education Coordinator

Shawnee Eckert, Office Manager/Special Projects Coordinator

Sherry Spragens, Education Specialist

Jake Christensen, Health Career Coordinator