Ashley J. Counts, DHEd, MHA, CHES

Professional Background

Dr. Ashley Counts is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health and the Assistant Director of the Master of Health Services Administration program.
Dr. Counts completed her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 2009 and Master of Health Administration in 2013, both at the University of Missouri. She completed her Doctor of Health Education degree at A.T. Still University in 2020. Her research interests focus on interprofessional education strategies, effective evaluative methods, organizational strategies for wellness promotion, and burnout prevention for health care providers. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, Dr. Counts has enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with leadership teams from various institutions to develop effective and manageable interventions to promote provider wellness.

Dr. Counts is deeply committed to fostering student growth, offering personalized mentorship that empowers learners to reach their full potential academically and professionally. She serves as the faculty advisor for Jayhawk Healthcare Administrators Working for Kansas (JHAWK) and the Administrative Fellowship Interest Group. She was awarded the Certificate for Teaching in Healthcare Management by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration in 2025.

Courses:

HP&M 810: The Healthcare System
HP&M 833: Ethics
HP&M 859: Professional Development

Selected Publications and Presentations:

What Did You Say?! Learning to Use Feedback to Foster Professional Growth. Counts, A., Yandell, M., Brooks, J. V. Oral Presentation. Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Columbus, Ohio. June, 2025.

(In press) Enhancing interprofessional teaming and communication through a Standardized Patient Tele-Health Simulation. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice. Hodgkins, SR, Counts, AJ, Crowl-Glissman, A, Laverentz, DM, Kalendar-Rich, J, Johnson, K. 2025.

Growing Pains: Teaching Feedback Skills as a Key Competency in Professional Development. Counts, AJ., Brooks, JV. National Council for Healthcare Leadership, National Council on Administrative Fellowships 2025 Virtual Summit. April, 2025.

Exploring Effective Resident Wellness Promotion. Counts AJ, Sarosi GA. Oral Presentation. Association of Academic Surgical Administrators. October, 2021.

The Effect of Wellness Initiatives on Well-Being and Burnout Symptoms in Surgical Residents. Counts AJ. Oral Presentation. Academic Surgical Congress. February 2021.

The Surgical Education Retreat: A Tool for Continuous Program Improvement. Counts AJ, Tan S, Shaw C, Sarosi G. Association of Program Directors in Surgery Workshop. April 2019.

GME 101: What Hospital Administrators Should Know. Sarosi G, Counts AJ. Oral Presentation. University of Florida. January 2015

• Other, Health Education, A.T. Still University
• MHA, Health Administration, University of Missouri
• BS, Biological Studies, University of Missouri