HealthySteps Ambassadors

HealthySteps Specialist at St. Joseph’s PCC Main 
Syracuse, NY

Ashley has been in her role at St. Joseph’s since 2022 and helped officially launch the HealthySteps program in May 2024. Previously, Ashley taught for seven years in various early childhood settings, including preschool special education, second grade, and kindergarten. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from SUNY Fredonia and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Syracuse University. Ashley’s favorite part of being a HealthySteps Specialist is getting to build relationships with families and be a partner with them as they navigate the ups and downs of parenting. She is incredibly honored to serve as an Ambassador and looks forward to the important work we will continue to do as a HealthySteps team. 

HealthySteps Specialist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist – Premier High Point, NC

Audrie is part of a team of 18 other HealthySteps Specialists across 14 pediatric sites in Guilford County, NC. She is employed by the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina and is part of the larger community initiative, “Routes to Ready,” with the local non-profit Ready for School, Ready for Life. 

Audrie is a native of North Carolina, born and raised in the Piedmont region. She has stayed true to her roots by attending local universities for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, and furthermore building a career and settling her family in her home community. Audrie received her Bachelor’s Degree in 2010 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with a major in Human Development and Family Studies: Early Care and Education, and minors in Psychology and Spanish. She then went on to receive her Master’s in Social Work from North Carolina State University in 2014. 

Since then, she has immersed herself in a mixture of disciplines impacting a variety of populations. These range from working with children in foster care, to case management with refugees, to crisis work with victims of domestic violence, with ventures in both non-profit work and the public sector. One thing that has remained constant is her passion for ensuring that all children and families have the opportunity to be safe and happy. Audrie is also avid about being involved and connected to her community, co-workers, and those whom she serves. She is actively involved in several committees and initiatives, both within her employer’s agency and in community organizations. 

When she’s not at work, she stays busy spending time with her family —particularly her awesomely supportive husband, her three young, rambunctious children, and one sweet pup —exploring the outdoors, traveling to new places, and finding ways to be creative.

HealthySteps Specialist at Harvey Pediatrics at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Rogers, AR

Jay has a Master’s in Business Administration from Webster University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Denver.  He began his career with a national health care staffing company, eventually being promoted to Vice-President of Staffing Services and receiving an appointment to their Board of Directors.  After 16 years in the “for-profit” world, Jay followed a calling to become a Licensed Social Worker. 

As a HealthySteps Specialist at Harvey Pediatrics in Rogers, Arkansas, he implemented one of the state’s first HealthySteps programs through a partnership with Arkansas Children’s Hospital.  Jay has also previously served as Chairman of the Board for The CALL (Children of Arkansas, Loved for a Lifetime) of Northwest Arkansas, as well as serving on the state board for two terms.  The CALL is a non-profit organization that works in conjunction with the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and to recruit and train new foster parents.  Jay was also a foster parent for 10 years and is the proud father of six children, three of whom were adopted through the state foster care program. 

Jay continues to serve as the HealthySteps Specialist at Harvey Pediatrics and resides in Northwest Arkansas where he is able to pursue his passion for ensuring that all children and their families have access to medical and mental health care, regardless of income or circumstance. 

HealthySteps Specialist at University of South Florida (USF) – Pediatrics – 17 Davis, Tampa, FL

Rilee serves as the lead HealthySteps Specialist among a team of 17, supporting pediatric care across five different sites. The project is funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, a local funder of children’s services throughout the county. 

Born and raised in Florida, Rilee earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Service Administration from the University of Central Florida. After graduating, she taught elementary education, where she discovered her passion for supporting young children and families. Rilee wanted to pursue this more by focusing on early childhood development and the importance of the developing brain in the first years of life. Rilee found the perfect opportunity to do this with HealthySteps. 

Not only does Rilee provide the Core Components of HealthySteps to families but also completes seven additional outcomes for their program funder, including educating on the three leading causes of preventable infant death, dangers of distracted parenting, and providing services/products to families in need.

HealthySteps Specialist at Powdersville Pediatrics with Prisma, Greenville, SC

Powdersville Pediatrics with Prisma Health officially became a HealthySteps site in March 2023. Shannon has 25+ years of experience working with families and young children in different settings. In addition to HealthySteps, she has worked with young children affected by in utero or environmental drug exposure, she has been director of a therapeutic childcare, director of a church daycare, and a teacher in an early childhood classroom.  

Shannon has a master’s degree from Liberty University in Marriage and Family Counseling. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in Child Development and Family Studies. She has the Infant Family Specialist endorsement though the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association and she is a certified facilitator of Circle of Security Parenting. Shannon has five children, two grandsons, a granddaughter on the way; plus three rescue dogs and multiple “grand” dogs.