From Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences
Top Photo courtesy of ASHS, with cutline: L to R: Susanna Speegle, Admissions Director; Laura Bailey, Dean of Curriculum and Instruction; Dr. Antonio Cooper, Jr., Dean of Students; Dr. James Martin, School President. (Credit: ASHS)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Just one month into his tenure, Dr. Jimmy Martin, President of the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences (ASHS), has successfully recruited three educational leaders poised to contribute their unique expertise to the school’s development. The statewide school board unanimously approved these appointments, met with enthusiastic applause.
“With these three leaders, ASHS is moving forward with a ‘Dream Team’ that will help the school, and its students reach their potential — and beyond,” stated Martin during his presentation to the ASHS board, which convened in Birmingham at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine on Wednesday. The approved administrators are:
- Laura Bailey (of Wetumpka), Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, who previously served for five years as Education Administrator for Career & Technical Education (CTE) Workforce Development at the Alabama State Department of Education and as a Director of Alabama Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).
- Dr. Antonio Cooper, Jr., Dean of Students, who has been Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Vestavia Hills City School System since 2019 and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Education at Samford University. With extensive administrative experience in both rural and urban settings across Alabama and Mississippi, he specializes in CTE, developing dual enrollment programs, and fostering partnerships between schools and business/industry.
- Susanna Speegle, Admissions Director, an enrollment and data specialist currently serving as Assistant Director of Enrollment Management at Marion Military Institute, located northeast of Demopolis. Her experience includes off- and on-campus recruiting at MMI, coordinating events with schools, institutions, and families.
“Laura, Antonio and Susanna’s experience and commitment to the concept and mission will inspire everyone they meet and truly change lives,” Martin conveyed to the board.
The trustees expressed enthusiastic support for the selections. All three will commence their roles on July 1. “We are asking these important people to join us as we take a major leap of faith,” commented Mike Warren, board president. “We are initiating a complex new idea with a wide scope and complicated demands and are all entering this exciting venture with high expectations. We are asking these talented experts to commit to creating a new community with the added responsibilities associated with ASHS being a residential campus. As such, these persons will have broader responsibilities than they have had in the past in traditional school settings.”
“We applaud these exceptional choices and Dr. Martin’s efforts to meet all of ASHS’s needs.”
Laura Bailey, Dean of Curriculum and Instruction:
A resident of Wetumpka, Bailey brings 17 years of experience as an administrator and secondary teacher. In her most recent role, she supervised state staff in CTE fields including Health Science, Education & Training, Hospitality & Tourism, and Human Services, overseeing approximately 200 Health Science and 350 Family & Consumer Science Programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Montevallo and a Master of Education Leadership degree from Auburn University. She is currently pursuing a J.D. from Birmingham School of Law, expected in December 2026.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape a school that will directly impact Alabama’s healthcare future,” Bailey remarked. “My experience as a teacher, district administrator and state leader has prepared me to design a curriculum that supports students in discovering their purpose and gaining the skills they need to thrive. I’m excited to work alongside students, educators and industry partners to empower the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
Dr. Antonio Cooper, Jr., Dean of Students:
Cooper is recognized for his work in developing student character education and strategies for engaging students and stakeholders over nearly two decades as a teacher and administrator. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and a Master of Science in K-12 guidance education from Alcorn State University. He subsequently obtained an educational specialist degree and a doctorate in education from Walden University in Minneapolis.
A native of Birmingham and resident of Tuscaloosa, Cooper stated: “I’m honored to serve as the inaugural Dean of Students at ASHS and excited about the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare landscape of our state. My vision is to cultivate a campus environment where students are inspired to develop their character, confidence and calling in healthcare, while preparing to make an immediate impact in their communities. By bridging academic excellence with personal transformation, we’ll create a close-knit campus family rooted in purpose, resilience, and service. From the moment they walk through our doors to the launch of their careers, I want this to be an experience they’ll carry with pride for a lifetime.”
Susanna Speegle, Admissions Director:
Speegle, who calls Demopolis home, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in public relations from Jacksonville State University and earned a master’s degree in management from Faulkner University last year.
“I’m thrilled to be part of ASHS and to contribute to shaping its future,” Speegle commented. “This opportunity allows me to not only give back to my hometown community but to help students make a difference in their own. I can’t wait to be a small part of these students’ big future.”
ASHS is actively developing its programs to welcome the first freshman class of up to 100 students in fall 2026 at a temporary mini-campus on the grounds of the University of West Alabama in Livingston. Final decisions are being made on healthcare career pathways and curricula necessary for faculty, staff, and student recruitment. Groundbreaking is anticipated this fall for the $62 million, 10-acre residential campus in Demopolis, adjacent to Whitfield Regional Hospital, which is slated to open in fall 2027.
For more information, visit the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation website at https://ashsfoundation.org/.
