From Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Just one month into his tenure, Dr. Jimmy Martin, President of the Alabama School for Healthcare Sciences (ASHS), has successfully recruited three education leaders to contribute their distinct expertise to the school’s development. The statewide school board has given its unanimous approval, 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 appointees include:
- Laura Bailey (Wetumpka resident), serving as Dean of Curriculum and Instruction. For the past five years, she was an education administrator for Career & Technical Education (CTE) Workforce Development at the Alabama State Department of Education and a director of Alabama Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).
- Dr. Antonio Cooper, Jr., appointed as Dean of Students. He has been the director of curriculum and instruction for the Vestavia Hills City School System since 2019 and is an adjunct professor of education at Samford University. With extensive administrative experience in both rural and urban Alabama and Mississippi settings, he specializes in CTE, establishing dual enrollment programs, and fostering school-business partnerships.
- Susanna Speegle, named Admissions Director. She is an enrollment and data specialist currently serving as assistant director of enrollment management at Marion Military Institute, located northeast of Demopolis. Her work at MMI includes off- and on-campus recruiting, as well as 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 informed the board members.
The trustees warmly welcomed the selections. All three administrators are set to begin 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, residing in Wetumpka, brings 17 years of experience as an administrator and secondary teacher. In her previous state role, she oversaw a staff supporting CTE fields including Health Science, Education & Training, Hospitality & Tourism, and Human Services, supervising approximately 200 Health Science and 350 Family & Consumer Science Programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montevallo and a Master of Education Leadership from Auburn University. She is currently pursuing a J.D. at the 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 stated. “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., has been recognized for his work in developing student character education and strategies for engaging students and stakeholders over nearly two decades as an educator and administrator. He earned his Bachelor of Science in elementary education and a Master of Science in K-12 guidance education from Alcorn State University. He holds an educational specialist degree and a doctorate in education from Walden University in Minneapolis.
A Birmingham native and current Tuscaloosa resident, Cooper remarked: “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, who calls Demopolis home, holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications with a public relations concentration 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 said. “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 making significant progress towards welcoming its initial freshman class of up to 100 students at a temporary campus located on the grounds of the University of West Alabama in Livingston in the fall of 2026. Decisions are nearing completion regarding healthcare career pathways and curricula, which will guide the recruitment of faculty, staff, and students. A groundbreaking ceremony is anticipated this fall for the $62 million, 10-acre residential campus adjacent to Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, scheduled to open in the fall of 2027.
For additional details, please visit the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation website at https://ashsfoundation.org/. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashsfoundation and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/alabama-school-of-healthcare-sciences-foundation/