If one were asked to characterize Ashley Acri in three words, those words would be creative problem solver. The 2013 graduate has enjoyed a varied and impressive career that’s long been centered around two primary goals: to serve as an agent of change and to help others achieve greatness.
Ashley received a Bachelor of Science degree from DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania in 2020. During her tenure at the university, she leveraged her experience as the founder of MMI’s tutoring program, Power Hours, to revamp her college’s own tutoring program. In doing so, she worked alongside the director of DeSales’ tutoring program, engaged with professors in designing tutoring sessions, and marketed the platform. Her work paid off: the program went on to become a bedrock for learning and inspiration for students across campus, particularly for aspiring nurses and the university’s baseball and lacrosse teams.
After graduating, Ashley became a Registered Nurse (RN) at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Schuylkill campus, where she continued to promote charity and innovation. She mentored individuals interested in the healthcare field at Lehigh Valley Health Network Interpreter Services’ Department and partnered with the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association as a member of their New-to-Practice task force. In this capacity, she provides mentorship to nurses with less than five years of professional experience.
As for her own nursing experience, Ashley obtained specialized training to care for patients who have suffered from acute strokes, as well as those with new-onset cardiac arrhythmias; she’s also certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatrics Advanced Life Support, and as a Certified Medical/Surgical RN. Additionally, she has worked on an evidence-based project to address incivility in the workplace and served as a Unit Manager and Staff Development Coordinator at Allied Services Integrated Health System/John Heinz Transitional Rehab.
When the pandemic underscored holes in the healthcare system, Ashley felt compelled to return to the classroom to spearhead the flaws she saw from the ground up. This month, Ashley, who is now employed at the Lehigh Valley Health Network, Hazleton campus, will graduate from Bloomsburg University with not one but two graduate degrees: A Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Administration. Her goal? To expand on her advocacy for new-to-practice nurses—and to create safe and just healthcare environments where every patient is recognized, and honored, for their uniqueness.