HSPM Alumni
Our Health Services Policy and Management alumni are advancing research, policy and practice across universities, health systems, government agencies, research organizations and public health institutions. Their work helps improve how health care is delivered, financed, evaluated and experienced by communities. Find ways to stay connected after graduation and make your impact at the Arnold School.
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Our Alumni Relations office is here to gelp you stay connected, get involved and find your community after graduation.
Alumni Spotlights
Sara Goldsby, MPH, MSW
Office Director, Office of Substance Use Services, South Carolina Department of Behavioral
Health and Developmental Disabilities
Degree: MPH in Health Services Policy and Management and MSW
Sara Goldsby entered the HSPM program while also pursuing social work, seeing the curriculum as the right fit for building skills in public service and health systems. After graduating, she joined South Carolina’s Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services as a project manager and moved into a director role within a year. She now leads the Office of Substance Use Services and co-directs the SC Center of Excellence in Addiction with HSPM associate professor Christina Andrews.
Ashley Vertuno, MHA
Chief Executive Officer, HCA Florida JFK North Hospital
Degree: Master of Health Administration
Ashley Vertuno chose the Arnold School for its reputation in health administration education and its focus on preparing future health care leaders. After graduating, she held administrative roles in Missouri and California before joining HCA Healthcare Florida as Chief Operating Officer for Westside Hospital. Since 2020, she has served as CEO of HCA Florida JFK North Hospital, a 280-bed acute care facility in Palm Beach County. She was named an Emerging Leader (recently renamed 40 Under 40 Awards) by Modern Healthcare in 2023.
Jay Hamm, MHA
Vice President of Operations, Lexington Medical Center
Degree: Master of Health Administration
Jay Hamm began his career as a nurse in a Level 1 Trauma Center before deciding to pursue health care leadership through the MHA program. After graduating, he served as Administrator for Patient Care Services at University of Virginia Healthcare and later held senior leadership roles at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital, including COO and CEO. In 2020, he joined Lexington Medical Center, where he leads operations as Vice President.
Sara Ballentine, MHA
Practice Administrator, Lovelace Family Medicine
Degree: Master of Health Administration
Sara Ballentine’s MHA prepared her for the world of health care management through educational and practical experiences across South Carolina health care settings. She has spent her career with Lovelace Family Medicine, an independent rural family medicine and obstetrics practice in Prosperity, South Carolina. Her work has included quality management, patient-centered medical home models, telehealth weight management, COVID-19 vaccination efforts, EMR transition, physician recruitment, value-based workflows and operational leadership.
Gary Cooper, MHA
Founder and Health Care Entrepreneur
Degree: Master of Health Administration
Gary Cooper launched Winyah Home Health after graduating from the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in 1996. Over the next two decades, he launched, bought and sold a variety of health care organizations across South Carolina and the Southeast. His primary business, Palmetto Infusion, grew from $80 million to $800 million in annual revenues and from 80 employees to 700.
Dom Francis, MPH
Manager for Community Health and Social Drivers of Health, South Carolina Hospital
Association
Degree: MPH in Health Services Policy and Management
Dom Francis came to HSPM after studying exercise science and becoming interested in systems- and policy-level approaches to community well-being. His career has included workforce development with the South Carolina Department of Public Health, training leadership with the Arnold School’s Center for Community Health Alignment, community program leadership and his current role with the South Carolina Hospital Association. His work focuses on social drivers of health, community dialogue and systematic change.
Elijah Christian, MPH
Manager of Data and Measurement, South Carolina Hospital Association
Degree: MPH in Health Services Policy and Management
Elijah Christian chose HSPM after exploring public health career paths as an undergraduate exercise science student. A graduate assistantship with the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation became a research associate position, and he later joined the South Carolina Hospital Association as a data analyst. He now manages data collection, analysis and reporting for Duke Endowment grants across North and South Carolina, supporting networks and coalitions across the Carolinas.
Ashley Hrubala Umbriano, MPH
Associate Attorney, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd
Degree: BS in Public Health and MPH in Health Services Policy and Management
Ashley Hrubala Umbriano’s path shows how HSPM training can support careers beyond traditional public health roles. During her MPH program, she discovered an interest in health law and politics, completed an administrative fellowship at Lexington Medical Center and later attended the USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law. She now works as an attorney in the Upstate, using her public health background to understand communities, systems and the ways policies affect people’s lives.
Where our Alumni Lead
HSPM alumni are shaping health care and public health through leadership in:
Health Systems and Hospitals
Graduates lead operations, strategy, quality improvement, patient care services and executive administration in hospitals and health systems.
Government and Public Agencies
Alumni manage programs, guide policy implementation and strengthen statewide systems for behavioral health, public health and community services.
Rural and Community Health
Graduates work to improve access to care, strengthen rural health organizations and support communities across South Carolina and beyond.
Data, Evaluation and Measurement
HSPM alumni use data to evaluate programs, measure community health impact and support evidence-informed decision-making.
Law, Policy and Entrepreneurship
Graduates apply health services training in legal, policy and business settings, including health care startups, law firms and growing health care organizations.
Connect with the HSPM Community
Our alumni remain an important part of the HSPM community. They mentor students, share career insights, lead organizations and demonstrate the many ways HSPM graduates can improve health care systems and public health practice.
Whether you are a prospective student exploring the field, a current student planning your next step or an alum with an update to share, we invite you to stay connected.
Share an Alumni Update
Tell us where your HSPM degree has taken you.
Contact the Department
Connect with HSPM faculty, staff and program leaders.