An employee at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) has received national recognition for her work overseeing programs that aim to improve health care access, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.
Angela Alston, executive director of WVSOM’s Southeastern Area Health Education Center (SE-AHEC), was presented the 2025 Andy Nichols Award for Social Justice. The award is given by the National AHEC Organization, which encompasses about 300 Area Health Education Centers throughout the U.S., including five in West Virginia.
The centers work to enhance access to quality health care by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals via partnerships with academic programs, communities and professional organizations.
Alston said she is honored to receive the award, named for an Arizona health leader who established that state’s AHEC system and was a driving force in the national organization.
“Dr. Nichols exemplified a profound yet simple truth – that health is a human right, not a privilege,” she said. “This award is not only a recognition of past efforts, but a call to continue the essential work of identifying and dismantling barriers to primary care, amplifying underserved voices and advancing a health care system grounded in equity, dignity and cultural competence.”
SE-AHEC is a program of WVSOM that is federally funded and directed by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. One example of its initiatives is its annual Rural Maternal Health Immersion training for interprofessional AHEC scholars, which incorporates skills labs based on case studies, discussions of maternal mortality disparities, language access issues, community resources and best practices.
Alston and the SE-AHEC also provide support for interprofessional training experiences for students in health professions through prevention-oriented, community-focused public health interventions. That work includes strengthening the existing healthcare workforce through initiatives such as the AHEC Rural Community Health Scholars Program, a two-year supplemental training experience for students in West Virginia.
SE-AHEC integrates social justice concepts into a variety of educational formats, from programming aimed at high school students to continuing education for healthcare professionals, Alston explained.
“Topics such as social determinants of health, implicit social attitudes, cultural competency and cultural humility are central to our programming. We also focus on trainings related to disability awareness and community interventions that improve access to health services for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders. Access to quality health care and the development of a well-trained, culturally competent workforce are essential pillars of social justice,” she said.
Abigail Frank, D.O., WVSOM’s assistant dean for graduate medical education, praised Alston for her work supporting health profession pathway programs.
“It’s a privilege to work with Angela,” Frank said. “This award recognizes her relentless efforts to inspire individuals from underserved communities to pursue healthcare careers.”
Alston is also West Virginia AHEC’s state advocacy leader and serves on several boards that strive to advance health justice, health policy and healthcare funding.
Angela Alston, executive director of WVSOM’s Southeastern Area Health Education Center
