Ashley Wennerstrom

Dr. Ashley Wennerstrom is an Associate Professor at the Louisiana State University School of Public Health, specializing in community health worker (CHW) policy, workforce development, and addressing social determinants of health. She holds a PhD in Community Health Sciences from Tulane University (2013). Her research focuses on CHW training, Medicaid policy, incarceration health equity, and behavioral health interventions. Dr. Wennerstrom has held tenured and non-tenure track roles since 2018, currently serving full-time.

Her research explores CHW roles in healthcare systems, particularly in Medicaid managed care and post-release healthcare access for formerly incarcerated individuals. Key interests include labor rights of CHWs, prison health inequities, and hepatitis C treatment disparities. She has advised on Louisiana Medicaid policy, conducted pre-release intervention studies, and evaluated digital peer support programs for incarcerated populations.

Dr. Wennerstrom actively engages in policy work, serving on the Louisiana Community Health Worker Workforce Board, National Association of CHWs Policy Committee, and CDC CHW Sustainable Financing Workgroup. She has provided expert testimony on prison healthcare and Medicaid reforms. Over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters document her work, with recent publications in Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, Progress in Community Health Partnerships, and AIDS and Behavior.

Her research highlights systemic challenges faced by CHWs and formerly incarcerated individuals, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration to advance health equity. Current projects include analyzing Louisiana Medicaid billing data for CHW services and developing national CHW certification standards.