Ashley VanNess, Executive Manager
Glen Allen,VA
Summary
Every role I've held has been driven by the same purpose: helping people and organizations become more capable, more confident, and better prepared to be future-ready. Throughout my career, I've partnered with families navigating life-changing diagnoses and complex care journeys, healthcare leaders improving operational performance, hospital systems advancing sustainability initiatives, and patients overcoming barriers to care. While the settings have changed, my approach hasn't. I speak the language of different stakeholders and translate competing priorities into shared goals, measurable progress, and practical solutions that move work forward.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Outreach Specialist I
Ponos Management
01.2025 - Current
- Joined a startup healthcare organization as an early team member, helping shape member-engagement strategies that connected more than 70% of eligible members to care and support services within the first year.
- Used outreach and appointment data to challenge an existing process, reducing no-show rates from 84% to 37% by redirecting effort toward the members and barriers most likely to affect attendance.
- Partnered with nurses, social workers, and care managers to identify social determinants of health, address immediate needs, and improve continuity of care.
- Supported onboarding and mentoring of new Outreach Specialists by sharing practical techniques, quality expectations, and a consistent member-centered approach.
Healthcare Sustainability Specialist
Stericycle
01.2017 - 01.2020
- Managed 11 healthcare accounts across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., aligning executive, clinical, environmental-services, infection-prevention, and operational priorities.
- Reduced regulated medical waste by more than 52,000 pounds in six months of program ownership through waste-stream analysis, staff education, and targeted workflow changes while maintaining compliance and safety.
- Led cross functional hospital audits, translating regulatory findings into corrective action plans, workflow redesign,and measurable operational improvements.
- Implemented new waste programs and go-lives, coordinating training, signage, equipment placement, and frontline adoption with minimal disruption to patient-care operations.
- Delivered role-specific compliance training that improved segregation practices, strengthened accountability, and resulted in stronger adoption/adherence.
Transportation Supervisor
Stericycle
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Led 15 drivers serving healthcare customers across Virginia, balancing daily routing, scheduling, staffing, safety, service recovery, and regulatory requirements.
- Coached performance through ride-alongs, safety meetings, direct feedback, and documented improvement plans, setting clear expectations while preserving trust and accountability.
- Resolved competing operational priorities by translating competing priorities between customers, drivers, leadership and field teams while maintaining service, safety, and regulatory compliance.
- Redesigned dock and loading workflows to improve safety, organization, and the reliability of daily transportation operations.
Community Resource Specialist
Humana
01.2013 - 01.2017
- Helped older adults and caregivers navigate transportation, food access, financial strain, caregiver support, and other community-resource needs that affected health and independence.
- Translated complex service systems into clear next steps, connecting families with appropriate local resources and following through when the first option did not solve the problem.
- Collaborated with nurses, social workers, providers, and community organizations to coordinate support across medical and nonmedical needs.
- Served as an Engagement Committee Team Lead, audited calls for quality and compliance, and received multiple Shining Star Awards for service and collaboration.
Healthcare Service Coordinator
Muscular Dystrophy Association
01.2007 - 01.2013
- Guided individuals and families through every stage of the neuromuscular disease journey, providing education, resources, and unwavering support from diagnosis through end-of-life care.
- Coordinated multidisciplinary ALS and neuromuscular clinics by bringing together physicians, therapists, community partners, vendors, and families to deliver seamless, patient-centered care.
- Directed medically supported summer camp operations, overseeing volunteer recruitment, training, compliance, logistics, and safety while creating life-changing experiences for children living with neuromuscular diseases.
- Expanded community partnerships and fundraising initiatives, increasing Muscle Walk revenue by 102% while securing the organization's largest corporate sponsorship.
- Created meaningful programs and experiences that strengthened independence, confidence, and quality of life for individuals and families living with neuromuscular diseases.
Instructional Assistant
Henrico County Public Schools
- Supported students with diverse educational and physical needs while partnering with teachers, therapists, and families to promote inclusion and independence.
- Identified an accessibility barrier that would have excluded a student using a wheelchair from a field trip and secured a transportation solution that allowed full participation.
- Received the ABCD Award for initiative and commitment to student success.
Education
Some College Coursework Completed
Virginia Commonwealth University
Some College Coursework Completed
Randolph-Macon College
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
- PEOPLE: Trust Building, Family & Member Advocacy
- TRANSLATION: Stakeholder Alignment, Clear Decision Support
- OPERATIONS: Workflow Design, Measured Improvement
- CHANGE: Implementation, Frontline Adoption
- COMPLIANCE: Audit Readiness, Risk Reduction
- LASTING IMPACT: Capability Building, Sustainable Results
Timeline
Outreach Specialist I
Ponos Management
01.2025 - Current
Transportation Supervisor
Stericycle
01.2020 - 01.2022
Healthcare Sustainability Specialist
Stericycle
01.2017 - 01.2020
Community Resource Specialist
Humana
01.2013 - 01.2017
Healthcare Service Coordinator
Muscular Dystrophy Association
01.2007 - 01.2013
Instructional Assistant
Henrico County Public Schools
Some College Coursework Completed
Randolph-Macon College
Some College Coursework Completed
Virginia Commonwealth University