Forging invaluable connections
In Yale SOM’s Women on Boards program, Ashley C. Allen taps into a network of fellow trailblazers who extend guidance and inspiration as she navigates her career journey.
Ashley C. Allen understands the power of a story—its potential to inspire and empower. Motivated to amplify women’s voices, she recently established a platform for women leaders to share their stories. Her aspiration for the “Her Story Matters” podcast is to support fellow women navigating their leadership paths.
Just before releasing her inaugural episode, Ashley participated in Yale SOM’s Women on Boards program. There, she connected with a remarkable group of trailblazers who shared her desire to make a difference.
How did your career journey lead you to your current role and to the creation of the Her Story Matters podcast?
My career journey has been shaped by my passion for improving healthcare delivery and my commitment to health equity, specifically for the geriatric population. I began my career as an ER/ICU nurse and then as a travel nurse, which gave me a unique perspective on the healthcare system and the challenges that patients and providers face in a variety of settings and care delivery models.
In my current role as the Director of Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) at ConcertoCare, I am responsible for ensuring that our clinical documentation is accurate and complete. I also work to improve the quality of care by identifying and addressing gaps in documentation.
I am also the creator of the Her Story Matters podcast, which highlights the stories of women in leadership. I created this podcast to share the stories of women who are making a difference in their industries and to empower other women to pursue leadership and business roles in their field by giving them more role models and actionable advice.
Why did you choose to attend Women on Boards (WOB)?
I chose to attend WOB because I wanted to develop the skills and knowledge I need to serve on a corporate board as well as to demystify the process. I think that exposure to these topics and access to the people serving in these roles is the missing link to achieving gender parity on boards. The program was instrumental in helping me develop the skills and knowledge I need to be a successful board director. Since attending, I have taken on my first non-profit board director role.
What learnings from WOB resonated with you the most?
The learnings from WOB that resonated with me the most were the importance of networking, the value of diversity on boards, and the need to always remember why I started on this journey no matter how high I climb—my why is and always will be to advocate for vulnerable patients who otherwise could not do so themselves.
I met many accomplished women who shared my passion for leadership and my commitment to excellence. These relationships have been invaluable to me in my career.
What role did networking play in your program experience? How have you continued to network with other participants since completing WOB?
Networking played a significant role in my program experience. I met many accomplished women who shared my passion for leadership and my commitment to excellence. These relationships have been invaluable to me in my career.
I have continued to network with other participants since completing WOB. I stay connected with them through social media and have had several as podcast guests as well.
How would you describe WOB and its value to someone considering it?
Being relatively early on in my career, I wanted to take WOB early so that I could align myself with the necessary steps and track/path in my career to ultimately be positioned to serve on a corporate board. It would be easy to say that I was not ready for this program, but I am here to tell you this program does not have an expiration date. Most of the women I met wished they had taken this type of program earlier in their career and want to open doors for younger women when they can.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience in WOB?
I was inspired by the other women in the program. They were all accomplished professionals who were passionate about making a difference in the world. I definitely made lifelong connections and I am grateful for their friendship and support as I navigate my career and board service journey.
I also appreciated the opportunity to learn from the program's faculty. They were experts in their fields and they shared their knowledge and insights with us in a way that was both engaging and informative.
Learn more about Women on Boards.
