DR. LIZ ACKLEY, 38 / Brian H. Thornhill Associate Professor of Health & Human Performance, Roanoke College
Dr. Liz Ackley developed the Roanoke Valley Community Healthy Living Index in 2011, a community health census that allow partners in city government, the nonprofit and private sectors to better understand how Roanoke’s diverse city neighborhoods impact the health of our residents, and the only known youth health census in existence that spans an entire city. Ackley has also generated more than $300,000 in grant funding for various nonprofits. In 2018, Ackley founded the Center for Community Health Innovation at Roanoke College to ensure partners had access to a neutral support organization to encourage cross-sector collaboration as a means to improve the health of the residents. “I love the collaborative nature of the Roanoke community. We live in a city that supports and encourages involvement in community decision-making, and I value every opportunity I have to work with change-makers at all levels – from neighbors, to nonprofits, to elected officials,” says Ackley.
- Director of the Center for Community Health Innovation and the Roanoke Valley Community Healthy Living Index
- Serves as project lead for Roanoke’s Invest Health initiative and the Build Healthy, Equitable Communities for Children and Families cohort initiative
- Founded the Center for Community Health Innovation at Roanoke College
- Honored with the 2015 “Rising Star” Harris Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges
- Honored with the 2019 “Professional Life Award” from Roanoke College
- Mednick Memorial Award, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges 2017
- Brian H. Thornhill Endowed Professorship, Roanoke College 2017
- Faculty Scholar Award, Roanoke College 2015
- Volunteers with the Invest Health Initiative; The Northwest Food Access Initiative; The Build Healthy Communities for Children and Families Initiative
From the Nomination: “What makes Ackley’s work so unique is that she is able to leverage her professional skills as a valuable service to the community in a way that brings non-traditional partners together to work for the common good. She is able to start important conversations through storytelling, but the stories she tells derive from the health data she collects on our city’s youth and the recommendations each of their families provide for making their neighborhood safer, healthier and more equitable. Numerous local nonprofit organizations benefit from the data she collects, and many rely on the data for program development and grant writing (including LEAP, Boys and Girls Club, Roanoke Community Garden Association, Carilion Healthcare, Kiwanis, the Star City Reads initiative, City Libraries, City Government, Healthy Roanoke Valley, United Way, CHIP, Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Council of Community Services, the Rescue Mission and many others).”
How does your passion impact our community?
Ackley: “I find joy in making sure that the voice of our diverse community serves as a driving force in the development of new programs, services, and resources across the city. I think I spread that joy with the people and organizations I work with and, more importantly, I am able to leverage the priorities of thousands of families across the Roanoke Valley as a means to encourage more equitable, health-focused community development efforts.”
