My name is Ashley-Marie, and it is an honor to introduce myself as the new Alumni Council President. I have been proud to call myself a Gator Nurse for almost a decade. I am a double Gator and a proud UF alumna. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this council. It is an even larger honor to follow in the footsteps of my dear friend, Elaine Whidden (BSN 1965 and MSN 1988), who was our steadfast leader and president through two of the hardest years of our lives as nurses. I look forward to entering this next phase of leadership and service as the Alumni Council moves forward.

Upon graduating from the College of Nursing, I immediately became involved in the Nursing Alumni Council. I am passionate about being involved in educating the next generation of nurses. I’m also passionate about connecting and networking with other nurses. While I have met many of you over the years, there are many of you I do not yet know. I always look forward to connecting with everyone who has been a part of the Gator Nursing journey. I was especially excited to reconnect with so many of you in person, for this was the first time since 2019 as the College of Nursing reconvened its fall events. The Alumni Council met in person and members were able to participate in a special simulation demonstration in the Thomas M. and Irene B. Kirbo Innovation and Learning Laboratory. A few of us also participated in the mentor meet and greet with students. It felt so rewarding to be able to speak with these bright young nurses who are excited to begin their careers. The following day, we had our Alumni Reunion Tailgate. It was so lovely to see so many familiar, as well as new, faces as we gathered once again.

A little bit about myself: I came to Gainesville in 2009 with the goal of attending UF and working for UF Health. After studying at Santa Fe College, I transferred to UF and obtained my Bachelor’s in Health Science in 2013. I then enrolled in the College of Nursing’s Accelerated BSN program and graduated in 2014. Throughout my career thus far, I have practiced at UF Health in a variety of roles. My roles have included trauma and lung transplant medical-surgical nurse, lung transplant nurse coordinator, and I’m currently practicing with UF Health Shands HomeCare as a home health nurse. I have returned to the UF College of Nursing as a family DNP student and am on track to graduate in August 2024. My husband and I have made Gainesville our home. We were married in April 2022 in the nearby town of Alachua.

Working in health care during the pandemic has been a challenge, to say the least. Thank you to all the health care professionals who have worked tirelessly to take care of our patients throughout these difficult times. I really appreciate you all. As we return to our new normal, so many of us are craving connection. There are so many different opportunities to connect with Gator Nurse alumni from your graduating class, or others. You are welcome and wanted at all of our Gator Nurse alumni events. Some of our most notable opportunities for volunteering and networking are our Alumni Council meetings, Gator Nursing Gatherings, events during Reunion weekend and volunteering with our students.

Ashley-Marie Mendez
(ABSN 2014)