Ashley Noel
Nursing student Ashley Noel plans to combine clinical practice and policy advocacy to create meaningful change in women's health care.
Currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN to DNP) program in the Family Nurse Practitioner track at Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Ashley earned her Master of Science in Nursing in May 2025 and is expected to complete her DNP degree in December 2025.
Ashley’s path to nursing began early. “I was blessed in my youth to have been exposed to amazing examples of nursing,” she said. Her mother, a nurse for more than 30 years and a nurse director for the last 15, became a formative role model. Ashley spent hours volunteering on her mother’s hospital unit, but it was witnessing a code blue at age 15 that left a lasting impact.
“Everyone scrambled to resuscitate the patient,” she said. “Leading the pack was my mother, acting as team lead until the code team arrived.” She was stunned to see her mom in action, giving orders and commanding the chaos.
“In my young mind, I thought only doctors did that,” she shared. “At least, that is what medical TV shows had shown me. That day I learned the power of nursing.”
Ashley is a recipient of the Megan C. Simpson Nursing Scholarship Fund, the Dr. Nettie Birnbach Nursing Scholarship, and the Kay Carpenter Scholarship. She participated in a study abroad mission to Guatemala during her Bachelor of Science in Nursing studies and hopes to return on another trip before graduating from the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Ashley also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. She credits Dr. Tracian Kelly—her instructor in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs—as a key mentor. “Dr. Kelly has pushed me to pursue different opportunities to further my career,” Ashley noted.
With Dr. Kelly’s encouragement, Ashley applied to and attended the 2024 Student Policy Summit hosted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in Washington, D.C. She was selected to represent the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing alongside a fellow student from Florida Atlantic University at the national summit.
“The summit re-affirmed my love for policy and advocacy. It was an eye-opening experience,” she added.
The students met with staff from the offices of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representatives Brian Mast, Jared Moskowitz, María Salazar and Carlos Giménez. The group advocated for increased funding for nursing education, including $530 million for Title VIII programs and $210 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research, as well as support for the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act and additional higher education loan relief.
Looking ahead, Ashley plans to work as a nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health. “I am incredibly passionate about breaking barriers in women's health that prevent patients from receiving the care they need,” she said. “Stigma and shame impact women’s ability to advocate for their obstetrical and gynecological needs. I want to be the provider that I needed at age twenty-two—hopefully I can be that for someone else as well.”
She also sees a future for herself in health policy. “My understanding of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree has shifted,” Ashley stated, adding that the BSN to DNP program gave her the tools to create change and see problems on both a micro and macro level.
“We are so much more than nurses and providers. We are stakeholders in our communities and must use knowledge to advocate for change.”