The University of Kentucky College of Public Health (CPH) recently recognized Alex F. Howard, DrPH, MPH, with the Distinguished Leader Award at the college’s Hall of Fame. The award is given to a graduate of the College who has spent over five years in the field and demonstrated exceptional leadership, resilience, and excellence across public health, hospital administration, health outcomes, or population health.
For Howard, who has committed his career to serving communities and improving health equity, the recognition was both an honor and a humbling surprise.
“When I first saw the email, I thought Dr. Bush was joking,” Howard laughed, recalling the moment he learned he would be honored. “I had to read it twice before I realized she was serious.”
From his days as a student at CPH to his current role as Vice President for Health and Wellness at Dogwood Health Trust, Howard has consistently aimed to support underserved communities.
“To me, public health is about understanding people—their needs, their challenges, and their strengths,” he said. “It’s about listening and then being able to connect those insights with real, impactful change.”
Howard joined Dogwood Health Trust in 2022, and his work today touches on everything from clinical service support and social determinants of health to critical resources like food security and elder care. He partners with community organizations to provide substance use recovery services, mental health care, child welfare services, and equitable food distribution across the region. His role, he says, has given him a new perspective on public health leadership.
“At Dogwood, we’re not the boots on the ground. We’re the partner that helps catalyze work, connecting the dots to further empower organizations to make a difference,” he explained.
Throughout Howard’s journey with public health has been a commitment to mentorship and community impact. Before joining Dogwood Health Trust, he was at Appalachian State University where he developed health services for over 20,000 students, he helped create a peer education program that trained students in health assessment, service delivery, and program evaluation.
"Those students were incredible," Howard remembered. "Seeing them graduate and move into careers in public health, medicine, and other fields—they’re the legacy I’m most proud of.”
At Dogwood Health Trust, Howard continues to champion workforce development. He has hosted interns on the Health and Wellness team and is in the process of bringing Dogwood onboard as a funding partner for the NC Network of Grantmakers’ Nonprofit Internship Program. This program places university students with nonprofits across Western North Carolina.
“Creating these pathways is essential,” he said. “I feel a duty to open doors for others, just as doors were opened for me.”
Reflecting on his career, Howard credits much of his approach to the foundation he built at CPH.
“The UK College of Public Health was transformative for me,” he said. “The faculty there nurtured and challenged me in a way that showed me how to blend theory with real-world practice.”
He is especially grateful for mentors like Dr. Doug Scutchfield, Dr. Linda Alexander, Dr. Julia Costich, and Dr. Jim Holsinger.
“They didn’t just teach me public health; they taught me how to lead with empathy and purpose,” he said. “I still carry those lessons with me every day.”
When asked what the Distinguished Leader Award means to him, Howard said he didn’t go into public health expecting accolades.
“But to be recognized by the UK College of Public Health, the place where it all started for me—it’s deeply meaningful,” he said. “It’s an affirmation that the work we do, day in and day out, matters.”
