Dr. Jen Hammons
Tell us about yourself.
I’m Dr. Jen Hammons, a homegrown public health leader who was truly born into this work. The mountains of Central Appalachia raised me, shaped my values, and revealed both the beauty and the barriers of rural life. Those experiences inspired my life’s mission: to transform systems of care so that every person, no matter how remote their zip code or limited their means, has access to quality, compassionate healthcare.
I currently serve as the Director of Pharmacy Services and Public Health Initiatives at The Health Wagon and St. Mary’s Faith Pharmacy, where I lead community-based programs that integrate clinical care, prevention, and health equity strategies across some of the nation’s most medically underserved regions.
My work focuses on translating public health research into practice, addressing chronic disease, and tackling the social determinants that shape health outcomes. I hold both a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) with specializations in Rural Health and Integrative & Preventive Health. My DrPH training strengthened my ability to lead at the systems level, build coalitions, and design interventions that create lasting, measurable change. I’m homegrown and relentless in my advocacy for Central Appalachia. Every initiative I lead, every partnership I build, and every community I serve is guided by compassion, purpose, and an unwavering belief in the power of public health to transform lives.
Why did you pursue a DrPH?
It has been my life’s mission to improve the health and dignity of the people of Central Appalachia. I often tell people that while I was clinically trained as a pharmacist, my heart has always been a DrPH. I pursued this degree because I wanted to move from treating illness to transforming the conditions that cause it. The disparities of my region run deep — and too often, they are forgotten. I pursued the DrPH with one clear purpose: to keep Central Appalachia in the national conversation and ensure that rural health equity is never left behind. This degree gave me the tools, voice, and platform to translate local experience into systems-level change — turning community stories into data, data into advocacy, and advocacy into policy. For me, the DrPH is not just a degree. It is a promise to lead, to serve, and to make sure that the people and places I call home are never invisible again.
What are you currently excited about in your job?
My life’s mission has been to be exactly where I am. Every day, I have the opportunity to lead public health efforts that are changing the way care is delivered in Central Appalachia. What excites me most is seeing how data, collaboration, and community engagement can come together to create real, measurable impact for people who have been historically overlooked. Right now, I am most inspired by the growing recognition that rural health is public health. We are building programs that reach beyond clinic walls to address the social, environmental, and systemic factors that shape health outcomes. Watching those strategies take root—seeing communities gain a stronger voice in their own health—reminds me why I pursued a DrPH in the first place. For me, this work is about leadership, equity, and sustainability. I am exactly where I am meant to be, turning vision into action and advocacy into lasting change.
If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be and why?
It would be called Because Some Bossy Women Told Me To. Throughout my life and career, I have been surrounded by strong, fearless women who saw potential in me long before I saw it in myself. They challenged me, pushed me, and sometimes outright told me what I was going to do — and I listened. Their guidance gave me the courage to lead and the determination to never settle for less than what they knew I was capable of becoming. This title is both a tribute and a reminder that none of us succeed alone. I stand where I am today because of the women who refused to let me shrink from purpose.
What is something interesting about you that we should know?
I’m a self-proclaimed nerd who loves all things Harry Potter and Star Wars. My daughters and I can quote entire movie scenes, and I never miss a chance to draw a life lesson from a lightsaber duel or a line from Dumbledore. Those stories remind me of the importance of courage, integrity, and hope- the same values that guide my work in public health. I think a little bit of curiosity and imagination make us better leaders. Whether it’s in a galaxy far, far away or right here in Central Appalachia, I believe in using knowledge and heart to make the world a better place.
