Alicia Whitehill named director of community engagement at Nebraska Methodist College

Omaha, Nebraska - Alicia Whitehill is the new community engagement director at Nebraska Methodist College (NMC).

“Alicia brings a powerful dedication to serving vulnerable and underserved communities, with a journey that has uniquely prepared her for this role,” said Deb Carlson, president and CEO of NMC.

The position was previously held by Kiley Petersmith, who transitioned to a new role as assistant professor and doctoral public health policy track coordinator.

As the new community engagement director, Whitehill will develop, staff and oversee a variety of community clinical programs, including mobile diabetes clinics, mobile business health initiatives, pediatric lead screenings, developmental milestones and social determinants of health screenings, pediatric hearing and vision screenings, community care coordination clinics, vaccine distribution events, and first aid training. 

She’ll also play a role in strategic planning for NMC’s community engagement efforts, focusing on the logistics that ensure the College can continue offering all services at no cost. 

Whitehill will collaborate and liaison with the community and the College to strengthen pathways for individuals from our community partners to access high-quality healthcare services and explore potential opportunities for pursuing careers in healthcare through higher education. 

“Stepping into the role of director of community engagement has been an exciting opportunity and a humbling challenge. While I follow in the footsteps of Dr. Kiley Petersmith who left big shoes to fill, this journey is also a return to my 'why' — the core reason why I became a nurse in the first place,” said Whitehill. “The heart of this work lies in connecting with and uplifting communities, crossing barriers that will lead to better health outcomes and health equity. I am at my happiest working in the variety of clinics we provide and across the modalities of healthcare students at NMC. I'm grateful for the chance to contribute to a legacy of impact, while shaping a future of continued growth and service.”

Whitehill will continue building and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships, where NMC supports community partners in addressing their health needs while providing future healthcare workers with direct experience in population health and community-based learning with diverse, vulnerable and underserved populations.

Her passion for community work began after high school, when she joined Global Leadership Adventures, in partnership with the Peace Corps, working in the Dominican Republic. 

This experience taught her valuable lessons about sustainable humanitarian work and the critical importance of health and wellness as a foundation for community development.

After returning home, Whitehill shifted her focus from teaching to nursing, determined to meet her community’s healthcare needs. She earned her associate degree in nursing from Iowa Western Community College.

During nursing school, she began working at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital. Jennie Edmundson has deep family connections, as both her mom and grandma worked there. 

“During one of the hardest times of my family's life growing up, my mom and grandma both worked at Jennie Edmundson as certified nursing assistants (CNAs). We were living out of our car or my aunt's daycare with my mom working the morning shift and my grandma the evening. Occasionally, I would wait in the break room during shift change,” she said.

"When starting my career at Jennie Edmundson, hearing other staff ask about my mom and grandma gave me the drive to continue pursuing my future in healthcare. Having this lived experience makes me passionate about integrating various care coordination aspects into our clinicals. I want to give to others what Jennie co-workers of mom and grandma gave to them 20-25 years ago."

While working at Methodist Jennie Edmundson during nursing school, Whitehill found a passion for providing bedside care.

“Like many others, working through the COVID-19 pandemic made me reassess my career. I wanted to get back to my ‘why’,” she said.

Whitehill enrolled in NMC’s Master of Science in Nursing Care Coordinator program and began volunteering abroad, including in South Africa, nationally and locally. She also started volunteering with NMC’s Mobile Diabetes Center (MDC).

“Volunteering with the MDC, I met Kiley Petersmith. I felt my values and views on healthcare and community aligned with hers. In the program she created here, I found my new home,” Whitehill said. “I have come full circle. I’m able to serve others in what feels like a global impact, but work in my local community. Through our various programs I am able to teach, and provide social services and healthcare all in one.”

Whitehill took the position of community clinical coordinator at NMC in 2023.

“She brings a blend of healthcare, teaching and social work that perfectly compliments our community engagement initiatives,” Carlson said.