About Kristin

Kristin Ashford received her BSN from Washburn University, Topeka, Kan., and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Louisville. She received her PhD in nursing from the University of Kentucky in 2007 and is an associate professor in the College of Nursing. Dr. Ashford began her research career as an NIH BIRCWH (Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health) Scholar. She currently serves as PI on an NIH COBRE (Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence) study in which she leads a multi-center trial across two states. She is administrator of the Kentucky GIFTS (Giving Infants and Families Tobacco-free Starts) program, working jointly with the Kentucky Department of Public Health to provide smoking cessation and wellness services to prenatal and postpartum women across Appalachia. Dr. Ashford was named the 2010 Nurse Researcher of the Year by the Kentucky Nurses Association Nursing Education and Research Cabinet. She also received the Outstanding Early Career College/University Teacher Award from the Kentucky Academy of Science. Kristin Ashford joined our Board of Directors in late 2017.