A Cancer Battle Plan: Hope in a Fight You Didn't Pick (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781490511894)

Joan L. Exline, Ph.D. passed away on July 26th after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Joan was born on February 13, 1957 as the third of four children to the late M. Joan Exline and Eugene V. Exline in Evansville, IN. She grew up in Evansville, IN, graduating from F.J. Reitz High School in 1975. She went on to earn a B. S. in Business from Indiana University and a master's degree in health administration from the University of Michigan. After working as a hospital administrator in the Midwest for a number of years, she returned to Wayne State University to earn a doctorate in public policy, specializing in health policy. In 1997, she completed a fellowship in health services research with Duke University and the Department of Veteran Affairs. In addition to being the Principal Consultant of J Exline & Associates consulting firm, serving on several healthcare, educational, and professional publications' committees and boards, and teaching health policy and administration at several universities, Joan held several positions during her successful eleven year career at the University of Southern Mississippi, including Graduate Program Director; Director, Department of Community Health Sciences; Interim Dean, College of Health; and Assistant to the President-Accreditation, Planning, and Articulation. Joan moved to Mobile, AL, to join the University of South Alabama in 2008 as AVP of Institutional Research, Planning, Assessment and Regional Campuses while also teaching online graduate health administration and policy courses within the MPA program. She was instrumental in revamping processes and practices to bring the University into compliance with SACS Principles and directed all necessary requirements to achieve SACS accreditation. While there, she also chaired numerous committees and developed new programs within the University. Joan was honored numerous times during her storied career, including the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Best Practices Award, Strong Woman of Mississippi-Leadership, and CHHS Distinguished Teaching Award. She authored several professional publications and articles. Joan was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile, AL and various professional organizations.