Laura Hurst, MHA, FACHE

Laura serves as the administrator of Cooper Green, a unique health care entity with the mission to serve Jefferson County residents by providing complete health care to those unable to access services due to a lack of insurance or income.

Laura came to Birmingham from her position as section chief for Health Preparedness and Response in Wyoming’s Public Health Department. There, she championed innovative ways to strengthen trauma programs and EMS agencies across the state. She also routinely testified to the state legislature on issues facing rural health care, such as the maldistribution of physicians.

Laura came to Birmingham from her position as section chief for Health Preparedness and Response in Wyoming’s Public Health Department. There, she championed innovative ways to strengthen trauma programs and EMS agencies across the state. She also routinely testified to the state legislature on issues facing rural health care, such as the maldistribution of physicians.

Before her time with the state of Wyoming, she served as a Medical Service Corps officer and health care administrator for the United States Air Force. Ten years with the Air Force shaped her into the leader she is today and provided her with vast experience in clinic management, health care policy, resource management, finance, training, analysis, and logistics.

When away from the office, Laura introduces her two children and husband to new instapot creations, in between reading whatever she can get her hands on.

Heather Bradley, MHQS, RB, NE-BC

Heather is a seasoned nursing leader with over 30 years of health care experience, including over 15 years in leadership. As senior director of operations at Cooper Green, she is dedicated to improving health care delivery through team development, operational excellence, and data-driven strategies.

A servant leader at heart, Heather prioritizes the growth and well-being of her team while fostering a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration. She has a deep passion for serving underserved communities and is committed to ensuring equitable access to high-quality care for all patients.

Heather is known for leading teams through change, standardizing workflows to enhance efficiency, and using data to drive measurable improvements in patient outcomes. She holds a master’s degree in health care quality and safety and is a board-certified nurse executive.

Outside of work, Heather enjoys life in the country on a small farm, where she cares for animals and finds balance in the simplicity of rural living. She also enjoys spending time with family, exploring the outdoors, and staying engaged in community service. She remains committed to lifelong learning and advancing meaningful change across the health care landscape.

Pamela Sampson, MSN, MSM, BSEd, FNP-BC, NE-BC, CHES

Pamela serves as senior director of Ambulatory Services at Cooper Green, where she oversees seven outpatient clinics along with social services, case management, imaging, laboratory services, respiratory care, a nurse call center, lay navigation, and patient and nutritional education.

Born and raised in rural Alabama, Pamela knows the barriers that uninsured and underinsured residents face. She began her career as a health outreach educator in underserved Birmingham neighborhoods. While in school, she worked as a medical records assistant, lab tech, patient-care tech, and pharmacy tech. Those frontline roles, followed by service as an emergency services family nurse practitioner in Georgia, cemented her conviction that strong ambulatory networks prevent avoidable ED visits. She also has experience as a nurse director for women’s and children’s services.

Pamela pairs bedside credibility with business acumen, holding a Master of Science in nursing with a focus on executive nurse leadership, a Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner certificate, a Master of Science in business management, a Bachelor of Science in health promotion & education, and a graduate certificate in health care management.

Board-certified as a nurse executive (NE-BC) and family nurse practitioner and nationally recognized as a Certified Health Education Specialist, she led Cooper Green’s COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Program, shaped the design of its new ambulatory facility, and – along with department and clinic leaders – helped expand social services, navigation, and call center teams to improve access and coordination.

Richard Stroud, MBA FACMPE

Richard serves as the senior manager for group practice at Cooper Green, overseeing the administrative operations across specialty and primary care clinics and of the clinical patient access team. With a focus on optimizing clinical workflows, patient access, and provider support, he serves as a liaison between clinical departments and administrative leadership. His work spans onboarding, scheduling, revenue cycle coordination, chronic care initiatives, and cross-department collaboration to ensure high-quality, patient-centered care.

Tommy Burt, MSHA

Tommy serves as the group practice manager for specialty clinics. This entails partnering with nursing and provider leadership to create operational efficiencies in three different clinics across 15 different specialties.

Along with his clinical leadership duties, Tommy also manages outreach coordination and serves as a patient advocate. He loves helping other professionals learn, and he serves as the primary preceptor for Cooper Green’s administrative fellowship program.

Outside of clinical operations, he also manages community outreach and patient advocacy. He finds joy in helping other professionals learn and is thrilled for the chance to do that as the primary preceptor for the administrative fellowship program. Tommy graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in health science and earned his MSHA from UAB. Prior to Cooper Green, he has worked at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, NC as well as University of Florida Health in Jacksonville, FL.

Jamie Nguyen, MHSA,MBA

Jamie serves as the Manager of Regulatory Affairs where she oversees compliance with CMS, HRSA, and accreditation standards while supporting continuous regulatory readiness across the organization. In this role, she leads regulatory readiness efforts, manages audits and corrective action plans, and collaborates with departments to ensure continuous compliance across the organization.

Jamie also serves as a project sponsor and advisor for the administrative fellowship program, supporting the development of future healthcare leaders through mentorship and strategic project guidance. She has previously held roles at UAB Medicine and the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, gaining experience across healthcare operations and process improvement. Her background includes work across multiple departments, with a strong focus on enhancing workflows for both staff and patients.

A three-time graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Jamie holds dual master’s degrees in Business Administration and Healthcare Administration, along with a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management.

Jazlynn Young, MSHA, MSHI

Jazlynn has served as a clinical data analyst for revenue cycle since October 2023, but her Cooper Green experience began in 2019, when she worked as an administrative intern before leaving and returning in January 2023 as an administrative fellow. Over her lengthy time at Cooper Green, Jazlynn has orchestrated quality evaluation on waste reduction in utilization management, spearheaded the creation of a pilot program for MRI quality assurance, and served as the project lead for Uber Health. She also created a contract inventory, formed an employee resource group, and created a referral guidelines manual for primary care providers. Jazlyn will also serve as an advisor for admin fellows.

Jazlynn completed her Bachelor of Science in health care management at UAB in 2019 and received Master of Science degrees in both health administration and health information in 2023. She resides in Birmingham with her son.

Jazlynn Young

My time in the fellowship program at Cooper Green was nothing short of transformative. The support, mentorship, and hands-on experiences I received played a pivotal role in shaping my professional development. Being surrounded by leaders who genuinely invested in my growth helped me to further build the confidence and skills I needed to pursue my ultimate career goal: becoming an administrator at a clinic.

Cooper Green fostered an environment where collaboration, innovation, and compassionate care weren’t just talked about – they were lived out daily. I had the opportunity to work on meaningful projects, engage with diverse teams, and witness the real impact of strong, values-driven leadership. This fellowship didn’t just prepare me for the next step – it empowered me to take it with clarity and purpose.

I am truly grateful for the experiences and relationships I’ve gained through this journey. Cooper Green will always be a foundational part of my professional story.

Jamie Nguyen

This fellowship gave me unprecedented access to leadership, which accelerated my growth more than I could have imagined. I had the opportunity to lead and contribute to initiatives that directly served the community. My projects weren’t hypothetical – they were lived, real-time problems affecting access, quality, and patient experience. From supporting provider onboarding to developing SOPs and provider workflow across clinical departments, I was not only exposed to strategic thinking but actively encouraged to contribute.

What set this fellowship apart was the direct alignment between service and leadership. Every decision I contributed to had the potential to improve someone’s experience with the organization. That sense of responsibility pushed me to approach leadership not as a title but as a daily commitment to serving others with compassion, courage, and integrity.