Ashley Newton is the Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone’s Research Institute. She directs all clinical research and program evaluation activities, as well as quality and patient safety programming to ensure compliance and continued process improvement. She also oversees the implementation of policies and procedures aimed at improving patient care and quality improvement throughout Centerstone, ensures continued survey readiness, and provides direct management to quality leaders.
Additionally, Newton serves as the Executive Director of Centerstone’s federally-certified Patient Safety Organization, which exists for the sole purpose of conducting activities to improve patient safety and quality of care. Newton also chairs the Enterprise Quality Council, a governance group leading system-wide initiatives that directly impact quality, risk management, and patient safety practices. Newton has more than 15 years’ experience in behavioral health service delivery and healthcare leadership, and more than five years’ experience in healthcare research leadership and clinical transformation efforts.
In her previous roles at Centerstone, Newton developed and implemented standards of care intended to improve access for those with complex needs, implemented standardized quality improvement methodologies that align with best practice, introduced technology-based solutions to manage key quality and risk processes, and led efforts for the Centerstone PSO to become federally certified through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Other clinical transformation efforts include integration of research and technology into clinical operations, implementation of clinical and quality metrics to drive value-based care readiness, implementation of change management and continuous quality improvement methodologies, new service line development and growth, and implementation of design thinking methodologies in community behavioral health settings. She also sponsors the Centerstone Women’s Network, an employee resource group that seeks to address the unique challenges women experience in the workplace.
Newton is a member of the Project Management Institute, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, National Alliance for Healthcare Quality, and other various professional organizations.
Newton holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in strategic leadership from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), certified ACRA-ACC clinical supervisor, Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and has a Design Thinking Certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Officer of Centerstone’s Research Institute. As Chief Operating Officer, Newton provides leadership and management to the executive leadership team for Centerstone’s Research Institute while ensuring operational excellence and positioning the organization for growth. She provides leadership across a range of clinical and operational projects that aim to close the science-to-service gap and that advance Centerstone’s Noble Purpose — delivering care that changes people’s lives. Newton also chairs the Enterprise Quality Council, a governance group leading system-wide initiatives that directly impact quality and risk management practices.
Newton has more than 15 years’ experience in behavioral health service delivery and healthcare leadership, and more than 5 years’ experience in healthcare research leadership and clinical transformation efforts. In her previous roles at Centerstone, Newton developed and implemented models of care intended to improve access to care in rural communities and to address the complex needs of unique populations. Other clinical transformation efforts include integration of research and technology into clinical operations, implementation of clinical and quality metrics to drive value-based care readiness, implementation of change management and continuous quality improvement methodologies, new service line development and growth, and implementation of design thinking methodologies in community behavioral health settings. She also sponsors the Centerstone Women’s Network, an employee resource group that seeks to address the unique challenges women experience in the workplace. Newton is a member of the Project Management Institute, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, National Alliance for Healthcare Quality, and other various professional organizations.
Newton holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in strategic leadership from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a certified ACRA-ACC clinical supervisor, Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and is a Design Thinking Certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Professional Affiliations:
- Project Management Institute
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement
- National Alliance for Healthcare Quality
- Global Healthy Living Foundation
- Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth
- Youth Transitions Advisory Council
- The Council on Children’s Mental Health
