Paige Arnup, executive director of West Florida AHEC, presents Community Health Northwest Florida’s Walter Arrington with the 2025 Alumni Advocate of the Year award.
A huge congratulations is in order for Walter Arrington, MSW, who leads advocacy and special projects for us. Walter is the 2025 AHEC Alumni Advocate of the Year, “in recognition of outstanding service to the AHEC Mission.”
The Area Health Education Centers program was founded by Congress in 1971 with the purpose of recruiting, training and retaining health professionals committed to underserved populations. The National AHEC Organization comprises more than 300 program offices and centers, serving more than 85 percent of counties in the United States. AHEC aims to enhance access to quality healthcare — especially primary and preventive care — “by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals via strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities and professional organizations.”
“Healthcare is more than just seeing patients,” Walter says. “It’s ensuring we train and retain the next generation of providers to work with vulnerable populations. AHEC trained me, and now I get to support their mission at Community Health Northwest Florida, helping to train the next generation.”
It’s not possible to boil down everything Walter does for Community Health to a single sentence, but that’s a pretty good start.
“Walter is an invaluable part of the Community Health Northwest Florida team,” says CEO Chandra Smiley. “This award is a testament to that, and to his dedication to making sure nobody is left behind in Northwest Florida when it comes to getting healthcare.”
Walter is one of nine on the West Florida AHEC Board of Directors, which also includes our own Dr. George Smith.
