This prestigious award is presented annually to the occupational health nurse who receives the highest score on the previous year’s Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S) certification examination.
This award has been established to honor Debra Lynn Fischer Gibbon, a former Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP), who lost her life on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. A senior vice president for AON Risk Services, Ms. Gibbon coordinated services for the company’s top clients. Ms. Gibbon worked for 17 years in the area of occupational health and safety.
The 2024 Debra L. Fischer Gibbon Excellence in Occupational Health Nursing Award is presented to:
Ashley Atchley, BS, ADN, RN, COHN-S
Ashley earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics from Converse College in 2000. She worked as a software developer at Milliken & Company for seven years but never felt like she was making a significant impact on others around her. Realizing her true calling was in nursing; she decided to leave Milliken and pursue a career in healthcare.
Ashley completed her Associate of Science in Nursing at Gardner-Webb University in 2009. She then gained extensive experience in emergency and medical/surgical nursing through various RN roles at both Caromont Regional Medical Center and Atrium Health – Cleveland.
In 2015, Ashley returned to Milliken & Company as an Occupational Health Nurse, where she discovered her passion for the field. Over the past decade, she has significantly contributed to the health, wellness, and safety of associates in the company’s textile and chemical divisions. Ashley particularly enjoys the safety aspects of her role and actively participates in safety and health audits not only within Milliken but also through the Special Palmetto Star Team Member program with South Carolina OSHA.
Ashley also serves as the president of the South Carolina Association of Occupational Health Nurses. Her leadership has helped promote occupational health and safety, and she has made a positive impact on the professional development of occupational health nurses in South Carolina
Residing in Shelby, NC, Ashley lives with her husband, Kevin, their daughter, Lilly, and their dog, Emmy. She is also a proud mother to her grown son, Sammy, and his wife, Makayla. In her free time, Ashley enjoys reading, crafting, and traveling. She actively participates in her church’s preschool ministry.
Ashley is deeply honored to receive the Debra Lynn Fischer Gibbon Excellence in Occupational Health Nursing Award. Ashley feels privileged to continue this legacy through her own contributions to occupational health nursing.
Congratulations Ashley!