Dr. Ashley Walker, Deaf Pharmacist & Advocate

Dr. Ashley Walker, a Deaf pharmacist, educator, and advocate, shares her journey through the intersections of Deaf identity, race, and gender in healthcare. The challenges she faced in school and throughout her career, how she continues to advocate for accessibility in hospitals, and her vision for technology that connects Deaf professionals, patients, and providers.

Who is Dr. Ashley Walker?

A Deaf pharmacist, educator, and advocate redefining accessibility in healthcare

Dr. Ashley Walker, known to many as Dr. A1, has built her career in a space where communication matters most: medicine. As a Deaf pharmacist, she brings a perspective that is often missing in healthcare, one rooted in both expertise and lived experience.

Finding Her Path

Ashley grew up in Louisiana with her twin sister, both born Deaf. From an early age, she was drawn to science and the idea of helping people heal. Pharmacy became her way to do that. "I wanted to make sure patients understood what they were taking," she shared. "I wanted them to feel safe."

The path was not easy. At her HBCU, Ashley often struggled to get the interpreters she needed for class. Some weeks, they never showed up. "Every semester was a fight," she said. "I would send my schedule early, explain what I needed, and still wait weeks for access. It was exhausting."

Those challenges did not stop her. They gave her direction.

Learning to Advocate

When Ashley transferred to the Rochester Institute of Technology, everything changed. Interpreters were in every classroom. Notes were ready before class began. "It was the first time I saw what full access looked like," she said. "That experience showed me what I deserved and what every Deaf student deserves."

That realization turned her frustration into purpose. Today, she carries that same energy into her work, teaching others how to advocate for themselves and reminding institutions that accessibility is not an afterthought. It is the baseline.

Awareness and Representation

Getting to this point took resilience. After graduation, she applied for job after job, waiting months before hearing back. Recruiters often hung up when they realized she was using a video phone. "They did not know what it was," she said. "Some thought it was not HIPAA-compliant. It was ignorance, not intent, but it still closed doors."

Instead of letting that define her, Ashley chose to educate others. She now speaks to employers and medical professionals about accessibility in hiring, communication, and Deaf awareness. "It is not that Deaf people cannot work in healthcare," she said. "It is that systems still do not know how to include us."

A Message for the Next Generation

Dr. Walker often meets young Deaf students who doubt their potential because they have never seen someone like them in medicine. Her advice is steady and kind. "Be proud of who you are," she said. "You are not a mistake. You are worth it."

Her voice softens when she talks about technology and how it continues to open doors. "Technology is your friend," she said. "Use it. Let it help you communicate, study, and grow. Do not be afraid of it."

Looking Ahead

Dr. Walker imagines a world where technology makes communication instant and natural, where glasses, tablets, or even hospital systems automatically provide access without being asked. "If I could just put on glasses and everything was there, captions, interpreting, all of it, that would change everything," she said.

Her story is a reminder that accessibility is not just a goal but a right. Through her work, her teaching, and her quiet persistence, Dr. Walker shows what it means to create space where Deaf professionals can thrive and to make healthcare more human for everyone.