Doctor aiming for healthcare authority board responds to alleged comments made by chairman | WDHN

DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Recently, District 3 Commissioner Ricky Herring did not appoint a nominee to the healthcare authority board because the person he wanted did not make the final list which is provided by the authority board.

That person is Dr. Kelsey Steensland. Herring claimed during a recent commission meeting that the chairman of the board, Chester Sowell, did not take his recommendation and consider her.

He claimed Sowell made comments to him about Dr. Steensland being ”a girl” with a ”boatload of children” and not having enough volunteer experience which Commissioner Herring vouched that she had years of experience.

Dr. Steensland released a statement saying she read about the alleged comments and that if those comments were true and she was excluded because of that she would be highly disappointed.

Her statement reads:

I submitted my nomination because it would be an honor to serve on the board, and to serve the community in that capacity. In that respect, I submitted my Curriculum Vitae for consideration. I never intended to be, nor do I want to be a part of any controversy. I assumed I would be judged based on the information in my CV. I did not put any information regarding my family or children in my CV, as it has no bearing on my education, training, and professional career. I have read about alleged comments that have been said in reference to my qualifications to serve on the board. If those comments were in fact made, then I am very disappointed. The obvious implication of those comments, if true, means that I was excluded from consideration because I am a woman and a mother. Using those factors as consideration of whether a woman is qualified for a position is a terrible example to set for the community. It undermines and diminishes the efforts that it took for me to become a physician. It would also undermine and diminish the efforts of current female students at ACOM and every female healthcare provider working for our community.

Dr. Kelsey Steensland

Commissioner James Ivey also didn’t make an appointment to the board.

Commissioners Curtis Harvey appointed Dr. Debora Pettway and Tracy Adams appointed Dr. Bruce Wozow.

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