Andi Ridgway, MS, RD, LD, CDE
Get to know your Association President:
Name: Andi Ridgway
Where you work: Arkansas Department of Health
Title/Position: Hometown Health Improvement Branch Chief
More about my Job: I work with ADH colleagues and state partners to improve the health of Arkansas’ communities through Hometown Health Improvement. I am responsible for developing and maintaining state-level partnerships, coordinating staff training and program development at the state level, managing fiscal appropriations, and producing state and federal reports.
APHA Involvement: Served as Second Vice-President from 2015-2018
Other Organizational Involvement: Past Chair for the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention, Past Chair for the Arkansas Chronic Disease Coordinating Council
Birthday: October 1
Hometown: Benton, AR
Current City of Residence: Benton, AR
Married/Family: Ken Ridgway, Videoconference Coordinator for ADH; 2 children, Andrew, 27, Shelby 24
Hobbies: sewing, horseback riding/showing, playing piano and singing in church
People Oriented or Task Oriented? Task
Favorite Food/s: chocolate, ice cream
Favorite Healthy Food/s: broccoli, garden-fresh tomatoes
Favorite Sports Team/s: Boston Red Sox
Favorite TV Show: Pretty much any medical or crime drama
Favorite cartoon character: Eeyore
Favorite Thing to do on a Sunday afternoon: Nap
Favorite Quote: Leadership fails most often when leaders lose sight of the mission and become obsessed instead with issues related to the organization as an entity separate from its purpose.
My dream vacation is: Alaskan cruise
Something others might be surprised to know about me: I am truly an introvert. On the Myers-Briggs survey, I am an ISTJ.
The best thing about my job is: getting to see communities change for the better
