The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation has announced that veteran fundraiser J. Scott Huffman, CFRE, will serve as its inaugural President and CEO. Huffman will officially begin the role on May 15, leading the Foundation’s efforts to support Alabama’s newest state specialty high school, scheduled to open in fall 2026.
Huffman, a resident of Tuscaloosa, brings a deep background in healthcare and education fundraising across Alabama. For the past 21 years, he has served as Executive Director of Development and Strategic Planning at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), while also leading the UAB School of Dentistry Alumni Association. Earlier in his career, he served as the founding President of the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile.
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“His successful fundraising career in Alabama may be unparalleled,” said Foundation Board Chairman Kirk Stephens. “By leading two different organizations in the state to their greatest fundraising achievements, Scott truly grasps Alabama’s philanthropic landscape,
The Foundation’s trustees, assisted by The Chason Group, conducted a nationwide search before selecting Huffman, citing his extensive experience in steering major capital campaigns, including those valued at $375 million and $1 billion.
“I am looking forward to helping address some of Alabama’s greatest challenges as we educate our future health care providers,” Huffman said, reflecting on his new role. “Considerable progress has been made on forging partnerships across the state and nation, and we’ll work tirelessly to expand those. We have to be successful because our state’s future depends on it.”
As he steps into the position, Huffman plans to focus immediately on board development and training, with the goal of expanding the Foundation’s board from six to 25 members. He also aims to establish an active fundraising development committee to pursue private and public funding sources.
“The Foundation is poised to help address Alabama’s healthcare needs by training the next generation of healthcare professionals and transforming healthcare access in Alabama’s rural communities,” Huffman said. “I am eager to collaborate with the Foundation Board, the School Board, Dr. Jimmy Martin, and our funding partners.”
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The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will be part of Alabama’s four-school network of specialty public high schools and is also a member of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ 10-school national healthcare high school initiative. The school will partner with Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, a UAB Health System affiliate, to offer students work-based training and career pathways into healthcare fields.
The school’s mission is to address Alabama’s rural healthcare workforce shortage by preparing students for immediate employment or further academic training upon graduation.
Rob Pearson, who has served as interim president during the school’s early development phases, will continue with the Foundation as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.
