Alumni Spotlight: Alyssa Ann Easter

Tell us about your career and what you do now?

After graduating from medical school and completing my Family Medicine residency and Obstetrics fellowship, I joined CoxHealth as a faculty physician practicing Family Medicine with Obstetrics. Shortly after I joined the faculty, CoxHealth expanded its residency program to train residents at Jordan Valley Health, the largest federally qualified health center in Missouri. As part of this expansion, I became the clinic site director for the Jordan Valley residency clinic.

After five years as a secondary training site, Jordan Valley successfully applied for separate residency accreditation, and I have the privilege of serving as the founding Program Director for this new Family Medicine Residency Program. In this role, I continue to care for patients while teaching and mentoring the next generation of family physicians. I also serve as one of the organization’s Medical Directors, the physician champion for population health initiatives, and a member of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Graduate Medical Education Advisory Council.

Much of my work focuses on medical education, curriculum development, physician leadership, organizational improvement, and advancing the quality of care we provide to our community. I especially enjoy helping residents grow into confident, compassionate physicians while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes.

Outside of academic medicine, I recently started a small business called HandledHome, which provides personalized meal planning services for busy families. It combines my passion for helping people live healthier, less stressful lives with my love of organization and practical problem-solving.

Whether I’m caring for patients, teaching residents, or serving families in a different way, my goal is the same: to serve others faithfully with the skills and abilities God has given me.

Tell us one achievement or accomplishment that stands out in your career!

Without question, the accomplishment that stands out most is helping establish the Jordan Valley Family Medicine Residency Program and serving as its founding Program Director. I had the opportunity to lead much of the accreditation process, and receiving ACGME accreditation on an accelerated timeline was incredibly rewarding.

As meaningful as that milestone was, what I’m most proud of isn’t the accreditation itself—it’s the impact I hope the program will have through our graduates. I’ve had the privilege of helping train and mentor residents who are now serving communities across the region, and knowing they will care for thousands of patients throughout their careers is incredibly humbling. Building a residency program isn’t just about educating physicians for today; it’s about creating a lasting impact on the health of communities for generations to come.

On a more personal level, some of my greatest joys are much quieter moments—when a colleague or friend trusts me enough to choose me as their physician, when I have the privilege of delivering a friend’s baby, or when a patient reaches a goal they once thought was impossible, whether that’s controlling their diabetes, overcoming chronic migraines, or improving their overall health. Those moments remind me why I am grateful to be a Family Medicine Physician.

What is your favorite memory from Evangel?

It’s hard to choose just one memory because some of the most meaningful parts of my Evangel experience weren’t single moments—they were the relationships.

I was a cheerleader all four years, so many of my favorite memories involve football and basketball games, trips to Disney World for national competitions, and the countless hours spent laughing with teammates at practices. My favorite games to cheer came in my junior and senior years when my brother was a member of the Evangel football team. It was such a special season of life to be able to support him from the sidelines. I also loved life in the dorms, campus traditions like Harvest Fest and Spring Fling, late-night trips to Fazoli’s and Andy’s, and the everyday moments that made Evangel feel like home.

Most importantly, Evangel is where I met my husband. He has been my greatest supporter, my biggest encourager, and an incredible leader for our family. Looking back, I’m so grateful that Evangel was part of both of our journeys, helping shape the people we would become. Today he serves as a healthcare administrator for Non-Operative Orthopedics at CoxHealth after previously serving as the CEO of Ozarks Teen Challenge. Watching the leader he has become has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Evangel is also where I met my very best friend. More than a decade later, we’re both physicians at Jordan Valley Health—she’s a pediatrician, and I’m a family physician—and we’re still as close as we were in college. Looking back, I realize the greatest gift Evangel gave me wasn’t just an education—it was lifelong relationships, mentors, and a community that continues to shape my life and career.

How did Evangel help you identify/develop your calling?

I felt called to become a physician before I ever arrived at Evangel. Even in high school, medicine wasn’t simply a career I wanted—it was something I genuinely believed God was calling me to pursue. Looking back, Evangel didn’t create that calling, but it gave me the environment to develop it.

The outstanding faculty challenged me academically while also investing in me personally. They encouraged me to pursue excellence, think critically, and lead with integrity. Just as importantly, Evangel continually reminded me that my faith and my profession were never meant to be separate. Beginning classes with prayer, studying every subject through a biblical worldview, and having regular opportunities for worship and spiritual growth helped shape the kind of physician and leader I wanted to become.

Today, that calling extends beyond caring for individual patients. It includes mentoring future family physicians, advocating for underserved communities, and building programs that will have a lasting impact on healthcare. Evangel helped me see that my career isn’t simply about what I do—it’s about faithfully using the gifts God has given me to serve Him.

How did your experience at Evangel prepare you for life after graduation?

Evangel prepared me for life after graduation in more ways than I realized at the time. The science department gave me an outstanding academic foundation for medical school. Through rigorous coursework, countless hours in biology and chemistry labs, genetics labs counting fruit flies, and mock medical school interviews, I developed the scientific knowledge and confidence I needed to succeed. When I started medical school, I quickly realized just how well Evangel had prepared me. Faculty members like Dr. Tenneson, Mrs. Harris, Dr. McCorcle, Dr. Fortunato, and Dr. Scheusner each played an important role in that preparation.

At the same time, some of the classes that have had the greatest long-term impact on my career weren’t science classes at all. Completing a Leadership minor with classes by Alina Lehnert and Bernie Dana gave me practical skills that I still use every day. Those courses challenged me to think about communication, team dynamics, organizational leadership, and how to influence positive change. At the time, I never imagined I would one day lead a residency program, but those lessons have proven invaluable in my roles as a residency program director, physician leader, and educator.

Looking back, Evangel didn’t just prepare me to become a physician—it prepared me for opportunities to lead, teach, and make a broader impact on my profession and community.

What advice would you give a current student preparing for the workforce?

Don’t spend so much time focusing on your first job that you lose sight of the person you’re becoming. Careers are built one opportunity, one relationship, and one act of faithfulness at a time.

Work hard, stay curious, and never stop learning. Say “yes” to opportunities that stretch you, even when they feel intimidating. Some of the most meaningful experiences in my career came from opportunities I never expected or planned for.

Remember that your character will open as many doors as your résumé. Treat people well, be dependable, lead with humility, and look for ways to serve others. The skills you learn in college are important, but the person you become will have an even greater impact on your future.

Most importantly, seek God’s direction for your life. His plans are often bigger and better than the ones we create for ourselves. Looking back, I can see His faithfulness in every stage of my journey, and I am grateful that I chose to follow the path He placed before me rather than the one I might have chosen for myself.

What would you look for if you were in a position to hire new graduates from Evangel?

As someone who interviews, hires, and mentors future physicians, I’ve learned that technical knowledge is only one part of what makes someone successful. Healthcare is changing rapidly, so I look for people who are adaptable, eager to learn, and committed to lifelong growth. The graduates who thrive are the ones who embrace change rather than resist it.

Just as importantly, I look for people who make those around them better. Every workplace goes through challenging seasons, and a positive attitude is contagious. I want people who bring energy, encouragement, and solutions—not negativity. Be the person who lifts the atmosphere rather than drains it.

Technical skills can be taught and refined over time, but character, humility, resilience, and a servant’s heart are what make someone an exceptional teammate and leader. Those are the qualities that leave a lasting impact on an organization.