Tera Ali
- Position: Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice and MHA Program Coordinator
- Department: Health Sciences and Administration
- Office Location: Building 38, Room 120
- tali@uwf.edu
- Campus: 850.474.2278
Biography
Dr. Ali is a Faculty Member within the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health’s Health Science and Administration Department. Within the HSA department, she instructs undergraduate and graduate‑level online courses, including Health Ethics and Professionalism, Principles of Healthcare Finance, Health Economics, Healthcare Finance, and Decision Making in Healthcare.
Dr. Ali holds a Doctor of Business Administration with a specialization in Management, where her research focused on employee engagement strategies within healthcare organizations. She also earned a Master of Healthcare Administration and Management with a specialization in Finance from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with concentrations in Pre‑Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Services Management from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. In addition to her academic credentials, Dr. Ali is SHRM‑CP certified and a Certified Business Consultant, reflecting her expertise in human resources, organizational behavior, strategic planning, and evidence‑based business advisory practices.
Dr. Ali has worked in higher education since 2017 and has extensive experience in online instruction, curriculum development, and student support. She has served in a variety of faculty and administrative roles, including Adjunct Instructor, Visiting Instructor, Assistant Professor, Subject Matter Expert, Instructional Designer, Academic Advisor, Admissions and Enrollment Counselor, Field Placement Coordinator, and Program Coordinator.
Dr. Ali also served in the United States Air Force as a Reservist, completing multiple periods of active‑duty orders in her role as a Health Services Administrator. She was assigned to an Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base. Her responsibilities included serving as Resource Management Officer in Charge, Readiness Officer, and Education & Training Officer. During her service, she graduated from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base and completed the Health Services Administration Course at JBSA – Fort Sam Houston. She currently maintains her military affiliation in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR).
Beyond academia and military service, Dr. Ali brings extensive experience as an entrepreneur and business owner. She founded and scaled a licensed early learning center serving up to 82 children, where she developed full‑cycle HR systems, formalized Standard Operating Procedures, managed employee relations and internal investigations, and oversaw budgeting, payroll, tuition systems, and financial modeling. She implemented a childcare management system to streamline compliance documentation and HR workflows while using qualitative and quantitative data to inform retention strategies and staff development.
Her leadership also included designing structured leadership development pathways for emerging supervisors and educators, advising on performance coaching and corrective action, and developing inclusive communication strategies to support organizational change. She additionally led marketing and brand‑building efforts and cultivated strategic partnerships with state and local agencies to expand access, ensure regulatory alignment, and strengthen community‑based workforce development.
Among her professional accomplishments, Dr. Ali is a graduate of Leadership Pensacola, was recognized as a Rising Star by InWeekly Magazine in 2022, and is featured in the 76th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in America.
