30 Under 30- Alicia Cherry

Words by Micah Harrison | Image by Al Blanton

Alicia Cherry was raised in a family of medical professionals, and after graduating from Walker High School in 2015, she initially considered nursing as her path. But when nursing school at Bevill State Community College proved not to be the right fit, she chose to pivot rather than force something that did t feel right.

“I’ve always tried to make thoughtful decisions a to what was best for my future,” she says.

That mindset helped carry her forward, and Alicia completed her associate’s degree at Bevill before earning her bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 2022. She later continued her education through Louisiana State University (LSU), where she received her master’s degree in healthcare administration in 2025.

Along the way, she gained hands-on experience that helped sharpen her direction. As part of her undergraduate program, she interned at Kolbe Clinic, a psychiatric and Substance Use Disorder Treatment facility. She later worked as an office manager at Urology Centers of Alabama.

“Those were great experiences for me because I was able to learn what I needed to while I was there,” she says.

Alicia now serves as a patient account lead at Guidehouse in Birmingham, a company contracted with UAB to manage insurance billing, patient claims, and other healthcare operations.

She is also turning her attention toward an even bigger goal: opening a residential healthcare facility in central Alabama with her mother, Lashonda Thomas, who will soon become a nurse practitioner. Together, the two are working to bring that vision to life.

Alicia’s determination has helped her turn uncertainty into direction, steadily building a future that fits both her strength and her vision. 78