Meet Our New Intern! Maddax Gortney

October 29, 2025

Meet Maddax Gortney, one of our new interns in the Workforce and Economic Development Unit! Maddax currently attends the University of Kentucky, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human health sciences-physician assistant track – along with a certificate in clinical healthcare management. 

 We recently caught up with her to hear about her education goals and what new and exciting things she will be learning though her CPE internship.

What drew you to CPE?

I was drawn to CPE due to its priority to strengthen Kentucky’s healthcare workforce. As a student in the healthcare setting, I have witnessed firsthand how access to education impacts the availability of healthcare professionals. Additionally, CPE’s initiatives align with my goal of helping Kentucky students pursue healthcare careers and return to serving their community. 

With my involvement in CPE initiatives such as summer bridge and the new iteration of Career Ladders in Mental and Behavioral Health (CLIMB 2.0), this internship will enable me to connect students with programs that offer early exposure to healthcare careers, thus driving our economy forward.

Why do you think the work our workforce unit does matters? Why should people listen? 

CPE’s Workforce and Economic Development Unit strives to better align its educational goals with workforce needs. In the healthcare setting, that means strengthening the partnerships between colleges and hospitals to better meet the needs of our community. These initiatives can positively impact the overall quality of care and access to healthcare in Kentucky.

Why does higher education matter to you?

Higher education is important to me as it serves as the foundation to building a strong healthcare system. As a student in UK’s College of Health Sciences, I understand how higher education can empower individuals and communities to better serve the needs of their population.

What skills/insights do you hope to gain out of this experience?

 Through this internship, I hope to gain a new perspective: to broaden my knowledge beyond the experiences I’ve had in clinical settings. I also want to strengthen my skills in research, data interpretation, and presentation delivery in support of CPE’s healthcare workforce initiative. These insights will allow me to excel in my future career, both as a healthcare provider and as an advocate for system-level change.

Ultimately, what difference do you hope your contributions will make for higher education in Kentucky?

I hope my contributions will strengthen the connection between higher education and Kentucky’s healthcare workforce. By helping support partnerships, hands-on learning, and other student engagement opportunities, I hope to ensure that students are prepared to enter a career in healthcare. My goal is to prepare students for the path from high school onward to employment or enrollment in a graduate program. 

One fun fact about yourself: I obtained my State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) certification as a junior in high school. I have worked in the clinical setting since 2023, working to obtain patient care experience to apply to PA school. 

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CPE's Workforce and Economic Development Unit plays a critical role in in producing adaptive, highly skilled workers to fuel Kentucky’s economy. The unit works to build partnerships between the state’s employers and campuses to strengthen recruitment of students in high-need fields, as well as expand programs to meet community, regional and state workforce demand.

To learn more about the unit, click here: https://cpe.ky.gov/ourwork/workforce.html.