The Estella Byrd Whitman Community Health was founded in November 2009 by Carolyn Adams, Dr. Pamela Lewin and the late Arthur Adams. The center was named in honor of Carolyn’s grandmother, Estella Byrd Whitman, and was established to fulfill a promise to create a medical home for the underserved community of Tucker Hill in West Ocala. It opened its doors in 2018.
The nonprofit center, at 819 NW 7th St., provides a primary care program with a range of medical services, including preventive care, chronic disease management and acute illness treatment. It sits within an area bordered by Interstate 75, Pine Avenue, Southwest College Road and Northwest 28th Place, which the Ocala City Council defined in 2015 as “blighted” as per Florida Statute. The area is generally within Marion County’s zip code 34475, which is considered a Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area by the Health Resources & Services Administration, first designated in 1986 and updated in 2021.
The current CEO is Levonda Goodson, a licensed practical nurse and 24-year veteran of the health care field, who took the leadership reins in 2024. In 2025, the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County presented the health center with its Nonprofit of the Year award…