What led you to join LHC?
In 2009, I was laid off during the height of the Great Recession. I had a master’s degree, three years of technology sales experience, a mountain of medical debt and school loans, and was interested in health care. At the time, Meaningful Use was on the horizon, and I recall seeing that as an opportunity to enter the industry as everyone was learning to shift. Problem was, I didn’t have health care experience and encountered the catch- 22 many encounter, being how do you get experience when lack of experience is the barrier to entry. In the fall of 2009, decided I was going to meet 100 health care leaders in 100 days, and not send a single resume until meeting someone face to face first. I blindly contacted someone on LinkedIn who happened to be an LHC member (and still is). He challenged me to review the Nashville Health Care Council member directory, and if I gave him a couple companies I was interested in, he’d connect me with their LHC members. As I focused on growing my network, LHC was a common thread among those I met, so naturally I started joining events. I crashed my first event, which was the holiday party.
What has been the most rewarding part about being a member of LHC?
Hands down the sense of community. Being new to town with no relevant experience, I was quickly welcomed to Leadership Health Care. I’ve since tapped on LHC members for advice, collaboration, and am lucky to have collected many friends along the way. I have a soft spot for people going through transition, whether it is being new to Nashville, new to health care, or looking for growth. So many people in this group have gone out of their way to support me, and that sense of community has been a torch I’ve tried to carry in LHC’s culture while serving on the board. The most rewarding part is often months after I grab coffee with an LHC member when I learn they’ve found that same community.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Where there’s chaos, there’s opportunity. I’ve since made a career of chasing change and ambiguity in the system.
What’s your favorite Nashville restaurant or favorite thing about Nashville?
I miss so many restaurants. I love eating at the bar at Browns Diner and The Southern Steak & Oyster is a favorite date spot with my wife. In the last year, I’ve really enjoyed discovering Santo in Green Hills. Favorite thing about Nashville? To my point above, it is the community. I spent three years living in Chicago and as cliché as it sounds, could pass a million people in a day and felt alone. Regardless of Nashville’s growth, I enjoy running into people I know around town and having my local spots.
As you think about the future of the health care industry, what is most motivating to you?
While I love the complexity, and I am motivated by the idea that I can absorb that complexity to help others perform at their potential, and ultimately enhance patient care. I love building new teams and helping teams as they outgrow their infrastructure, which has taken me through IT, operations, strategy, clinical services, and human resources. There isn’t a specific emerging trend, rather I love being able to bring a broad perspective and help elevate teams to adapt to emerging trends.
What famous business person do you admire most and why?
Depends who I’m reading about. I admire business leaders who have a contagious, obsessive passion for what they do. Currently, that’s Phil Knight as I’m reading his memoir, Shoe Dog.
What else would you like members to know about you? Personally or professionally?
Back in 2011, I spent an absurd amount of free time voting for myself in the Nashville Scene’s “Best of Nashville” reader’s choice poll for the Best Community Role Model category. I got second place.