JARRARD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Director of Public Policy for the Nonprofit Nashville CARES
Aaron Campbell offers our clients insight into navigating complex regulatory and community relations challenges to advance policy agendas, build trust and grow relationships with key stakeholders.
His healthcare policy knowledge and perspective come from direct work with lawmakers, industry executives and community advocates over a decade-plus career in government and community relations roles within state government and the not-for-profit sector.
Campbell's efforts for Tennessee included Medicaid reform, the creation of the Cover Tennessee program and many industry and professional licensure initiatives. Additionally, he worked with a coalition of community nonprofits and experts on implementing the Affordable Care Act and with the Tennessee Hospital Association and 75+ businesses and organizations on Medicaid expansion.
Campbell joined Jarrard after serving as director of public policy for the nonprofit Nashville CARES, Tennessee's largest provider of HIV care and support. Previously, he was the Tennessee government affairs specialist for Youth Villages Inc. He has led legislative programs for the Tennessee Departments of Children's Services and Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, as well as serving on the leadership team of the Coalition for a Healthy Tennessee-a network of hospitals, insurers, businesses and community-based organizations in support of Medicaid expansion in Tennessee. He is a member of the Nashville Emerging Leaders class of 2012 and the founding class of Future Ready Nashville.
A seasoned marketing and communications expert, Abby McNeil helps clients navigate the fast-paced world of communications, positioning their brands to engage employees, grow market share and creatively tackle challenges.
Prior to joining Jarrard, Inc. in 2021, McNeil served as vice president of communications and public affairs for CHRISTUS Health, an international health system with more than 45,000 employees, 600 locations and over $8 billion in assets. There, she sat at the helm of all corporate communications, developing innovative strategies and effective narratives to guide the organization through moments big and small. Most notably, she led the health system's COVID-19 communications throughout the pandemic, from the discovery of its first COVID-positive patients through the rush of initial vaccination panic to mass vaccination hubs and the first days of the delta variant.
During her tenure at CHRISTUS, McNeil also led the reorganization of marketing and communications functions, saving $4 million and improving market share in almost every market in year one. And during a time of intense growth, she directed merger and acquisition communications and market-entry marketing tactics as that organization experienced $1.6 billion global asset growth over 18 months.
McNeil has extensive experience in leading branding, creative services, M&A communications, national media and public relations, crisis communication, social media and reputation management, strategic internal communications, brand journalism, media analysis and corporate events.
She holds a bachelor's degree in integrated marketing and communications from Abilene Christian University, an MBA from Saint Leo University and was named one of Tomorrow's Leaders by the Catholic Health Care Association in 2019.
Gross earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both political science and Spanish from Vanderbilt University, where she was recognized as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar. While at Vanderbilt, she served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and held internships at Nashville Public Radio and The Contributor, a local newspaper sold by vendors experiencing homelessness. She also contributed to a successful congressional campaign and spent a summer working on Capitol Hill in D.C.
Allie Stivland is a human-centered, multi-disciplinary designer with a background in psychology and public health. She specializes in healthcare communications, strategic design and creative leadership.
Stivland's design approach relies heavily on her knowledge of community health, research methods and consumer psychology. She focuses on readability, sensibility and ease of access in her designs while staying current and forward-thinking with trends.
In her role, she helps clients understand that good design is more than aesthetic and visual identity; it is a tool to create ethical, sustainable change and tell a unique story that authentically connects consumers to a brand.
Prior to joining the firm in 2021, she worked as a designer with Chicago-based global healthcare giant Abbott. Earlier, she served at influential nonprofits including the American Kidney Fund and the Alzheimer's Association.
Stivland holds dual bachelor degrees in psychology and public health from University of Minnesota.
Allyson Carr helps clients blend evidence-based best practices with the art of communications to develop compelling and measurable content strategies and stakeholder engagement programs.
She is a seasoned healthcare professional with over 16 years of experience managing change within health services companies. Carr has extensive experience in developing patient-centered care journeys, supporting Accountable Care Organizations, collaborating with key stakeholders to improve outcomes, ensure customer and boost employee retention and satisfaction.
Her passion lies in using the art and science of health communication to drive change and increase employee and patient engagement in order to help healthcare providers grow their organizations and improve the wellbeing of patients they serve.
Prior to joining Jarrard Inc., Carr served as Director of Rehabilitation for a physical therapy practice. There, she oversaw management and ownership changes, reimbursement models and regulatory requirements, and helped shepherd the organization through an EHR transition.
She began her career as a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant working in outpatient centers, home health, adult day centers, assisted living facilities, sub-acute care, and long-term care facilities. She spent 7 years in management roles in both sub-acute and long-term care settings.
Carr holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration degree from Grand Canyon University and a Master of Science in Health Communication degree from Northwestern University. She is a member of the Society for Health Communication and the Society for Participatory Medicine.
An advisor in Jarrard Inc.'s Health Services practice, Alyssa Pullin excels at using clients' unique stories to craft purposeful, comprehensive messaging that helps them achieve strategic goals.
Pullin joined Jarrard Inc. in January 2022. Previously, she served as communications manager for Youth & Family Counseling, a mental healthcare organization in Libertyville, Illinois. There, Pullin developed and managed an integrated brand & messaging strategy across the company's website, social media accounts, email and print communications. Helping lead the organization through a process to increase its digital presence, she guided key initiatives including a brand redesign, grant applications, virtual events, a new program launch, and a staff spotlight series.
Pullin earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Hispanic Studies from Boston College. While there, she served as a health coach with the Boston College Office of Health Promotion to educate, motivate, and refer fellow students towards achieving their personal health goals.
Pullin continues to stay connected to her alma mater through participation in the Council for Women of BC, which helps support female students with financial aid and mentoring while strengthening their engagement within the community.
Ann Cannon has held leadership positions at forward-thinking Nashville companies for over a decade.
Her focus in her role as Jarrard Inc.'s talent director - a position she assumed in 2017 - is both internal and external. Externally, she attracts new talent to the firm while enhancing Jarrard Inc.'s employer brand. Internally, she leads efforts to grow and retain talent to best serve our clients' needs, while enhancing the employee experience along the way through professional development opportunities and her work with teams.
Before joining Jarrard, Cannon was the director of talent operations at Emma, a Nashville-based high-growth email marketing company. There, she focused on employee engagement - working with teams and individuals to enhance inter-departmental collaboration. Prior to Emma, Cannon was the director of strategy for creative ad agency redpepper. At redepper, Cannon led strategic work with national clients including Cracker Barrel, Kirkland's, Deloitte, Claire's, Slack and SINGER.
Cannon has also worked as an account supervisor for White Thompson, the Ramey Agency and Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence.
She graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in communications.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
- Co - Founder
- Founding Partner
Jarrard Inc. Co-Founder Anne Hancock Toomey has a deep background as a strategic communications advisor, long specializing in healthcare M&A and strategic positioning.
With frontline understanding of the specialized politics and regulatory approvals around healthcare mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships, Toomey has led successful communications campaigns for not-for-profit, public and investor-owned health systems across the country.
Meanwhile, her significant experience in the launch and positioning of healthcare systems, hospitals and physician groups in new and existing markets provides our clients with vital insight for today's changing healthcare marketplace. She also oversees business development, marketing and thought leadership for the firm.
Prior to starting Jarrard Inc., Toomey was a public affairs advisor with the healthcare practice of The Ingram Group, where she waged public affairs campaigns on behalf of community hospitals during significant times of transition. She also served as director of marketing and communications for Surgical Alliance Corporation, which developed ortho/neuro surgery centers and specialty hospitals in partnership with physicians.
Toomey is frequent speaker at industry organizations, such as The Governance Institute, Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, The Forum for Healthcare Strategists, American Health Lawyers Association, and more.
Intensively involved in the community, she currently serves on the boards of Faith Family Medical Center and Persist Nashville and is on the National Advisory Board for The Harpeth Hall School. She is a longtime supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity.
She received a Bachelor of Science in business from Wake Forest University and is also a graduate of AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps.
Brittany Hunter helps our national and academic health system clients deliver effective, targeted communications based on the unique needs of their audiences. Her experience working with health system leadership, medical groups and staff on the front lines gives her a well-rounded perspective that promotes engagement at all levels.
She is particularly strong in issue navigation, policy planning, organizational structure and social media strategy for large health systems.
Hunter joined Jarrard Inc. in 2018 from a position with Chicago-based Advocate Health Systems. As a public affairs and marketing specialist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, she worked directly with clinical and non-clinical leaders to promote and grow key service lines and engage internal and external audiences through communications, media, social media and brand journalism.
Earlier, as a consultant at Haymarket Public Strategies in Chicago, she gained valuable experience in leadership communication and community engagement as hospitals shifted focus to population health management. She began her career as a marketing liaison for medical group onboarding, coordinating with physicians in a multitude of specialties and locations.
Involved in her community, Hunter volunteers as a tutor and serves on the Associate Council at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Hunter holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Ohio University and a Master of Integrated Marketing Communications degree from Northwestern University.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Member of the Society for Healthcare Strategy
With two decades of healthcare experience, Charmaine Weis is an award-winning patient experience professional who excels at creating meaningful communications and engagement strategies for our clients in the Regional Health Systems Practice.
Weis guides clients to understand the correlation between associate engagement and patient experience, helping maximize those efforts to promote brand loyalty. Earlier in her career, she worked with a collaborative team to implement the Planetree philosophy of patient-centered care, and within four years, the hospital became one of only 28 Planetree-designated hospitals in the world. This work fueled her flame to keep the patient first and foremost in every strategy she develops, and earned her an international Spirit of Planetree award.
She is a recognized expert in the subject, having served as a panelist with national health care leaders on processes and insights used to guide human brand experiences.
Before joining Jarrard Inc. in 2019, Charmaine was the director of marketing and communications for SCL Health, a faith-based not-for-profit health system in Colorado where she was instrumental in shaping the culture of Platte Valley Medical Center. In 2018, Platte Valley became the number one hospital within the 8-hospital system for the highest level of engaged associates.
Prior to her work in healthcare, Charmaine was a partner in a marketing, communications and public relations agency.
Weis is a member of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development and has a bachelor's degree in mass communications and marketing and a master's degree in management and leadership.
Chelsea Schulz serves clients within Jarrard Inc.'s practice for national health systems and academic medical centers.
She delivers thoughtful, strategic solutions, focusing primarily on strategic planning, project alignment and content development.
Having joined Jarrad Inc. in 2020, Schulz previously served in several competitive internships while pursuing degrees. Most recently, at HCA's Sara Cannon Cancer Research Institute, she worked on strategic implementation plans and process improvement initiatives for the cancer research institute. Prior to that, she honed communications skills at London-based Kallaway Public Relations where she managed social media plans, assisted in new client pitches and developed internal marketing materials for a variety industries. She also gained insight into the financial services sector through a stint at UBS Wealth Management in Knoxville.
Schulz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing with a focus on international business from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville where she was selected to be a member of the Global Leadership Scholars and Chancellor's Honors program. She is currently pursuing a Master of Leadership and Organizational Performance at Vanderbilt University.
Colie Gutzler joined Jarrard Inc.'s National & Academic Health Systems Practice in 2021, bringing more than a decade of experience with digital marketing communications and rich experience in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Prior to joining Jarrard, Gutzler was the senior marketing manager of CRM & Digital Marketing at Trustmark Insurance, where she was responsible for the policy owner journey and managed retention efforts.
Previously, she worked at NorthShore University Health System in the marketing communications department, where she led the editorial calendar including social media and blogs, managed omni-channel campaigns and later became a marketing manager for various service lines. Gutzler also facilitated diversity and inclusion workshops at the hospital system and served as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council and Trustmark.
Gutzler earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa, her master's degree in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern Medill. She is also certified as a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator.
Over his career, Schlacter has advised clients in sectors including health IT, life sciences, healthcare consultancies, provider services, industry organizations and patient advocate groups on rebrands, strategic positioning, thought leadership, crisis navigation, alliance development, public affairs, media relations, digital campaigns and more.
With deep client experience extending beyond healthcare to include senior living, retail, education and workforce development, Schlacter brings value to healthcare professionals whose industry continues to intersect with non-traditional players and be shaped by increasing consumer engagement.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Veteran Healthcare Leader
Veteran healthcare leader David C. Pate, M.D., J.D., in an accomplished internist, lawyer and health system executive who brings sharp insight and a 360-degree perspective to our clients through his of-counsel role at the firm.
Dr. Pate is the immediate past president and chief executive officer of St. Luke's Health System in Boise, Idaho. During his tenure, the eight-hospital system was consistently recognized for improvements in care quality and outcomes.
He joined St. Luke's in 2009 following executive positions with St. Luke's Episcopal Health System in Houston. During his time at the helm, he helped transform St. Luke's into an integrated health-care delivery system that includes service partnerships and relationships with other healthcare organizations throughout the region. He also committed to developing value-based care, shifting more than one-third of the organization's revenue under risk agreements, mostly global capitation.
Dr. Pate and his team focused on driving quality and safety throughout the organization, and the system has been recognized as a top 15 Health System by IBM Watson Health for six consecutive years. It is routinely recognized as an emerging health system of note as the transformation of health care in America continues.
A noted thought leader, Dr. Pate is an author, teacher and sought-after lecturer.
He received his bachelor's degree from Rice University, his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and his law degree cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center. He completed his residency training at Baylor College of Medicine, is board-certified in internal medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
As clients seek to amplify their message, David Green brings deep insight into the thinking of media decision-makers based on his many years of executive leadership experience with news organizations.
Green assists our clients with issues navigation, crisis communications and media strategy. His track record of guiding clients through a wide range of crises is impressive - from handling targeting by "60 Minutes" to medical errors, data breaches and government investigations.
Green also draws on his publishing background to guide content marketing strategies, thought leadership and message development. Formerly managing editor of The Tennessean, Nashville's daily newspaper, Green was in charge of content for its website and print editions-as well as managing 190 professional journalists. While an editor with the Lexington Herald-Leader, he oversaw a team of journalists who won a Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting. Prior to that, he was a supervising editor for The Associated Press at its world headquarters in New York.
Green also served as editorial director of Global Navigation, a publication providing CEOs and board directors at public companies with thought leadership on doing business in China.
Green holds a Bachelor of Arts in government from Cornell University, and was a journalism fellow at the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
Jarrard Inc. President and CEO David Jarrard has earned a national reputation in helping healthcare systems and health services companies use their public and political strengths to succeed in high-stakes moments.
Under his guidance, the firm has become the nation's leading strategic communications consultancy dedicated to work that spans healthcare clients' most challenging communications issues: organizational restructurings; mergers, sales and acquisitions; issue and crisis navigation; and strategic positioning opportunities.
Jarrard is a sought after thought leader. He is the principal author of "Healthcare Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships: An Insider's Guide to Communication," written in partnership with Geisinger Health System. A regular speaker at national and state healthcare industry conferences, he is on the teaching faculty of the American Hospital Association's professional group for hospital strategic planners and communicators. He serves on board of the PR Council (the public relations industry's agency trade association), the editorial advisory board for Healthcare Insight Magazine and the board of professional advisors of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University.
Within the Nashville community, he serves in advisory positions to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and Nashville Institute for Faith + Work.
For more than 20 years, Jarrard has led strategic communications campaigns for hospitals and healthcare companies throughout the United States. Prior to being a founding partner of our firm, he was CEO of the political consulting firm The Ingram Group and headed Jarrard Ingram Public Relations. He was also a communications executive in a national media company and began his career as a reporter for Nashville's daily newspaper, The Tennessean.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager, Content Marketing
David Shifrin helps extend the reach of Jarrard Inc. by bringing the firm's wealth of thought leadership to both clients and the wider healthcare industry.
As Senior Manager of Content Marketing, he is responsible for coordinating and executing the firm's content programs, working closely with the Creative and Business Development teams.
Shifrin brings over a decade of experience in research, writing and content development to Jarrard Inc. He specializes in curating ideas and making technical concepts accessible to broad audiences, helping thought leaders move past jargon to present core messages in a meaningful way. Prior to joining Jarrard Inc. in 2019, Shifrin operated his own firm that provided content production services to life science and healthcare companies. Later, he joined Health:Further, where he managed the company's blog, podcasts, and industry research. He also oversaw programming for the annual Health:Further Festival.
Involved in the Nashville life science and healthcare community since 2007, Shifrin is committed to helping grow and connect those industries across the state. As such, he serves on the Cumberland Emerging Technologies Advisory Board and the Life Science Tennessee Mentor Network. He received his PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt University.
Job Titles:
- Member of Our Core Services Team
- Senior Manager of Accounting
An integral member of our core services team, Deidre Michon helps keep Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock's bookkeeping and back-office operations running smoothly.
Her role includes billing, client invoicing, time tracking, reconciliation, reimbursement and capacity-and-utilization reporting for the national practices and all employees.
With more than decade of experience in administrative and accounting roles within healthcare and other sectors, she brings a breadth of valuable experience to Jarrard Inc.
Before joining our firm, Michon worked as an accounting assistant with D&D Overhead Door Co. in Franklin, Tennessee. Prior to that, she spent a number of years with Patterson Dental as a branch administrator and with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she served as administrative assistant to the facility's transplant administrator.
Michon, who grew up in Nashville, is a graduate of Antioch High School.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President
- Chairman
Ellis Metz brings our clients substantial experience in local and business-focused journalism, fueled by a passion for telling stories and building reputations in a creative, compelling way.
From print to social media, Metz combines his experience and discernment to reaching the right audiences with the right messages.
Metz began his career at PMT Publishing in Mobile, Alabama, as assistant editor for Mobile Bay Magazine. There, he developed an engaged readership through his stories and active presence on social media. In addition to serving as a regular contributor to business magazines, Metz's background also includes work for Marketing 24/7 Inc., providing strategic communications with the launch and branding of healthcare startups.
Active in the local community, Metz serves as chairman for the associate board of STARS, a Nashville-based nonprofit that supports young people through social and emotional obstacles. Each year he mentors local high school seniors through tnAchieves. He is also a member of the Nashville Emerging Leaders class of 2017.
Metz graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama's public relations program. During his time at UA, he served as a founding editor for the campus's first digital newspaper.
Emily Shirden joined Jarrard in 2020 from Finn Partners, where she led thought leadership, issues management and integrated communications programs with a strong focus on analytics and measurement.
She brings more than 15 years of experience providing communications counsel to clients across the health sector, including pharmaceutical companies, payors, health tech start-ups and healthcare providers.
Most notably, Shirden led the agency's longtime partnership with Michigan's largest health insurer, Blue Cross. Under her leadership, the team executed a customer-centered communications strategy harnessing paid, earned and owned channels to empower consumers to make smart healthcare decisions and strengthen the connection between Blue Cross and its members amid the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. Social community listening and sophisticated content performance dashboards informed content themes for local market television segments, digital content and executive thought leadership.
Originally based with Finn Partners in Chicago, Shirden relocated to Detroit in 2014 to launch the firm's office there. She grew that operation to more than 17 full-time communications professionals servicing some of the city's most exciting projects and longstanding brands. In 2019, Shirden relocated with the organization to DVL Seigenthaler, a Finn Partners Company, in Nashville to further her work in the health sector.
Prior to Finn Partners, she worked for several Chicago-based agencies, including ComBlu, LCWA and GOLIN. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's Executive MBA program and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Indiana University.
Emme Baxter is a creative strategist and connector with 25-plus years of experience - from newsrooms to corporate healthcare settings.
Eric Hoffman is an award-winning public affairs professional who partners with communications and government affairs firms to solve client challenges.
Eric specializes in creating and executing data-driven integrated communications programs to advance a policy issue, build and protect industry reputations and corporate brands. He is an expert at message creation, media strategy, third-party engagement, content marketing and advocacy strategies for trade associations, corporations and patient advocacy clients.
Eric's issue portfolio includes reimbursement, regulatory approval, quality programs, coverage decisions, physician group practices, Rx to OTC switches and crisis issues. Eric worked for more than twenty years combined at Edelman and Weber Shandwick focusing on health care, financial services and industrial clients. Earlier in his career, Eric worked on Capitol Hill, for political candidates and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At Weber Shandwick, Eric worked for nine years for the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) , a trade association of medical imaging manufacturers. On behalf of MITA, Eric created a patient advocacy network, Right Scan Right Time, which brings together patient advocates to articulate how public policy issues impact patients' access to life-saving diagnostic imaging.
A graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Journalism, Eric lives in Bethesda, MD with his wife, two children and one very cute dog. He serves on the Board of Directors for PalTown, a patient engagement, non-profit organization. When he's not working, he can be found on the basketball court or swimming laps.
Erika Matallana brings to our Regional Practice clients more than 15 years of experience as a versatile communications strategist specialized in healthcare Diversity, Equity and Inclusion communications, multicultural marketing and communications, public relations and creative writing.
Prior to joining Jarrard, Matallana served as director of communications for Amedisys, a leading provider of home health, hospice and personal care. There, she led the communications identity, strategy and execution for the hospice division - work that included communications during the COVID-19 pandemic, an organizational restructure, M&A activity and sweeping change management efforts.
Earlier, Matallana spent a decade at HCA Healthcare in several communications roles, including leading the communications strategies and execution for HCA Healthcare's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. In that capacity, she oversaw development of enterprise-wide messaging, publications and materials in support of diversity and inclusion initiatives for patients in more than 2,000 sites of care and for over 270,000 colleagues across 21 states.
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Matallana moved to the U.S in 2005. Her love for storytelling and strategic writing in both English and Spanish has led her to be recognized nationally and internationally including the Lovell Ethics Advocacy Award. She has a degree in social communications and journalism from Universidad de La Sabana, in Bogotá, and a bachelor's in public relations management from Belmont University.
Erin Beck works primarily with our community and regional health system clients, serving as a strategist, content developer and logistical support for major, long-term initiatives.
From her start with the firm as an intern to her current position, Beck has developed a well of experience serving Jarrard, Inc.'s clients during times of significant change and opportunity.
Using her training in strategic communications, she helps craft compelling messages to reach their unique stakeholders - including physicians, internal constituents, communities and the media.
Prior to joining the firm, Beck earned experience in community outreach, health promotion and campaign management by developing and securing funding for a digital health intervention campaign targeting teens in rural West Virginia as part of the Southern West Virginia Lifestyles Project (SWVL) in Morgantown, WV. She later interned in marketing and public relations at The Bradford Group in Nashville.
A native of West Virginia, Beck has a Bachelor of Science degree in strategic communications from West Virginia University.
Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Herron worked for Nashville-based HealthStream's customer service team, where she communicated daily with healthcare practitioners and administrators on how to navigate software for training, learning management and credentialing.
Previously, she developed and sharpened her professional skills through various positions and internships related to financial marketing, health policy, health communications and university wellness programs.
Herron holds a bachelor's degree in health promotion with a minor in international studies from the American University, where she focused her efforts on health communications and issues surrounding health equity in urban areas.
Job Titles:
- Advisor, Digital Project Coordinator
Hilary Sloan brings a solid media and management background to our health services and digital practices, where she methodically coordinates various digital projects for clients and supports the firm's marketing and social media execution.
Prior to joining Jarrard Inc. as a marketing intern in 2020, Sloan served as the operations intern for Velocity Collective LLC, a leadership business consultancy in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she assisted in planning development workshops for communication executives while providing onsite logistical and operational support. In addition, she was a social media intern to Samford University during her final year as an undergraduate. In that capacity, she helped manage and produce several campus-wide social media campaigns and foster community engagement.
Sloan received her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communication with a focus in public relations and advertising from Samford University, where she was an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She also contributed her time as an Aspire Movement group mentor - a program committed to the mental, spiritual, physical and social transformation of at-risk urban youth.
Job Titles:
- Partner, Health Services Practice Leader
Hollie Adams offers clients more than 15 years of experience in strategic planning and integrated marketing for multi-site health systems at two of the nation's largest healthcare organizations.
An uncanny combination of strategic thinking and tactical execution, she excels at helping organizations transform their strategic visions into actionable business development, marketing and communications plans designed to position them for growth. She has proven experience in capturing market share, volume and revenue growth for publicly traded and not-for-profit healthcare organizations.
Prior to joining the Jarrard team as vice president, Adams was the senior director of strategic planning and marketing for Community Health Systems where she developed and implemented strategic growth initiatives and managed the unique needs of 39 hospitals across three states. In addition to that work, she provided planning and marketing direction and oversight and designed scalable marketing and communications solutions.
Before her work at CHS, Adams served as lead marketing consultant for St. Vincent Health, a member of Ascension Health and the largest Catholic health system in Indiana. There, she developed comprehensive, standardized system-wise strategic marketing plans for multiple hospitals, service lines and centers of excellence.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Creative
Ian Petty brings Jarrard Inc. clients the benefit of his broad range of creative abilities, offering expertise as a strategist as well as a graphic/web designer and creative director.
Having led creative teams working in print and digital media at Jarrard Inc. since 2011, Petty is a hands-on leader in creative concepting and strategy development. His ability to listen to our clients' needs and understand their audiences allows him to create tools of high quality and impact that help them reach their business goals.
Prior to joining the firm, Petty founded Proud Lion LLC, a web and graphic design company where he focused on healthcare-related websites, many in association with Jarrard Inc. He also developed creative materials for companies spanning the financial, educational, real estate industries and the nonprofit sector. Petty's work has been recognized on "best-of" websites such as Smashing Magazine and Style Me Pretty.
Previously, Petty was a senior account executive for advertising boutique Frank|Best, where he developed new business, maintained account relationships and produced creative collaterals for national and international clients.
He is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh.
A seasoned strategic communications and public affairs advisor, Isaac Squyres brings to our clients more than 20 years of experience guiding senior executives and organizations through high-stakes challenges, periods of dynamic change and significant moments of opportunity.
Squyres began serving healthcare providers during the challenging M&A environment of the mid- and late-1990s. Since then he's worked with hospitals and health systems of virtually every size to achieve some of their most important objectives, including the formation of Idaho's first health system (St. Luke's Health System), and the largest provider system in South Carolina.
His experience also includes lead campaign advisor roles for a state hospital association on a successful ballot measure initiative and a winning congressional campaign, for which he subsequently guided the transition to office as chief of staff to the congressman.
He founded and managed Squyres Strategic Communications before joining Jarrard Inc. Prior to that, he was a partner at DaviesMoore and Gallatin Public Affairs in Boise, Idaho where he worked with clients to improve their internal infrastructures and grow their business. He began his career at McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations in Nashville.
Squyres holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina.
With his background in strategy, operations and performance improvement for healthcare providers including academic medical centers and physician groups, James Cervantes is a richly experienced and trusted advisor within our National & Academic Health Systems Practice.
Over his career, Cervantes has worked closely with executives and senior leaders to implement key strategic initiatives; to author communication, policies and procedures and to advance programs focused on growth and improvement. Adept at managing multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously, Cervantes often serves as an extension of the C-suite, regularly engaging in communications with physicians and health system leaders.
Before joining Jarrard, Cervantes led optimization and administrative operations for Northwestern Medicine's Regional Medical Group. There, he developed their dyad leadership structure and professional development program and oversaw optimization projects focused on improving access, advancing new care models and growing the physician platform.
Prior to Northwestern, he served as an internal consultant and advisor to the Penn Medicine leadership team where he also led access and capacity management for their faculty physician group. Earlier, he held positions at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and ECG Management Consultants in Washington DC.
Cervantes received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University, graduate degree in Health Systems Administration from Georgetown University and completed an Administrative Fellowship with the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He is Lean Six Sigma certified and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager
- Partner
- Member of Our Team
A key foundational member of our team, Jana Atwell is partner and oversees business management operations at the firm.
With more than 20 years of experience - including 12 at Jarrard Inc. - Atwell is primarily responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable and human resources functions within our firm. She also focuses on legal, vendor management, financial management forecasting and projections, building and grounds and day-to-day business management.
Prior to joining our firm, Atwell served as senior operations manager at The Buntin Group, where she was instrumental in developing and implementing streamlined office systems, policies and procedures, including the creation and execution of a new client contract system. Before that, Atwell was the full charge bookkeeper and office manager at ECO Manufacturing Corporation.
Atwell studied at Aquinas College in Nashville, and she is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Marketing & Data Analytics
- Senior Marketing & Data Analytics Director
As Senior Marketing & Data Analytics Director, Jennifer Fuqua brings to Jarrard Inc. more than 20 years of experience captaining marketing, communications and business development programs in a variety of industries.
Her expertise is positioning companies in their market, increasing their brand awareness and building their credibility using new media and traditional media strategies.
Fuqua joined the firm in 2017 from Meridian Surgical Partners where she had served as director of marketing and business development. There, she primed the start-up company for branded success. Prior to that position, she served as marketing manager for Alcott Routon, a direct marketing agency in Franklin, TN. Her career also has included four years working with healthcare companies to develop marketing, branding and communication strategies to bring them to the top of the industry.
Fuqua is an award-winning past president and longtime board member of the Nashville chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in advertising from Middle Tennessee State University.
Focusing on digital communications, Joshua Byrd is a senior graphic designer who brings videos, websites and designs to life for our clients and firm.
Byrd simplifies the complex. He plays a vital role on the Creative Team, delivering products with a specific purpose by creating and publishing content on the most strategic platform to drive true results. This includes a variety of print and interactive designs, website development and all aspects of the video and audio production process.
Before joining Jarrard Inc., Byrd worked in Jackson, Mississippi as an art director and director of media production at Maris, West & Baker - a prestigious advertising firm known for working with the state's largest agencies and companies. In 2014, he served as a lead graphic designer at a smaller design firm, Creative Distillery, where he worked with many of the region's non-profit organizations.
Byrd has received many gold awards, as well as Best of Show and Judge's Choice awards, from the Addys (American Advertising Awards) in his career. He's also the 2015 Type Fight champion, a competition held at the annual Creative South design conference.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Public Affairs and Communications Strategist
Justin Gibbs is a talented public affairs and communications strategist with significant experience helping clients effectively navigate times of great change and challenge to achieve strategic business goals.
Gibbs came to Jarrard from the headquarters of FleishmanHillard, the St. Louis-based global communications firm. At FleishmanHillard he oversaw public affairs and grassroots campaigns, provided strategic legislative and communication counsel and led advocacy efforts for clients in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors.
Prior to entering the private sector, he spent a nearly a decade in politics, serving as a key staff member on Capitol Hill and managing political campaigns on the state and federal levels. Gibbs served Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) as deputy chief of staff where he led political, legislative and communications strategy. He also led communications efforts for Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR).
Gibbs began his career leading the 2008 and 2010 reelection efforts for Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO). In that role, he was responsible for developing campaign messaging, organizing grassroots volunteers and working with third party interest groups. He also led a special election for the Missouri General Assembly in 2009.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Southeast Missouri State University and a Masters of Communication in Journalism and Public Policy from American University in Washington D.C.
Prior to joining our team in 2019, Blankerts was a senior graphic designer and marketing coordinator for Franklin, Tenn.-based FarmVet. There, she updated the organization's branding with cohesive designs targeting local, regional and national markets across print and digital spectrums. Previously, she was a graphic and web designer at APS Marketing, developing collateral for clients in the food and hospitality industry in Toledo, Ohio.
An Ohio native, Blankerts earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with emphasis in graphic design from Bowling Green State University. While there, she was active in the BGSU Graphic Design Division, including heading a team of three designers to rebrand the Village of Swanton, Ohio.