In this power-packed episode of The Backstory, Michael Wiechart, President of TEAMHealth, opens up about his journey from small-town Ohio to becoming a healthcare leadership powerhouse. Mike’s story is anything but ordinary – from almost becoming a priest to working at – and quickly getting fired from – a family-owned pizza joint before taking the fast track to healthcare.

By just 26 years old, Mike was already a CFO, navigating the complexities of major healthcare systems like Lifepoint Health and overcoming the tough moments of two CEO losses. Tune in to hear about his authentic leadership approach, lessons that shaped his career and his personal favorites – from influential books to memorable experiences.

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In this episode of The Backstory, Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health, for a wide-ranging conversation on workforce development and leadership. Van takes us through her incredible journey, starting with her escape from the Vietnam war and growing up in Hawaii, and into her career that has spanned education, government and healthcare. She highlights the art of building coalitions, the importance of lifelong learning and the power of unlocking doors for others. To top it off, the episode wraps with a fast-paced lightning round, where Van shares personal habits, new projects and sharp advice for future leaders.

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In episode 7 of the Backstory, host and Jarrard Inc. President Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Joann Anderson, a 45-year veteran in healthcare leadership and a relentless advocate for rural healthcare. Anderson shares her journey from growing up in forest of rural Kentucky to becoming a bedside nurse. She describes her rapid ascent through the ranks of major healthcare organizations like Humana and HCA, eventually becoming President and CEO of UNC Health Southeastern. Anderson reflects on her roots and the influence of the Frontier Nursing Service, which ignited her passion for healthcare. She discusses key leadership lessons, the importance of resilience, community engagement, and the values instilled in her by her family. These lessons came into play during a devastating fire at her organization’s cancer center and, later, as she guided Southeastern through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conversation wraps up with a lightning round of personal insights, revealing Anderson's favorite books, athletes, and recent endeavors in the culinary world. Join in for an enriching conversation filled with wisdom on effective leadership and the relentless pursuit of healthcare excellence in rural communities. 

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Join host Anne Hancock Toomey as she chats with Phil Roe, esteemed healthcare executive, former CEO and current senior advisor at Martin Ventures. From his humble beginnings on a Texas farm to leading major healthcare organizations like Vanguard Health System, Roe spills the secrets behind his success and his perspectives on effective leadership.

Discover the power of relationship-building, ethical decision-making and impactful leadership qualities, and dive into how a busy healthcare exec balances mission work, personal life, career and family.

Episode Highlights

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This week, host and Jarrard Inc. President Anne Hancock Toomey interviews Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD, MHCM, of Houston Methodist. Dr. Schaal serves as Executive VP and Chief Physician Executive, Houston Methodist; President and Chief Executive Officer, Houston Methodist Physician Organization; Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Houston Methodist Academic Institute; and Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell College of Medicine.

Dr. Schaal is an accomplished ophthalmologist, retinal surgeon, researcher and executive, but her life and passions extend far beyond the lab and operating room. In this conversation, we hear about her inspiring journey from growing up as a child in Israel to moving to the United States. She describes how a young leader influenced her life immeasurably and how her trepidation around water turned into a first job as lifeguard and, ultimately, influenced her career.

The conversation dives into her transformative role leading the UMass Chan Medical School Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (read the case study here), and her current focus on physician well-being at Houston Methodist.

Dr. Schaal also emphasizes the importance of role models, mentorship, and intentional investment in professional development, offering insightful advice for aspiring women leaders in healthcare.

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Today, host and Jarrard Inc President Anne Hancock Toomey chats with Bill Southwick, the "Physician Whisperer" and a titan in healthcare leadership. Southwick dives into his 25-year journey of turning struggling companies into success stories, highlighting his recent triumph in transforming Querm into QualDerm.

He underscores the power of relationship-building, culture and leadership in driving success. Southwick also shares vibrant anecdotes from his upbringing in Shelter Island, New York, his early days in financial planning and his pivotal shift into healthcare.

Get ready for sharp insights on effective leadership, emotional intelligence and the importance of transparency and trust. Southwick also discusses balancing a high-intensity career with family life, and his dedication to mentoring future leaders. Tune in for an episode packed with actionable takeaways on leadership, resilience and personal growth.

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Join host Anne Hancock Toomey as she sits down with Sheri Shapiro, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of CommonSpirit Health. Shapiro shares her impressive journey from learning customer service and breaking bad news at a dry cleaner, to healthcare consulting to leadership roles at organizations like Trinity Health and CommonSpirit Health. Throughout the conversation, Shapiro comes back to the foundational ideas of authentic leadership, effective communication and empathetic management. She also delves into her experiences outside healthcare, including pharma (Pfizer) and automotive (Ford Motor Company), and the lessons in branding, marketing and consumer-centric thinking learned along the way. Shapiro opens up about balancing a demanding career with family life, offering insight into her personal challenges and triumphs. Oh, and her middle name is Grit. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with valuable takeaways on leadership and personal growth.

01:26 Meeting Sherry Shapiro

02:14 Shapiro’s Emphasis on Authentic Leadership

03:22 Early Life and Career

04:15 First Job Lessons

05:30 The Power of Grit

06:37 Influential Leaders

08:39 Career Journey: Consulting to Healthcare

17:52 Transition to Trinity Health

21:18 Teamwork and Strategic Planning

22:58 Key Ingredients for Successful Change Management

25:54 Transition to CommonSpirit Health

28:36 Balancing Leadership and Family Life

34:13 Effective Leadership Traits

37:43 Lightning Round and Final Thoughts

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Join host Anne Hancock Toomey, president of Jarrard Inc., as she welcomes Chris Roth, President and CEO of St. Luke's Health System in Idaho, to the podcast. In this engaging conversation, Roth reflects on his 17-year journey at St. Luke's. During his tenure, which encompassed multiple roles, St. Luke’s evolved from a two-hospital operation to an integrated health system with ten hospitals. Roth shares formative experiences, from watching his mother and her nursing school classmates practice injections on oranges, to his early days as a pharmacy technician. He describes key leadership lessons he’s learned along the way, and discusses the importance of culture, psychological safety, and authentic leadership. Roth also opens up about balancing family and professional life, the traits of effective leaders, and the significance of vulnerability in leadership.

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01:13 Overview of Chris Roth's Journey in Healthcare

02:04 Leadership and Authenticity

04:39 Chris Roth's Background and Early Influences

10:21 Joining St. Luke's and Career Progression through the Organization

13:47 Becoming CEO During a Pandemic

16:52 Leadership Philosophy and Challenges

23:38 A Critical Mistake in the Pharmacy

27:40 Creating a Culture of Accountability

29:27 Balancing Family and Career

32:45 Leadership Qualities and Challenges

36:29 Personal Habits and Lightning Round

40:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Join host Anne Hancock Toomey as she sits down with Pete November, CEO of Ochsner Health, on the inaugural episode of The Backstory podcast. Starting from his early days flipping burgers at Wendy’s, November went through undergrad and law school at the University of Kentucky – where one of his most formative leadership lessons occurred – and began his career as a healthcare attorney specializing in M&A. Moving from private practice to in-house roles, November rose through the ranks to eventually become CEO of Ochsner Health. In this candid conversation, he shares the pivotal moments, influential mentors and personal challenges that shaped his path.

November highlights the importance of authenticity, listening, team building and pursuing the ever-elusive work-life balance. He also dives into the leadership qualities that have guided him, the impact of his career on his family – and his family on his career – and…Saturday lunch.

Tune in for an inspiring episode and don’t forget to follow us on social @jarrardinc!

Episode highlights:

02:02 Intro and Overview

04:20 Origin Story

06:51 First Job

07:41 Education and Early Career

10:01 Transition to Legal Career

14:16 Going from Private Practice to In-House

24:01 Career at Ochsner Health

28:36 Work and Career in the Larger Context of Life

30:51 Effective Leadership and Flaws

33:44 Role of Faith

34:36 Lightning Round

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Welcome to The Backstory, with Anne Hancock Toomey, president and founding partner of Jarrard Inc. For nearly two decades, Jarrard – one of the nation’s top communications consulting firms for healthcare – has partnered with thousands of leaders across the country who are striving to make healthcare better every day.

But this isn't a podcast about healthcare, or politics or even communications. It's about authentic leadership.

The Backstory is about demystifying respected leaders who've had a lot of success along the way because of the kind of leaders they've chosen to be.

Each person Anne interviews is visionary, of course. They’re smart as hell, and they’re fierce about their business and their mission. They're also humble, kind and create the kind of environments in which people can thrive. They're not perfect. But they are real. And it’s the combination of those two things that makes each one of them great.

In every episode, Anne’s guest digs into who they are, where they come from and what's influenced them to be the person and the leader that they are today.

Which raises the question: Just who are these guests? We won't spill everything, but her first conversations include Pete November, CEO of Ochsner Health; Chris Roth, CEO of St. Luke’s Health System in Idaho and Sheri Shapiro, chief strategy officer of CommonSpirit Health.

Pull up a virtual chair and join us in these intimate, compelling conversations starting later this month. We’ll be dropping episodes on a biweekly basis, so be sure to subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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