The Backstory

From sleepaway camp to the Appalachian Trail, Jennifer Pharr Davis’s story is one of curiosity, courage and...camp. Her early desire to "keep up" rapidly transformed into a relentless drive to find her own limits, leading her to achievements few can even imagine. In this episode, Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with the former National Geographic Adventurer of the Year to talk about how lessons from the trail have shaped her life as an athlete, business owner, and leader.

Jennifer’s path began in the mountains of North Carolina and led her to set the fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail—averaging 47 miles a day over 2,200 miles—and to create the Blue Ridge Hiking Company, inspiring thousands to connect with the outdoors. Along the way, she’s learned about resilience, risk-taking, and redefining leadership through self-awareness, faith, and the power of nature.

“If you never fail,” her camp director told her, “you haven’t set your goals high enough.”

Highlights:

2:46 – Growing Up in the North Carolina Mountains

4:18 – Lessons from Summer Camp

8:30 – First Job & Early Leadership

11:00 – First Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike

15:00 – First ‘Real Job’ & the Call of the Trail

18:00 – Founding Blue Ridge Hiking Company

22:00 – Lessons in Leadership & Longevity

23:30 – Back to the AT

31:00 – Endurance, Adversity & Teamwork

35:00 – Breaking the Record

36:00 – Advocacy & the Next Chapter

38:30 – Family, Faith & Work-Life Balance

41:00 – Leadership Lessons from the Trail

43:30 – Lightning Round

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In the first episode of Season Two, Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Scott Becker.

Becker’s name is synonymous with healthcare media and can’t miss industry conferences. The Becker’s brand is now an empire, covering every facet of the industry. And the energetic man behind the brand is a respected healthcare lawyer whose real purpose and passion is connecting people and ideas.

Anne has known Scott for years. Yet in this conversation, they cover new ground about his life’s journey and ongoing aspirations. They talk about all the advice he didn’t get. About his mentoring of a young Barack Obama. And even about the lesson he once learned about yelling in the office.

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 Ever wonder what makes great leaders tick? Well then welcome to season two of the Backstory, where each conversation is a case study in authentic leadership. Throughout her career in healthcare consulting, Anne Hancock Toomey has encountered some truly impressive leaders. Here, she sits down with them, digging into their journeys, who they are and how they lead.

The backstory is about humanizing respected leaders who are visionary, sharp, self-aware, and fiercely committed, who lift others up, own their mistakes, and share credit freely. They're not perfect, but they are genuine, and that's where greatness lives. Last season, we featured executives from top healthcare organizations across the nation, plus some investors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.

This time we're looking at healthcare and beyond. We'll kick it off with media mogul Scott Becker. Other episodes will feature a sports hero, a Guinness World record holder, the CEO of the fastest selling consumer wearable company, among others.

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In the capstone episode of Season One, Anne Hancock Toomey interviews healthcare entrepreneur and...her dad! Kenny Hancock is CEO of Lync Health Partners. Hancock shares his journey from working his family's small-town hardware store in Kentucky to a successful career as a serial entrepreneur in healthcare. He talks about how early setbacks in a high-pressure sales role motivated him to keep pushing and succeed, setting him up for a professional lifetime of finding ways to solve big challenges. Hancock reviews the highs and lows founding and leading companies like OrthoLink, Surgical Alliance, Meridian, and Lync Health Partners. He emphasizes the importance of relationships, authenticity, and risk-taking. Anne and Kenny also delve into the personal and familial dimensions of their journey, offering valuable insights into leadership and life lessons.

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In this episode of The Backstory, host Anne Hancock Toomey interviews Dr. David Miller, President of University of Michigan Health and incoming Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs of University of Michigan and CEO of Michigan Medicine . Dr. Miller shares insights from his career as a urologic cancer surgeon and member of the leadership team at a large academic health system. He discusses his Michigan roots, the influence of his parents, and and the surprising role the CEO of Dow had on his journey from practicing medicine to taking on significant administrative roles. The conversation delves into his leadership philosophy, which emphasizes honesty, humility, visibility and enthusiasm. Dr. Miller also talks about balancing his clinical practice with his executive responsibilities. As a physician and executive, he is well-placed to talk about the importance of earning and maintaining trust from colleagues, team members and the public.

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In this episode of The Backstory, host Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with the Global Head of Healthcare for Blackstone, Ram Jagannath, to trace the path that led him from a childhood as a first-generation American to the upper echelons of finance and healthcare investing.

Jagannath shares how his formative years shaped his perspective, weaving through early influences, first jobs, and pivotal experiences—none more striking than his time working in a Croatian refugee camp with Bosnians displaced by the war.

From navigating Wall Street to surviving the stock market crash and exploring a career in private equity, Jagannath unpacks lessons on why intellectual curiosity and purpose matter as much as strategy. And in a fast-paced lightning round, he gets personal – family, golf and a little love for Taylor Swift.

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In this episode of The Backstory, Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Ric Ransom, CEO of University of Missouri Health Care, for a conversation that covers everything from comic books to crisis leadership. Ric’s journey started in Birmingham, Alabama, in a home filled with big personalities and even bigger aspirations. He carved out a career that spanned law and healthcare administration, helping guide major health systems like Baylor Health System (now Baylor Scott & White Health), Prisma Health and UW Health along the way.

Known for his ability to build strong teams and steer through uncertainty, Ransom unpacks lessons on resilience, communications and the influence of formative leaders – starting with his own father. Plus, he shares his approach to staying sharp (spoiler: it involves exercise and a good graphic novel).

Come for the conversation about his first job as a telemarketer, stay for the lightning round where Ransom talks about his introverted side, his go-to stress relievers and what’s on his reading list.

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In this episode, Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Wendy Horton, CEO of UVA Health University Medical Center, to delve into her impressive career in academic medicine. Horton, known for her problem-solving skills and steady hand in a crisis, shares her journey from growing up in a rough neighborhood in Southern California to her childhood picking kiwi on an uncle’s farm to her leadership roles at major institutions like UW Health and The Ohio State University. She discusses formative influences, including her grandfather and a high school teacher, her early experiences as a pharmacist, and the transitions that led her from clinical practice to leadership in academic medicine. Horton also touches on the challenges and rewards of her current role, the importance of community and teamwork, and tips for effective leadership.

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We're doing something a little different this week on The Backstory. We're two-thirds of the way through this series and has talked to 13 incredible leaders. So, we wanted to take a moment for host Anne Hancock Toomey to reflect on one of the questions that she asks each guest. That is, "What are the three characteristics of the most effective leaders?"

Every one of the leaders interviewed has a unique story. At the same time, they have certain things in common. They are successful because of who they are and how they lead. And so the hope in asking this question, which always comes near the end of the conversations, is to get at those ingredients to their secret sauce. The question isn't "What makes you successful?" It's pointed away from the guest and towards successful leaders in general. But interestingly, to a person, all 13 ended up describing how they've learned to lead.

The guests are:

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From rural Rhode Island to founding and leading one of the country’s top consultancies and one of healthcare’s most respected organizations, Ken Graboys’ story is anything but ordinary.  

In this episode of The Backstory podcast, host Anne Hancock Toomey sits down with Graboys, CEO of Chartis (Jarrard Inc.’s parent company), to discuss moments that shaped his journey. From selling seeds door-to-door, to adventures in Alaska and the Peace Corps to founding Chartis, Graboys shares how early life experiences and a heart-centered approach to business laid the foundation for lasting success. 

The conversation explores his leadership philosophy, the role of mentorship and the values that guide him—authenticity, generosity and a relentless focus on making healthcare better. Plus, Graboys gets personal, reflecting on balancing family and career, learning from mistakes and the power of gratitude. 

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