The Backstory, formerly the High Stakes Podcast, is a new, limited series from Jarrard Inc. President and Co-Founder Anne Hancock Toomey.
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.
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202. From Camp Counselor to Elite Athlete, Author and Entrepreneur, with Jennifer Pharr Davis
Season 2 · Episode 2
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 • Duration 45:51
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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201. From Burnt-Out Young Lawyer to Healthcare Media Mogul, with Scott Becker
Season 2 · Episode 1
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • Duration 40:32
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.
02:16 Building Becker's Healthcare
05:11 Family and Upbringing
08:11 Law School, Early Legal Career and Leadership
18:30 Launching the ASC Newsletter
19:56 Interviewing Fascinating Personalities
23:00 Learning from Celebrity Interactions
27:36 Developing Leaders and Building Teams
30:20 Lessons from Mistakes and Life Experiences
32:17 Staying Active and Avoiding Regrets
33:16 Characteristics of Effective Leaders
34:32 Lightning Round
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Welcome to Season 2 of The Backstory
Season 2
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 • Duration 01:28
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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18. From Hardware Store to Healthcare Entrepreneur, with Kenny Hancock
Season 1 · Episode 18
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 • Duration 40:05
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.
1:36 Family Values and Lessons
6:02 Growing Up in Russellville, KY
15:24 Transition to Healthcare and challenges in medical device sales
19:54 Moving to Nashville and New Ventures
21:16 A Life-Changing Decision
28:30 The Formation of Lync Health Partners
30:15 Reflecting on Mistakes and Accomplishments
32:58 Leadership Insights and Personal Reflections
35:51 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts
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17. From Basketball Coach to Physician Executive, with Dr. David Miller
Season 1 · Episode 17
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 • Duration 37:57
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.
2:05 Early Life and Influences
4:46 First Job and Lessons Learned
8:25 College and Medical School Journey
9:31 Choosing Urology and Career Path
13:50 Transition to Administration
17:30 Balancing Clinical Practice and Leadership
19:43 Upcoming Role as CEO
22:36 Addressing Trust in Healthcare
27:19 Family and Personal Life
30:04 Leadership Insights and Advice
34:43 Lightning Round and Closing Remarks
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16. From Post-War Microlending to Healthcare Private Equity, with Ram Jagannath
Season 1 · Episode 16
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 • Duration 42:26
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.
4:20 First Jobs and Early Lessons
11:44 College Years and Discovering Fulfillment
13:28 Life-Changing Experience in Croatia
20:09 Transition to Finance and Wall Street
22:42 Discovering Private Equity
25:10 Journey into Healthcare Investing
30:29 Founding a New Firm and Personal Loss
34:52 Leadership Qualities and Values
39:14 Lightning Round: Personal Insights
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15. From Passing out in Biology Class to Health System CEO, with Ric Ransom
Season 1 · Episode 15
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 • Duration 40:20
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.
02:15 Early Life, First Jobs and Leadership Influences
09:21 Journey Through Education and Career Beginnings
11:27 Transition to Healthcare Administration
17:13 Leadership Philosophy and Crisis Management
20:54 Challenges and Surprises as a CEO
23:49 Learning from Mistakes
29:07 Staying Healthy and Hobbies
30:07 Effective Leadership Traits
35:55 Lightning Round
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14. From Kiwifruit Farming to Academic Medicine CEO, with Wendy Horton
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 • Duration 38:51
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.
01:09 Pickleball Adventures and Injuries
02:16 Wendy's Career in Academic Medicine
03:07 Early Life and Family Background
06:20 First Jobs and Early Influences
14:22 Transition to Leadership Roles
15:47 UW Health and Building a New Hospital
20:33 Move to Ohio State and Leadership Lessons
24:45 Joining UVA Health During the Pandemic
28:42 Reflections on Career and Leadership
30:32 Family Life and Balancing Priorities
36:07 Lightning Round and Final Thoughts
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Bonus: 13 Leaders, One Big Question
Season 1 · Episode 14
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 • Duration 17:56
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:
Pete November, CEO of Ochsner Health
Chris Roth, President and CEO of St. Luke's Health System
Sheri Shapiro, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of CommonSpirit Health
Bill Southwick, former CEO of QualDerm Partners
Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD, MHCM, Executive VP and Chief Physician Executive, Houston Methodist
Phil Roe, former CEO and current Senior Advisor of Martin Ventures
Joann Anderson, Former President and CEO of UNC Health Southeastern
Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health
Michael Wiechart, President of TEAMHealth
Rhonda Brandon, Chief Human Resources Officer at Duke University Health System
David Jarrard, Founder and Executive Chairman of Jarrard Inc.
Tim Johnsen, SVP & COO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Ken Graboys, CEO of Chartis
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13. From Peace Corps to Healthcare Industry Change Agent, with Ken Graboys
Season 1 · Episode 13
Wednesday, December 18, 2024 • Duration 42:03
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.
01:29 Intro and Connection Between Chartis, Jarrard
03:50 Graboys' Early Life and Formative Jobs
12:28 Leadership Lessons from the Peace Corps
21:52 Founding Chartis and the Turning Point
24:43 Overcoming Challenges and Defining Success
28:03 Balancing Family, Work, and Growth
39:35 Lightning Round: Quickfire Reflections
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