THRIVING NATIONAL HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATIONS FIRM EXPANDS TEAM

Jarrard adds 11 professionals in consulting, research and creative

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jarrard, a U.S. Top 10 healthcare strategic communications and change management consultancy, is pleased to announce an exceptional slate of new colleagues, including Kate Katz as a senior vice president.

With more than 20 years of experience leading clients in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, Katz excels at helping executive teams optimize performance and achieve strategic, financial and clinical goals.

Prior to joining the firm, Katz served as lead for global consultancy Huron's Healthcare Change Management and Leadership Capability. Earlier, she spent a year at the Center for Health Policy at the Brookings Institution.

"Kate is renowned for her expertise in strategically leading change in the AI era," said Jarrard President and Co-Founder Anne Hancock Toomey. "She is a transformation activator – delivering measurable improvements in organization performance, engagement and sustainability."

New Partners

The firm has also elevated three professionals at the senior leadership level who over their tenures have each excelled in delivering sophisticated, data-driven insights to healthcare organizations navigating reputational, branding and strategic hurdles. They are:

• Tim Stewart has been promoted to senior partner. He joined Jarrard in 2015 and leads the firm's Academic Health System Practice and its thought leadership program.
• Milli Vincent has been elevated to partner. She joined the firm in 2019 and serves as deputy lead for the firm's 20-person Academic Health Systems Practice.
• Crista Stark has been named partner. She joined the firm as chief growth officer in 2022 following a career driving organic growth and value creation for healthcare organizations.

"These individuals bring unmatched strategic impact not only to their work with clients but also to the firm's growth and development," Toomey said. "Each also serves as cultural leader at our firm – shaping their practices and mentoring colleagues."

Additional New Hires

To keep up with surging demand for its services – issue and crisis navigation, change management and growth strategy and positioning – the firm has recently added the following to its now 105-member consulting and professional services teams. New colleagues are:

• Julie Ashby, Vice President/Academic Practice 
  Ashby is steeped in experience with children's hospitals, brand strategy, growth, marketing and health technology, she previously was vice president of marketing for Teladoc's Hospitals & Health Division.
• Zack Rearick, Vice President/Regional Practice
  Rearick is a strategic healthcare communications professional who previously served as a senior vice president at a Philadelphia-based strategic communications firm. Earlier, he headed communications and government relations at one of the fastest-growing nurses' unions in the country.
• Vincent Rhodes, Vice President/Academic Practice
  Rhodes excels at crisis management, engaging audiences and building stronger brands. Prior to joining Jarrard, he was chief communications and marketing officer for Eastern Viginia Medical School.
• Robert Bailey, Associate Vice President/Jarrard Market Research & Insights
  A behavioral researcher, Bailey has two decades of experience across research, agency and public health settings. His previous roles were at Edelman, Harris and Ernst & Young.
• Matt Longman, Associate Vice President/Health Service & Technology Practice
  An expert in corporate and internal communications, digital engagement, crisis management and brand position, Longman previous held leadership positions at HMA and Merck.
• Allison Nemec, Senior Managing Advisor, National Practice
  Nemec brings clients sharp skills in executing large-scale public health and behavior-change campaigns. Prior to Jarrard, Nemec led national health campaigns for CMS at Ketchum PR.
• Chris Robinson, Art Director
  Robinson leverages over a decade of agency-based art direction and design expertise in his work with clients. Having begun his career at Jarrard, he returned to the firm from a role as a senior graphic designer at Raftelis.
• Becky Stinemetze, Marketing Manager
  Stinemetze's experience spans the full spectrum of marketing – from strategic positioning and brand messaging to social media, storytelling and digital analysis. Before Jarrard, she led marketing initiatives for The Geneva Foundation.
• Sophia Schmidt, Senior Advisor, The Advisor Group
  Schmidt is a health communications specialist focusing on the intersection of scientific innovation and strategic storytelling. Prior to Jarrard, she worked in the London office of Porter Novelli.
• Ashley Cunigan, Advisor, The Advisor Group
  Cunigan excels at shaping healthcare messages into clear, engaging materials that resonate with key audiences. Before joining the firm, she worked in civic impact communications at ECPR Texas.

About Jarrard

Jarrard is a specialized healthcare consulting firm devoted to helping leaders during high-stakes moments of change, challenge and growth. We use the power of communications, marketing, research and political strategy to help our clients achieve their most important goals. Founded in 2006, the firm has worked with more than 1,800 clients in 49 states and focuses on critical moments – from crisis and issue navigation to change leadership to brand position to research and growth. Jarrard is a division of Chartis, one of the nation's leading healthcare advisory firms. For more information, visit jarrardinc.com or follow us @JarrardInc.

SOURCE Jarrard Inc.