LOGICALLY MINDED CREATIVE AT HEART

Where I am from, cornbread is magic and must be conjured in a cast-iron skillet.  I am a 6th generation Georgian and a graduate of Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville. Believe it not, I actually know who both Flannery O’Connor and Sidney Lanier are...having read numerous of her short stories and many of his poems. 

Ever since reading a book as a teenager about how Galileo’s theories contradicted the deep rooted ideas of the 16th century world, I have never stopped admiring those who challenged the status quo.  And over the years, I have I been fortunate enough in both my personal and professional life to work with the very people who have done just that.  The MacGyver’s of the world who are able to solve complex, seemingly impossible problems with nothing but their wit, a few ordinary objects and a Swiss Army Knife.  

I have also learned a few things along the way like nothing great can be achieved without enthusiasm, perpetual optimism is a force multiplier, your best assets are your people, having a broader purpose (one that goes beyond self-interest alone) together with enduring moral values helps make you a better leader, and extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus.  I have honed my skills by working with some pretty cool companies too including Vyne Medical, The Advisory Board, McKesson, AHI Software, HealthTrust, Change Healthcare, Recondo Technology, MedeAnalytics, SCI Solutions, Phreesia, Aspirion Health Resources, MedAssets, Conifer Health Solutions, Athenahealth, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Verity Health System, and GE Healthcare. 

I love to write. Flannery O’Connor said “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I said.” Being a writer lets me do exactly that.  Like the cornbread, there is a little bit of magic in it too.  I love project and strategic planning. It requires discipline, problem solving, noticing patterns, gathering information, and being a great listener.  As a result, your mind becomes honed and you are able to understand more and more of what it takes to help organizations innovate and remain competitive.  I love analytics. It’s exciting. You can monitor and predict outcomes for almost anything you might imagine.  It satisfies curiosity too. I don’t simply want the answer; I want to be a part of the discovery process. It’s what you can learn along the way that is the most interesting.  

I have been known to kill a man for coffee, chocolate and bacon.  Ok, maybe not kill a man...but maybe elbow a teenager or two. When I am not working, you can find me with my family either in the kitchen cooking, hiking with our dogs at Pine Mountain or riding our mountain bikes at Flat Rock Creek Park.