Business Digest: Kassebaum rejoins Austin Hatcher as director of clinical research

Kassebaum rejoins Austin Hatcher as director of clinical research

Former staff member Patricia Kassebaum has returned to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer as its director of clinical services and research.

Kassebaum previously served as the foundation’s clinic director from 2009-2013. She has worked at Erlanger Health Systems Physicians Services the last five years, as a practice manager, responsible for daily operations of two medical practices. In her new position, she is responsible for coordination, execution and tracking of the foundation’s clinical and research-related services and the development of new programs and research.

“We couldn’t be happier about this ‘second time around’ scenario involving Trish,” said Austin Hatcher Foundation President Amy Jo Osborn. “She will be a great addition, as we continue to ramp up operations at our Education Advancement Center where we provide services to children and family members facing the challenges of a fight against cancer.”

Kassebaum has worked in the medical field since 1979, with much of that time spent in the Chattanooga area, including a four-year stint at Spine Surgery Associates in Chattanooga. During that period she worked as a practice coordinator for Dr. Jim Osborn, a noted spinal surgeon and the chairman/co-founder of the Austin Hatcher Foundation.

In addition, Kassebaum is the chairperson of the Southeast Tennessee Cancer Coalition Childhood Committee. She also has served as the state vice chair of the Tennessee Cancer Coalition from 2011 to 2012.

CHI Memorial names Reilly as market chief executive

Janelle Reilly has been named market chief executive officer (CEO) for CHI Memorial.

Larry Schumacher, who formerly served at CHI Memorial’s market CEO, will now focus exclusively on his role as senior vice president, CHI divisional operations, southeast division. Reilly will report jointly to the Board of Directors of CHI Memorial and to Schumacher.

Reilly joined CHI Memorial as president and chief operating officer in July 2016, and has held responsibility for the daily operation of the acute care hospitals, while providing executive guidance for cardiac, oncology, orthopedics, surgery, and hospital medicine.

“During her tenure, Janelle has led efforts to optimize quality, safety, and the patient experience in partnership with our physicians, and maximize clinical operations to deliver value to the community,” Schumacher said. “Her leadership and focus has led to CHI Memorial being ranked among the top 0.6% of hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report, receiving the nation’s top customer loyalty rating from the National Research Corporation, and a four-star CMS Hospital Quality ranking.”

Reilly’s most notable achievements include leading the integration of CHI Memorial’s newly acquired hospital, CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia, shepherding investment in tele-tracking as a tool to improve throughput and patient flow progression, leading the electronic medical record vendor selection process and serving as executive sponsor, and guiding the formation of four key service line strategic plans that have resulted in significant service line growth.

Prior to joining CHI Memorial, Reilly served as the chief operating officer and chief strategy officer for Presence Health, Chicago, Illinois, the largest Catholic health system in Illinois comprised of 11 acute care and long-term acute care hospitals, 27 long-term care and senior living facilities, dozens of physician offices and health centers, home care, hospice, palliative care, behavioral health services and a clinical integration organization with 4,000 providers serving 250,000 members.

Market Street Partners promotes Shipp, Moore

Market Street Partners has promoted John Shipp, CPA, to partner and chief operating officer and elevated Joshua Moore, CPA, to a senior tax manager.

Founded in 2016 as “the accounting firm for startups,” ” Market Street Partners has grown to serve both startups and legacy companies with its accounting services.

Shipp is a UTC graduate and former Marine, who has over 12 years of accounting, financial analysis, and auditing experience. Prior to his recent promotion, Shipp served as a senior manager at Market Street Partners.

Moore, also a UTC graduate, has accumulated 10 years of accounting, financial reporting, and specialized tax experience.

Polino joins Siskin clinic in Cleveland

Siskin Hospital announces that Holly Polino, SLP, has joined its Outpatient Therapy Services, Cleveland clinic. Polino is a licensed speech-language pathologist with more than 10 years of adult rehabilitation experience.

Polino obtained her master of science degree in speech-language pathology from Loma Linda University in California and is certified in the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT). She has more than eight years of experience utilizing this method of therapy for those with Parkinson’s Disease or other neurological conditions. She is also a VitalStim and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) provider.

CoPAC Welcomes New Barking Legs Theater Staff

Barking Legs Theater has added award-winning local artist and writer Marcus Ellsworth as the artistic managing director and arts activist and educator Ayana Clemmons as director of education.

Prior to joining Barking Legs Theater, Ellsworth worked as a writer for MTV News Politics. He has served in leadership roles for various non-profit organizations around the nation. He is also a Chattanooga-based poet, spoken word artist and the host and organizer of The Floor is Yours at Barking Legs Theater. The New Orleans native has two self-published books of poetry, Harlequin Fires and When the World was Round, and is often involved with organizing eclectic collaborative work with other performing artists in the Chattanooga area. Ellsworth attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Clemmons is a cultural organizer, educator and trained dancer. She most recently served as the program director for Full Circle Teaching Artists Program, a Barking Legs educational outreach program that has been instrumental in transforming arts education in the Hamilton County public school system.

Bruce Kaplan said that the new staff was a strategic hire to support the non-profit’s growth and sustainability.

“With the additions of Ayanna and Marcus, the synergies that have evolved and the momentum that has been created have been remarkable,” he said.

Herra joins CHI Memorial Medical Group

Jenifer Herra, M.D., has joined CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates – Soddy Daisy.

Dr. Herra received her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in West Indies. She completed a residency in internal medicine at University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga.

She joins Laura Hill, M.D., Alex Ronin, MSN, NP-C, and Danielle A. Vandergriff, MSN, FNP-C at the Soddy Daisy medical office.

Little earns Subaru technician certification

David Little met the experience and training qualifications to earn Subaru Of America’s highest technician certification of Senior Master Subaru Technician.

Little has 40 years experience as an automotive technician with Domestic, European, and Asian vehicle manufacturers. He has been an ASE Master Automobile Technician since 1987. Little has been employed by Kelly Subaru since 2011.

CNE adds three board members

The Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise has added City Councilman Erskine Ogelsby, Jr., Steve Hunt from Berry & Hunt, and Andrea Glass from Hollywog to its board of directors.

Oglesby is the council’s vice-chairman for 2018-2019. He is currently the chair of the Council’s Legislative Review Committee for 2018-2019. He worked for the United Way of Greater Chattanooga; Southeast Tennessee Development District’s (SETDD) Tennessee Career Center; the Salvation Army in Mississippi and Louisiana; and spent 10 years in executive positions at the YMCA in Durham NC, Boston MA, Charlotte NC and Jackson MS. Oglesby is also president of the 100 Black Men of Chattanooga, Inc. and Treasurer of the 5th District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Since 1986, Hunt’s work efforts have concentrated almost exclusively in the area of office building development and redevelopment, commercial real estate leasing, sales and property management. He is a native of Chattanooga, Hunt also serves on the board of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; the Commercial Realtors Council of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors; the Tennessee Association of Realtors Commercial Forms Committee; and is a current and founding board member of Emily’s Power for a Cure Foundation.

Glass is a Chattanooga native and works for Hollywog, LLC, a locally owned and operated medical device manufacturer, as the Quality Systems Coordinator. She formerly worked in scholarship and grant management in the educational services industry before moving back home to Chattanooga in the fall of 2015. She attended MTSU School of Business from 2005-2009 for her B.B.A in Entrepreneurship.

Landers join IPSCO as benefit specialist

Insurance Planning & Service Company, LLC (IPSCO) has added Katie Landers as employee benefit specialist.

Landers assists employers with implementing attractive, well designed benefit packages that meet their distinct needs and budget. Her career started in 2007 as an Aflac Associate earning the prestigious President’s Club and Million Dollar Club awards. She later worked for Aflac Corporate’s Broker Solutions Team as Broker Sales Consultant.

Wilson named parks director in East Ridge

Adam Wilson is the new director of the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of East Ridge. He brings nearly 14 years of experience as a professional administrator with Catoosa County Parks and Recreation.

Wilson said he wants to drive out-of-town visitors to the City of East Ridge through sports tourism. Wilson said East Ridge has the perfect location – right off I-75, Exit 1, at Camp Jordan – to be the premier facility in the region.

Dockery to head BlueCross brand voice

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has promoted Emily Dockery to a new role as director of brand voice.

In this position, Dockery will lead efforts to make BlueCross communications with members, customers, providers, and other business partners as clear and effective as possible – all with the goal of delivering on the company’s mission of peace of mind through better health.

She previously served as the company’s first manager of brand voice, where she led teams charged with revamping required communications regarding benefits and claims, as well as developing new content for all lines of business.

Over the past 13 years at BlueCross, Dockery has served in several communications positions supporting a variety of internal and external business partners. As manager of the provider communications team, she oversaw communications with more than 29,000 network providers and provided essential support to the teams managing the company’s relationships with providers.

“Emily’s leadership skills and rapport with teams across our company have been key to the successful implementation of our brand voice efforts,” said Roy Vaughn, senior vice president and chief communications officer for BlueCross. “We are pleased to have her lead our ongoing effort to ensure our communications reflect the heart of our organization.”

Dockery earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. She is a member of the first class of the BlueCross Emerging Leaders Program and a member of the 2018-2019 class of Leadership Chattanooga.

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