National healthcare consultancy adds 15 colleagues across consulting and operations

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jarrard today announced the expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities focused on helping healthcare organizations align leadership, build organizational readiness and earn the trust necessary to bring colleagues and patients through significant change.

Today’s announcement also includes the addition of 15 professionals – with expertise from crisis navigation to change management – to meet growing client demand.

Partner James Cervantes will lead Jarrard’s AI consulting and strategy in the newly created role of AI Lead, helping healthcare leaders align around AI, prepare their organizations for change and build trust among employees, physicians, patients and other stakeholders. He will also lead Jarrard’s internal AI strategy and enablement, embedding responsible AI into client delivery and developing new AI-enabled capabilities and offerings with Chartis, of which Jarrard has been a business unit since 2020.

“AI is fundamentally changing how healthcare organizations operate, communicate and lead, and our clients are looking for practical guidance on how to harness its potential responsibly,” said Jarrard President and Founding Partner Anne Hancock Toomey. “James is a trusted strategic guide with a deep understanding of operational and clinical transformation, as well as the expertise to lead through change, challenge and growth in today’s AI era.”

As part of its investment in AI leadership, Jarrard has also hired Meltem Singh, Senior Vice President of AI Strategy and Enablement. Singh will work alongside Cervantes to build and scale Jarrard’s AI capabilities, develop AI-enabled solutions and help clients translate the potential of AI into practical applications and meaningful organizational change.

Singh brings more than 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, life sciences, technology and consulting to the firm. She previously served as a managing partner at Gartner, where she advised Fortune 100 executives and led complex, multi-year transformation initiatives valued at more than $500 million. Her career focus has been AI and data strategy, enterprise transformation, mergers and acquisitions, product management, technology leadership and management consulting.

“Meltem brings a rare combination of deep healthcare knowledge, technical expertise and experience leading complex transformation at scale,” said Toomey. “She will help us build the capabilities our clients need to move from experimenting with AI to putting it to work in ways that create real value for their organizations and the people they serve.”

A Strong Slate of New Colleagues

To meet growing demand for its services – including issue and crisis navigation, change management, growth strategy and positioning, research and creative – the firm recently added 15 colleagues to its 107-member consulting and professional services team. They are:

Erin George, Vice President
Previously VP of healthcare technology consultancy Innsena, George has advised clients ranging from emerging health tech companies to national provider and payer organizations. Before that, she spent more than a decade at healthcare communications agency Lovell Communications, helping leadership teams strengthen their reputations and communicate effectively. George began her career as a business journalist covering healthcare, technology and other industries.

Colby Gallagher, Associate Vice President
Gallagher brings deep experience in reputation management and helps clients in Jarrard’s Regional Health Systems Practice navigate high-stakes moments. Previously, a chief counselor at AKCG, she led the strategy and delivery of programs designed to preserve stakeholder trust in the aging services and academic sectors. Gallagher began her career in broadcast journalism, where she honed her skills in distilling complex subjects to tell meaningful stories.

Kate Derrick, Senior Managing Advisor
A strategic communicator with deep experience in academic health systems and public policy, Derrick advises leaders on communications strategy, reputation management and high-stakes issues. Prior to Jarrard, she served as AVP for communications and advocacy at Complete College America and assistant vice chancellor at Vanderbilt University.

Lisa Lazaro, Senior Managing Advisor
Lazaro brings extensive experience in medical staff governance, credentialing, physician onboarding, peer review and regulatory readiness. Prior to Jarrard, she held progressive leadership roles in medical affairs and medical staff services.

Tynisha Revasz, Senior Project Manager
Revasz has more than 12 years of experience supporting complex health systems and organizations. She brings expertise in project and program management, data analytics, performance improvement and process development.

Jewanna Apawu, Senior Managing Advisor, Philanthropy
With a 20-year tenure in stewardship operations, Apawu is a trusted philanthropy professional who partners with healthcare organizations to invigorate donor engagement. Previously, she was senior director of stewardship at Rush University Medical Center.

Rachel Rochefort, Manager, Business Development and Consulting Operations
Rochefort brings more than a decade of experience in operations management and organizational strategy. Before Jarrard, she was director of operations at Council Leadership and spent more than eight years with the national advisory firm Stout.

Katie Gaines, Executive Assistant
Gaines offers deep expertise in administrative support, operations and event planning to Jarrard. Previously, she worked in a Nashville-based healthcare practice.

Gaby Chorro, Advisor
Chorro is a health communications specialist with a foundation in public health communications and experience in highly regulated healthcare environments. Before joining the firm, she worked at GCI Health and at Porter Novelli.

Jenna Grundtner, Advisor
Grundtner shapes healthcare messages into content that resonates with key audiences. Before joining the firm, she worked in healthcare content marketing at Unlock Health.

Samantha Holt, Advisor
Holt brings experience in academic medicine communications and digital marketing management. She joined the firm from Boston Medical Center, where she supported communications for cardiovascular medicine. 

Anna Mizerowski, Advisor
Mizerowski is a skilled, versatile communicator with experience ranging from broadcast journalism to client service. Previously, she was an account executive at Connect2 Communications, where she supported telecommunications clients.

Manuela Pineiros, Advisor
Pineiros brings experience in earned media, strategic storytelling and integrated communications campaigns. Previously, she was an associate at Golin Ketchum.

Charlotte Milliken, Advisor
Milliken brings well-rounded experience in internal and donor-facing communications across higher education and scientific research institutions. Before Jarrard, she worked at the Abrams Research Center on Neurogenomics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

About Jarrard 

Jarrard is a specialized healthcare consulting firm devoted to helping leaders during high-stakes moments of change, challenge and growth. The firm uses 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 positioning 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.

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SOURCE Jarrard Inc.