The Backstory

Jarrard Inc.

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.

  1. Sep 23 ·  Bonus

    From Plowing Snow to Leading Healthcare Transformation, with Warner Thomas

    It's a bonus! In this special edition episode , Anne Hancock Toomey interviews Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health. They start with a note about the first podcast Anne ever hosted - a 2020 conversation with Thomas that reminds us all of how much has changed even as the principles of authentic leadership haven't. From there, Thomas traces his path from a disciplined, outdoorsy childhood in Vermont to pumping gas, plowing snow, and later studying accounting and computer information systems. Like many guests, Thomas hadn't planned on a healthcare career. He instead started with an eye towards investment banking, training at Ernst & Young before making the leap and heading to. Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. There, an early mentor shaped his leadership perspective and professional experience. Later on, Thomas spent 24 years at Ochsner Health, rising to CEO leading major growth and innovation and learning to center strategy on patients and purpose through initiatives like “Power of One,” while prioritizing people during Katrina and COVID. Joining Sutter four years ago, he became the system's first outsider CEO in 40 years. He began his tenure with a deep and thoughtful talent assessment, then built a rapid growth strategy including ambulatory expansion. Throughout it all, Thomas has emphasized communication, trust and the key leadership traits of being humble, hungry, smart and curious. 2:18 Life in California 3:53 Vermont Roots 6:13 First Jobs 10:24 Mentors and Leadership Style 14:29 Learning Mindset and Strategy 17:19 Ochsner Growth Lessons 21:20 Purpose and Culture  25:22 Joining Sutter 31:56 Leadership Traits 34:15 Lightning Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    From Plowing Snow to Leading Healthcare Transformation, with Warner Thomas
  2. Jun 24

    From Local Newspaper Delivery to National Philanthropy Leader, with Cynthia Brandt, PhD

    In the final episode of Season 2, Anne Hancock Toomey interviews Cynthia Brandt, PhD. Brandt is CEO of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and a deeply respected leader in the world of philanthropy. Brandt reflects on growing up in the Midwest in a minister’s family, early lessons in authenticity from a difficult camping experience and the teacher who led the excursion, and how receiving scholarships didn’t just make higher education for her but also sparked her belief that philanthropy can change lives. Before joining the foundation that helps power Stanford Children’s Health, Brandt built her career through a series of impressive roles. After work in banking and nonprofit roles, she pursued sociology in graduate school, worked at Stanford, moved to a profoundly meaningful role at Mills College, and later led a record-breaking Smithsonian campaign that exceeded its $1.5B goal by educating the public through grassroots storytelling. She discusses her CEO learning curve through the pandemic, a stewardship mistake that reshaped her approach, leadership traits like culture, humility, and clarity, and her focus on joy and purpose at work. 1:40 Midwest Roots 4:22 A Lesson from Camping 06:44 Scholarships Changed Everything 10:52 Finding Sociology 12:18 Stanford And Mills 16:57 The Smithsonian and Storytelling At Scale 22:38 From the Smithsonian To Children’s Health 26:10 First Time CEO Lessons…and Mistakes 31:46 Traits Of Great Leaders 34:52 Lightning Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    From Local Newspaper Delivery to National Philanthropy Leader, with Cynthia Brandt, PhD
  3. May 6

    From Pumping Gas to CEO of Leading Children’s Hospitals, with Dr. Patrick Frias

    Dr. Patrick Frias is a truly unique leader with a truly unique story. Today, he is wrapping up his tenure as Co-President and Chief Executive Officer of Rady Children’s Health before heading back to his old stomping grounds in Georgia to lead Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In episode 209 of the Backstory, Anne Hancock Toomey interviews Dr. Frias about how he became who he is today and the way he thinks about leadership. co-CEO of Rady Children’s Health, noting that after their recording he was announced as the next leader of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He was born in Chile, raised in Gainesville, Fla., and finished college in Nebraska as a theology major before heading off to medical school to become a pediatric cardiologist. Along the way, he learned from – and was deeply supported by – his family during some tough childhood years. He also learned how to treat people thanks to an early job pumping gas at a local Mobile station. Today, he leads by focusing on mission and people first, and in this conversation he and Anne talk about: How to stay grounded and steady through both success and adversity The importance of surrounding yourself with talented people and empowering them to lead Leading with humility, empathy and a clear sense of purpose, especially in a complex world like healthcare Chapters: 1:57 Roots in Chile and Florida 3:42 Bullying and Empathy 4:29 First Jobs 6:27 Creighton, Theology and Pediatric Cardiology 11:41 Atlanta Career and Leadership Rise 15:07 Healthcare Leadership Realities 17:26 Becoming Rady CEO 24:55 Merger Mission and Stakeholders 30:13 Leadership Traits and Growth Edge 32:07 Lightning Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    From Pumping Gas to CEO of Leading Children’s Hospitals, with Dr. Patrick Frias
  4. 12/17/2025

    From Dairy Farmer to Intermountain Health CEO, with Rob Allen

    Rob Allen is CEO of Intermountain Health, one of the nation's largest and most innovative health systems. In this episode, host Anne Hancock Toomey talks with allen Allen about his journey from growing up on a dairy farm in Wyoming to becoming a healthcare CEO at the age of 28. And if you're thinking you've heard the farm-to-CEO story before, you'd be right. Several of Anne's Backstory guests come from a similar background and here, they discuss parts of that life that may point people to careers in executive leadership. Beyond that, Allen discusses the valuable lessons learned from his rural upbringing, the various roles he undertook in healthcare from nursing homes to hospitals, and his commitment to servant leadership. He delves into his early career challenges, including turnarounds of financially struggling hospitals, the significance of a people-first mindset, and the necessity of addressing the correct problems in leadership. As he recounts his progression through different roles at Intermountain Health, Rob emphasizes the importance of transparency, hope, and engaging employees to achieve organizational success. He also opens up about balancing his demanding career with family life and offers advice for aspiring leaders. The conversation highlights Rob's visionary approach in simplifying healthcare and expanding proactive care, and the importance of authenticity, purpose, and compassion in leadership. 2:24 Early Life on the Farm 6:35 Influential Figures 8:38 College Years and Career Beginnings 11:40 Transition to Healthcare Administration & Leadership Challenges 17:28 Turnaround Success Stories 21:01 Career Moves and New Opportunities 22:14 Returning to Intermountain Health 24:37 Building a Hospital in Park City 33:05 Balancing Family and Career 35:27 Lightning Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    From Dairy Farmer to Intermountain Health CEO, with Rob Allen
5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

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.