EP. 86 Start-up whirlwind. Cementing your place at the table.

Laurie McGraw is speaking with Inspiring Woman Cassie Smith, Chief of Staff for Wellvana Health.  When Cassie moved to Nashville, she wanted to work at HCA and she did.  When she received a call to be employee #3 at a small primary care start up, she surprised even herself when she said YES.  Start ups may seem glamorous but as Cassie well knows they are filled with many ups and downs.  There have been stressful times with entire leadership changes where she has never worked harder.  When she has doubts, she calls that same trusted friend her brought her to Wellvana in the first place.  When new leaders, all men, joined the company, she found she needed to cement her place at the leadership table, and she is quite happy that she did.   She has high hopes for the company despite all the hard work and fast pace and she wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.   Cassie Smith Chief of Staff, Wellvana Health Cassie Smith joined Wellvana in September of 2020 and now serves as the Company’s Chief of Staff, where she oversees strategic business initiatives, drives alignment across executives and their teams, and optimizes efficiency and productivity across the Company. Prior to joining Wellvana, Mrs. Smith was with HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit healthcare system in the world, where she worked on several teams, including Strategy and Innovation, where she supported both corporate and hospital-level strategic initiatives. Prior to HCA, Mrs. Smith was with Ascension Care Management and Boston Healthcare Associates. Cassie Smith brings to Wellvana an impressive background in healthcare, with extensive knowledge in strategic consulting, health policy and value based care. Mrs. Smith holds a degree in economics from Connecticut College and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Vanderbilt University. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and mini Aussiedoodle. You can follow Cassie on LinkedIn.