Collaboration enables our industry to thrive.

Leaders, Like You, Make it Happen.

There is no better environment than Nashville to foster and execute ideas for transforming the delivery of healthcare. With its collaborative and entrepreneurial spirit, and an unmatched track record of accelerating scale, Nashville is home to a dynamic community of some of healthcare’s brightest innovators and decision-makers.

Council Fellows creates an opportunity for established leaders in healthcare to have the right conversations at a pivotal moment for our industry and to establish a path forward that creates lasting change. Participating organizations gain a seat at the table among a diverse, engaged network of thought leaders who will shape healthcare’s future for years to come.

Meet Michael Burcham, Chair of the Council Fellows

Michael supports and leads dialogue in the classroom. With deep experience in healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, and executive coaching, he brings tremendous value to the Council Fellows program.

Chair of the Council Fellows

Michael Burcham



Meet Former Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, M.D.

The Nashville Health Care Council launched Council Fellows in 2013, to engage and connect the leaders who will shape the future of our industry. The program was founded by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D.

Former Senate Majority Leader

Bill Frist, M.D.



Fellows Advisory Board

The Council Fellows Advisory Board helps curate cutting-edge curriculum and extends the reach of recruitment. These luminaries serve as representatives and spokespeople at the national level. Current Council Fellows Advisory Board members include:

  • Nancy-Ann DeParle
  • David Dill
  • Senator William Frist, M.D. 
  • James Hildreth, Ph. D, M.D.
  • Tony Iton, M.D., JD, MPH
  • Todd Park
  • Reed Tuckson, M.D., FACP
  • Bradford “Ford “Koles

Curriculum

Our dedicated Council Fellow leaders are responsible for curating the cutting-edge curriculum, organizing empowering engagement experiences, and connecting Fellows to one another. These impressive professionals dedicate their industry expertise, time, and resources to create the impactful programs we offer today. Thanks to this prominent group, we provide immersion activities, social events, and productive discussions with the world’s most revolutionary healthcare organizations.

Apply Now

Past Faculty

Top healthcare leaders from around the country engage with the Council Fellows throughout the program. Past faculty members include:

  • Richard Ashworth, President, CEO and Board Member, Tivity Health, Inc. 
  • Bo Bartholomew, CEO, EvidenceCare | Managing Partner, Rockmont Investments 
  • Kevin Billups, MD, Professor of Urology & Internal Medicine, Director of Men’s Health, Chief Medical Officer MMG Vaccine and Immunization Program, Meharry Medical College 
  • Marty Bonick, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ardent Health Services 
  • Quincy J. Byrdsong, EdD, CIP, CCRRP, Vice Provost for Health Affairs, Lipscomb University 
  • Beth Chase, Founder and CEO, c3/consulting 
  • Representative Jim Cooper, U.S. Congress, Tennessee District 5 
  • Neil de Crescenzo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Change Healthcare 
  • Meg G. Crofton, Former President, Walt Disney, Parks & Resorts Operations, US & France 
  • Nancy-Ann DeParle, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Consonance Capital Partners 
  • David Dill, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lifepoint Health  
  • Rohan D’Souza, Chief Product Officer, Olive 
  • Michael Edgeworth, MD, Chief Population Health Officer, Octave Bioscience 
  • Carina Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, Quil Health 
  • Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD, Deputy Administrator and Director, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) 
  • Senator William H. Frist, MD, Chair Emeritus, Council Fellows 
  • Tammy Hawes, CEO and Founder, Virsys12 
  • Caleb Gallifant, Vice President of Product and Strategic Partnerships, Humana 
  • Darin J. Gordon, President and CEO of Gordon & Associates, LLC, Founding Partner of Speire Healthcare Strategies, LLC 
  • Lance Gruner, Executive Vice President, Global Customer Care, Mastercard 
  • Ray Guzman, Founding CEO, SwitchPoint Ventures, Council Fellows Alumnus 
  • Eric D. Hargan, JD, Former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Founder and CEO of The Hargan Group 
  • James E. K. Hildreth, PhD, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Meharry Medical College 
  • Anthony B. Iton, MD, JD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Healthy Communities 
  • Paul H. Keckley, Ph.D., Managing Editor, The Keckley Report 
  • Chandra McMahon, Sr. Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, CVS Health 
  • Marcus Osborne, Former Senior Vice President of Health Transformation, Walmart 
  • Todd Park, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Devoted Health 
  • Saurabh Sinha, Founder and CEO, Emids 
  • Stephen Smith, Deputy Commissioner and Director, TennCare 
  • Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS 
  • Reed V. Tuckson, MD, FACP, Managing Director, Tuckson Health Connections, LLC, Executive in Residency, Council Fellows 
  • Paul Vernich, Co-Founder and CEO, Winnow 
  • Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Senior Vice President and Senior Associate Dean for Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence

Alumni

Participants in each graduating class of Council Fellows can continue their learning and connection-building through the Council Fellows Alumni program. Participating Alumni can attend in-depth sessions and intimate dinners with classmates and other invited guests.

Meet Our Alumni