Executive Leadership

Rick Jackson is founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Jackson Healthcare. The organization he launched in 2000 has steadily expanded through a mix of acquisition and organic growth, and today includes 16 healthcare staffing, search and technology companies that are leaders and innovators in their respective markets. Jackson Healthcare crossed the two-billion-dollar annual revenue mark in 2022, and today is one of the largest healthcare staffing firms in the U.S.

Over the course of his career, Rick has been instrumental in conceptualizing and developing more than 25 healthcare companies. His ownership and operation of staffing companies, surgery centers, practice management companies, clinics and hospitals over the past four decades have uniquely qualified him to start, grow and scale businesses in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry. With deep domain experience and a passion for the market, Rick has a proven track record in anticipating opportunities and identifying underserved niches – and continues to play an active role in transforming the way healthcare is delivered.

As a former foster child, Rick is driven by a personal mission to inject hope and opportunity into the lives of underserved children and young people. Rick is co-founder and chairman of FaithBridge Foster Care and supports numerous local and international charitable organizations. He also is the founding chairman of goBeyondProfit, a first-of-its-kind business leader-to-leader initiative that promotes the belief that giving back is good for business and good for Georgia.

Shane Jackson serves as president of Jackson Healthcare and is the primary guiding force for its mission of improving the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone it touches. Since assuming this role in 2014, he has consistently led the organization of 16 healthcare staffing, search and technology companies to growth of more than double the industry average, crossing the two-billion-dollar annual revenue mark in 2022. Prior to his current position, he was president of LocumTenens.com, Patient Placement Systems and NextStart Capital.

Shane is an advocate for the power of business leaders as a positive force for people and the community. He is a speaker on the conference circuit and frequently writes on the topic of intentionally nurturing a values-based culture. In addition to having served as a contributor to media outlets, including Forbes and Fast Company, he shares insight into leadership, culture and living with purpose on his website, ShaneJackson.com. In 2018, he published Fostering Culture: A Leader’s Guide to Purposely Shaping Culture, his first book chronicling his philosophy on workplace culture.

Over the past six years, Shane has been recognized on Staffing Industry Analysts’ Staffing 100, a list of the top North American leaders shaping the industry and influencing the workforce solutions ecosystem. In 2022, he was named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s Georgia 500 and the Georgia Titan 100 lists. And in 2020, he received the distinguished Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award from HERO, the Health Enhancement Research Organization, for his contributions in advancing employee health and wellbeing — as well as the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Corporate Citizenship Award.

At Jackson Healthcare, Shane also champions the organization’s LoveLifts community impact platform that focuses on improving access to healthcare and improving the wellbeing of young people. In 2016, he spearheaded the launch of the nonprofit venture Connecting Kids With Care, aligning volunteer doctors and nurses to deliver free, tech-enabled healthcare to thousands of global orphans.

Shane serves on the boards of 3DE and King’s Ridge Christian School. He also is vice chair of the leader-led goBeyondProfit business initiative that promotes the belief that giving back is good for business and good for Georgia. He earned an MBA from Emory University and Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Harding University.

Scott L’Heureux serves as president of Jackson Healthcare’s nurse and allied health group, a portfolio of brands that include traditional, travel and international nurse staffing; executive recruitment and consulting; pharmacy; physical, occupational and speech therapy; and vendor management.

A recognized healthcare business leader for more than 30 years, 25 of which have been with the Jackson Healthcare family of companies, Scott provides overarching strategy, supporting the growth of each of the individual businesses that comprise the group—including Avant Healthcare Professionals, Healthcare Workforce Logistics, Jackson Nurse Professionals, Jackson Pharmacy Professionals, Jackson Therapy Partners, Kirby Bates Associates and Sullivan Healthcare Consulting —while fostering collaboration and maximizing synergies as they work together to help clients and clinicians achieve their goals.

Other roles he has held include positions with Surgical Information Systems, where he was CEO, EnableSoft Software (now Nintex), McKesson, IBAX Healthcare Systems (now Scrip) and Pharmacia & Upjohn (now Pfizer). Scott holds a bachelor and master’s degree in finance and management from Georgia State University. He is an adjunct professor at Seminole State College, also serving on the advisory board for its business school. Scott also is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Healthcare Information Management Systems Society and Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Leslie Kurtz serves as chief financial officer for Jackson Healthcare. In this role, she is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s financial functions, including accounting, audit, tax, treasury, corporate finance, financial planning and analysis, and risk management.

With more than 30 years of progressive experience in finance and operating roles, Leslie has deep expertise in creating systems and processes to support rapidly growing businesses. She has established a reputation for building high performing finance teams, and for aligning financial and operational goals to support business strategy and growth. Before joining Jackson Healthcare, she was CFO at MedQuest Associates. Prior to that, she worked with multiple companies in accounting and operational senior leadership roles, including Arthur Andersen, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Irwin & Browning and Right Management.

Leslie serves on a number of boards, including Junior Achievement of Georgia, on the executive committee; Faith Bridge Foster Care, on the audit committee; and Voices for Georgia’s Children, on the finance and governance committees. She also is on the advisory board of the CFO Forum in Atlanta and on the Business Advisory Council of the University of Dayton School of Business. In 2019, Leslie was recognized by the CFO Forum, receiving its Annual Preeminence Award. She graduated with honors from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.

Jay D. Mitchell serves as general counsel for Jackson Healthcare. In his position, he is responsible for all legal affairs for the organization, including providing legal services support for the Jackson Healthcare family of companies.

Jay joined Jackson Healthcare from King & Spalding in Atlanta, where he served as senior counsel. Prior to that, he worked for Piedmont Healthcare, where he held the positions of chief compliance officer, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Other roles he has held include serving as senior attorney at HCA Healthcare in Nashville and working in private practice.

In the nonprofit world, Jay serves on the board of directors for RoadSafe America and Skyland Trail in Atlanta, and in 2020, he was named to the “Most Influential Attorneys” list in the prominent practitioner category by JAMES Magazine, part of InsiderAdvantage. Jay holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampden-Sydney College and a law degree from Mercer University, in addition to several compliance and ethics certifications.

As chief human resources officer, Robyn Smith brings more than 30 years of experience to her role leading Jackson Healthcare’s corporate HR team. In her position, she heads strategy for human resources initiatives and programs aligned to the organization’s mission, culture and growth strategy.

In partnership with her team, Robyn works with leaders across the Jackson Healthcare family of companies to provide HR support and digital solutions; optimize associate recruitment, engagement and retention; and support organic and M&A growth. Since joining the organization in 2011, she has been a driving force in expanding the extensive associate professional and wellbeing offerings that Jackson Healthcare is recognized for through its Great Place to Work certification and appearance on multiple Fortune best workplaces lists.

On the speaker circuit, Robyn addresses workplace culture and wellbeing topics, and in 2020, she was named a recipient of the “Great Place to Work For All Leadership Award.” Out in the community, she serves as chair on the board of Connections Homes, is active in Atlanta CHRO leadership, and volunteers with Open Hand Atlanta and Junior Achievement.

Prior to Jackson Healthcare, Robyn had a successful HR career in the enterprise software space and in national healthcare and staffing firms. She is a graduate of Kennesaw State University and serves on its board of trustees, in addition to holding advisory and executive board positions for the university’s Coles College of Business.

As executive vice president of associate experience at Jackson Healthcare, Leslie Day-Harrell leads the overarching strategy and unified approach to the associate experience. This includes careers, environments and opportunities that enable associates to thrive and that support health and wellbeing in all areas of their lives – physical and emotional health, career and personal growth, financial health, and spiritual and social wellbeing. As a Certified Applied Positive Psychology practitioner, she designs experiences that reinforce the company’s culture, build community and foster engagement.

In addition, Leslie serves as the head of corporate real estate and operations for the organization’s corporate campus and as the liaison for its locations in other states. In this capacity, she directs property and facility management and provides oversight of campus amenities that include a world-class fitness center and multiple dining operations.

Leslie has managed approximately two million square feet of corporate real estate in Atlanta since 1994. She has distinctions as a Real Property Administrator (RPA) and Certified Property Manager (CPM) and holds her CAM license with the GREC. Leslie has received various industry awards during her career and is affiliated with professional organizations BOMA, IREM and CREW. Prior to Jackson Healthcare, she was a senior property manager with Childress Klein Properties. Leslie is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Brad Chason serves as senior vice president of information technology at Jackson Healthcare. In this role, he oversees the strategic vision, direction and delivery of technology initiatives across the organization, including the Jackson Healthcare family of companies.

As a technology leader with more than 20 years of experience, Brad holds deep expertise in building high-performing teams and technology operating models. Throughout his career, he has established a track record of creating and optimizing technology solutions across disciplines, with a focus on network services delivery, systems infrastructure, data integrations and security. Since joining Jackson Healthcare in 2010, Brad has been instrumental in modernizing and standardizing technology across the enterprise, including spearheading initiatives to transform IT operations and expand connectivity during its large-scale corporate campus expansion.

Prior to joining Jackson Healthcare, Brad worked at the Judicial Council of Georgia/Administrative Office of the Courts, where he implemented technology enhancements to provide a centralized, remote delivery of the state’s judicial case management systems to all levels of the Georgia court system, as well as early court e-filing technologies. He also developed statutory judicial case data integrations for civil caseload reporting, Georgia Crime Information Center history records and traffic citation records. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Anne Patton serves as senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications for Jackson Healthcare. In this role, she is responsible for the strategies that support the organization’s corporate brand, culture and family of operating companies.

With 25 years of experience working in public and private companies, and corporate and agency environments, Anne has developed, managed and executed across marketing disciplines – from branding and positioning, content marketing, public relations and digital marketing, to advertising, creative, and associate communications and engagement. Other areas of focus include research and insights, analyst relations, product/service launches, demand-generation and customer marketing. She also has deep experience in M&A communications and has supported the start-up and growth of sales enablement and customer experience functions.

Before joining Jackson Healthcare, Anne held leadership positions in the high-tech and enterprise software market, most recently as vice president of corporate marketing at Verint Systems. She also has held communication roles on the agency side, serving B2B and B2C national and global brands, including Delta Air Lines and the Atlanta Braves. She is a member of the American Marketing Association and Public Relations Society of America and serves in volunteer capacities in the education and private sector. Anne holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri.

Keith Jennings serves as vice president of community impact at Jackson Healthcare. In this role, he is responsible for the organization’s multi-faceted charitable outreach – from deepening external partnerships, to maximizing associate engagement in community service efforts. This includes advancing the company’s LoveLifts community impact platform, with a special focus on the organization’s two priorities: improving access to healthcare and the wellbeing of young people.

Prior to his current role, Keith was vice president of corporate marketing, spearheading initiatives designed to lift Jackson Healthcare’s brand, culture and companies. He continues to support the launch and scale-up of new entities and special projects.

Before joining Jackson Healthcare, he served for nine years as head of planning and marketing for a two-hospital health system, including direct oversight of its certificate of need applications, corporate compliance program and medical office properties. Other positions he has held include working with three healthcare contract management firms specializing in orthopedics, occupational medicine and geriatric psychiatry. Keith is a graduate of Florida State University.

Josh Berman serves as vice president of corporate development for Jackson Healthcare. In this role, he is responsible for leading investments, mergers and acquisitions, new partnerships and other strategic corporate development initiatives for the organization.

He also is general manager of the Jackson Healthcare-backed non-profit organization Connecting Kids With Care. Focused on expanding access to quality healthcare, it connects a network of medical organizations and professionals, who donate their time to serve orphans and other underserved people around the world. Since its inception, Connecting Kids With Care has enabled more than 2,000 children from over 100 humanitarian organizations in 24 countries to receive the care they need.

Prior to these roles, he spent his career acquiring, starting and growing business units in the technology, consumer services and finance industries – working with organizations that include Microsoft Research, LVMH, Société Générale, GLG and Man Group PLC.

Josh serves as chair of the board for the Community Farmers Markets of Atlanta and as a board member of Wholesome Wave Georgia. He also is a member of the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts. Josh holds a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York at Binghamton.