Poets & Quants recently honored Brion Randolph, director of cell and gene therapy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, as a Best & Brightest Executive MBA of 2025. Randolph is a member of the 2025 cohort in the Executive MBA – Healthcare Leadership (EMBA-HL) program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business.
Kate Atchley, professor of practice and director of the EMBA-HL and Physician Executive MBA programs, called the distinction a fitting recognition for Randolph’s contributions in the EMBA-HL program.
“Dr. Randolph has consistently enriched the 2025 cohort with his insight and collaboration, contributing meaningfully to team simulations and projects, as well as class dialogue,” she said. “He has been an exceptional colleague in the program and a clear example of the leadership Haslam aims to cultivate.”
Understanding the Business Side of Healthcare
Randolph chose to pursue an MBA in healthcare leadership because, while he has worked with healthcare leaders on operational process projects, his current role calls for him to collaborate with leaders on quality management and strategic planning.
“I needed to better understand the business of medicine and how to communicate with our executive team when talking about strategic priorities and putting together a business case,” Randolph explains. “I’ve enjoyed the Haslam EMBA-HL curriculum, and completing the coursework has reinforced my decision to pursue the degree.”
For Randolph, Haslam’s EMBA-HL program is delivering valuable business knowledge in all aspects of his job. For example, in one assignment, he tracked an item used in his profession through its supply chain. The exercise led him to reassess just how fundamental the specialty is to healthcare.
“I studied the supply chain of a reagent used in my organization’s lab when processing stem cells, which led me to network with other people in the company,” he says. “I learned how connected we really are as colleagues, despite our differing roles.”
This realization, in turn, motivated Randolph to review the lab’s inventory management system, considering factors like backup plans for supply scarcity, to determine if better options are available.
“That’s been the beauty of the program: It’s forced me to challenge myself and network with others in my organization to learn how things really work,” Randolph says.
Growth Outside Comfort Zones
The EMBA-HL program also challenged Randolph to delve into an aspect of leadership he tended to shy from: politics. The program features a three-day healthcare policy immersion trip to Washington, D.C., where cohort members meet with current and former legislators, regulators and other officials involved in healthcare policy formulation. The experience was revelatory.
“The trip to Washington showed me how critical a role policy can play in the day-to-day care of our patients, particularly when it comes to quality healthcare access,” he says.
Emboldened by that experience, Randolph accepted an invitation from leaders of the nonprofit, Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society), to participate in lobbying day in the nation’s capital. After seeing how many issues legislators must keep abreast of, he now intends to stay more engaged politically.
“Participating in the lobby day after that initial visit to the capital showed me how I can serve as a resource to representatives, as well as a voice for the people they serve, regardless of party affiliation,” Randolph explains. “They need our input to understand the boots-on-the-ground issues for the policies they are pursuing.”
A Plan to Improve Patient Access to Critical Therapies
Randolph has found that every element of Haslam’s EMBA-HL program contributes to his organizational action project (OAP), an endeavor all program students must undertake, which should deliver significant value for their employers. Randolph used his OAP to build a business case for a project that could have significant impact in rural areas served by his employer, the Baptist Memorial Health Care system.
“I pursued a plan for outreach to improve patient access to new, innovative therapies we offer in cell and gene therapy,” Randolph explains. “I submitted a letter of intent using this same work to pursue grant funding that could help support some of the startup’s resources. I really believe it has the potential to make a meaningful impact on our community of the mid-south region.
Jim Rosenberg, lecturer and OAP advisor for Haslam’s Graduate and Executive Education office, called it a pleasure working with Randolph on his year-long OAP.
“Dr. Randolph is quick to take new ideas from class or our conversations and put them to work in his practice,” Rosenberg says. “He is a very thoughtful leader.”
Looking Forward, Looking Back
After earning his MBA, Randolph hopes to move into a leadership role, where he can drive system-level transformation on the scale he achieved at the program level. He believes the U.S. healthcare system needs to break down siloed operations to drive creation of cross-functional teams, reshaping healthcare to center on treating the patient and the disease, rather than relying on the discrete departments involved in delivering care.
“Haslam’s EMBA-HL program has allowed me to build on my clinical experience in program development by adding the business perspective necessary to uniquely align clinical excellence with strategic growth,” Randolph says.
For others considering Haslam’s EMBA-HL program, Randolph emphasizes the importance of understanding all facets of delivering quality healthcare to patients.
“Had I known how valuable this program is, I would have done it a lot earlier,” Randolph says. “I now advise students to not forget the other side of medicine. There’s the clinical practice, but it is also critical to consider the leadership and business elements of healthcare.”
About the Haslam College of Business Graduate and Executive Education Programs
Haslam offers graduate and executive education programs that prepare students to reach their full potential and advance their careers. At the master’s level, these programs include the Haslam Full-Time MBA, Online MBA, Professional MBA, Executive MBA (Healthcare Leadership and Strategic Leadership), Aerospace and Defense MBA, Physician Executive MBA, Master of Accountancy, M.A. in Economics, M.S. in Business Analytics, M.S. in Management and Human Resources, M.S. in Marketing, M.S. in Supply Chain Management (Global), M.S. in Supply Chain Management Online and M.S. in Business Cybersecurity Online. Haslam also offers a full portfolio of doctoral programs.
Haslam’s graduate programs address real-world challenges through an interdisciplinary approach that develops both analytical and leadership skills. Its faculty are industry thought leaders, seasoned practitioners and accomplished researchers who work tirelessly to create dynamic, relevant and impactful learning experiences.
—
CONTACT:
Scott McNutt, senior business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu
Contact
Related News
UT Haslam’s Executive MBA No. 2 Public College in Alumni Satisfaction for Second Year
This marks the sixth consecutive year Haslam’s EMBA program has earned a place in the Financial Times’ Top 100 Executive...
Read ArticleRecent UT Haslam Alum Serves as Team Physician to Veterans During 3,000-Mile Run
Matt Voll used concepts learned in Haslam’s PEMBA program to monitor the runners’ health.
Read ArticleUT’s Haslam Graduate and Executive Degree Programs Now Enrolling
The Haslam College of Business offers advanced degrees in multiple business disciplines delivered through a variety of educational formats.
Read ArticleOnline Courses Fuel Record Enrollment in Haslam Graduate and Executive Programs
A total of 1,050 students are enrolled in Haslam Graduate and Executive Education programs this fall, up from 2023’s 888.
Read Article