The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business has expanded its Distinguished Haslam Healthcare Leadership and PEMBA Fellows program, welcoming eight new healthcare leaders with broad expertise spanning clinical care, entrepreneurship, academia and corporate leadership. The fellows are alumni of Haslam’s Physician Executive MBA (PEMBA) and Executive MBA – Healthcare Leadership (EMBA-HL) programs.

The 2025 Distinguished Haslam PEMBA Fellows include:

• Jay Grider (PEMBA, ’13), chief quality and clinical integration officer with UK HealthCare and CEO of the Kentucky Medical Services Foundation
• Jay Mesrobian (PEMBA, ’21), staff anesthesiologist at Aurora Medical Group
• John Pracyk (PEMBA, ’15), chief medical safety officer and senior vice president with Olympus Corporation
• Akhil Saklecha (PEMBA, ’05) emergency medicine physician and advisory board member at the Cleveland Clinic
• Pam Sullivan (PEMBA, ’15), founder of National Healthcare Solutions Inc.
• Geogy Thomas (PEMBA, ’15), chief medical officer at Dayspring Health

The 2025 Distinguished Haslam Healthcare Leadership Fellows include:

• Stacy Brethauer (EMBA-HL, ’20), professor of surgery with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
• Mark Erath (EMBA-HL, ’16), assistant professor and academic advisor with the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies healthcare management program
• Cambrey Ware (EMBA-HL, ’15), chief commercial officer at Censinet

Inaugural Fellows Driving Impact

The new group builds on the strong foundation established by the Distinguished Haslam Healthcare Leadership and PEMBA Fellows program’s inaugural 2024 cohort, members of which significantly impacted Haslam’s healthcare-focused graduate programs.

The inaugural fellows have made significant contributions across multiple areas. They have advanced thought leadership through events, such as Mike Wiechart’s fireside chat on private equity in healthcare, with Herman Gray slated to moderate an upcoming session on the role of insurance companies in healthcare.

Fellows have also enhanced the PEMBA curriculum, with Stacey Berner contributing to the design of the new capstone project and Jody Crane and Karen Murrell providing instruction on lean management. Student support has expanded as well, with Christopher Kodama leading the creation of a new alumni mentorship program for PEMBA students.

In the classroom, fellows have shared their expertise through guest lectures, AI panel participation from leaders like John Pracyk and Rick Watson and regular teaching contributions from Ram Raju and Tim Attebery. The program has also celebrated student success, with Rachel George and new fellow Jay Grider serving as PEMBA graduation speakers. Finally, the fellows have helped shape program strategy, serving as advisors, brand ambassadors and thought partners in aligning the PEMBA and EMBA-HL programs beginning in 2025.

Building the Future of Healthcare Leadership

According to Kate Atchley, distinguished lecturer and director of the PEMBA and EMBA-HL programs, the Distinguished Haslam Healthcare Leadership and PEMBA Fellows program exemplifies Haslam’s commitment to integrating academic excellence with industry leadership.

“The fellows program is designed to connect Haslam healthcare executive education and graduate students with visionary leaders who are shaping the future of the field,” she says. “With this expansion, students benefit not only from broader expertise but also from a growing network of mentors, advisors and advocates who bring real-world insight to every facet of the learning experience.”

As the program continues to grow, Haslam reaffirms its commitment to preparing physician and healthcare executives to address the industry’s most pressing challenges in access, affordability, innovation and quality of care.

—

Author:

Christie Knapper, program manager – business development, christie@utk.edu

Contact:

Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu