How Nashville Became Healthcare City: Marketing, Growth, and National Influence
Discover how Nashville shifted from Music City (only) to awareness as the “healthcare industry capital” of America. Get the marketing strategies and tactics that helped drive this awareness and membership value. This expert panel features Nashville Health Care Council’s (NHCC) President, Apryl Childs-Potter, and Vice President Brand and Operations, Sarah Maxwell, and Ardent Health’s Senior Vice President & Chief Consumer Officer, Reed Smith. The panel will be moderated by Anika Gardenhire, Chief Digital & Transformation Officer at Ardent Health.
This is the story of the marketing ingenuity that pulled in powerful partnerships, innovative storytelling and one-of-a-kind event marketing concepts together to help propel Nashville’s healthcare ecosystem to national recognition. Get new ideas that apply to your audiences, no matter your industry. This is about building trust and brand value across Tennessee and the country. What ignited the brand shift? What events made all the difference and what’s next?
Plus, our panel will share the impact of “Sessions”—the Council’s nationally recognized annual healthcare conference that brings leaders from across the U.S. to Nashville, driving collaboration and innovation.
Whether you’re a Chief Marketing Officer, Director, Manager, freelancer and/or just starting out, AMA Nashville programs promise actionable ideas and networking with industry leaders.
About Our Speakers:
Apryl Childs-Potter
Apryl Childs-Potter is a bold leader at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and community impact, currently serving as President of the Nashville Health Care Council. Since joining the Nashville Health Care Council, she has led transformation—shifting the organization from a program-focused model to a value-driven enterprise anchored in three strategic pillars: building the talent pipeline, attracting and growing business, and storytelling. Her leadership has strengthened Nashville’s position as the nation’s healthcare capital by uniting influential leaders to drive innovation, collaboration, and industry growth. Under her direction, the Council has launched high-impact programming that expands national reach, enhances the member experience, and empowers the next generation of healthcare leadership—including the creation of Nashville Healthcare Sessions, a disruptive, weeklong reimagining of the traditional conference model by fostering real-time collaboration, elevating diverse voices, and creating space for executives to get the business of healthcare done.
Apryl brings two decades of experience turning data into actionable strategy across sectors. Prior to her move to Nashville, she served as Chief Marketing Officer of the Greater Memphis Chamber and Executive Director of its Center for Economic Competitiveness. There, she spearheaded initiatives such as the Memphis Moves campaign and led the city’s participation in the Brookings Institution’s Inclusive Economic Indicators Lab.
Earlier in her career, Apryl founded Hyphen Market Solutions, a brand strategy firm that supported major healthcare and economic development efforts across the Mid-South. Her work has consistently bridged insight, storytelling, and impact.
Apryl was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s 2024 Power 100 list in two categories: Connector, recognizing her ability to unite influential voices and drive results, and Trendsetter, honoring her as one of Nashville’s most creative executives shaping what’s next. She also appears on the Nashville Post’s In Charge: Health Care 2023 list and is a past Memphis Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 honoree. She is a board member of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and an alumna of the New Memphis Institute’s Fellows and Leadership Development Intensive programs.
Apryl holds a degree from the University of Mississippi. Originally from Mississippi, she lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter.
Sarah Maxwell
Sarah Maxwell currently serves as Vice President, Brand and Operations for the Nashville Health Care Council. She oversees the strategy and execution of all Council engagements, including the Council’s flagship Sessions conference, leading her team to blend creative brand storytelling with operational precision. She also directs the Council’s communications, content, and marketing strategies, ensuring cohesive messaging and impactful engagement across all platforms. Her work connects healthcare leaders at every level while showcasing Nashville’s unique healthcare story to audiences well beyond Nashville’s borders.
Sarah has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and communications and is a member of the Nashville Health Care Council’s leadership team. Prior to joining the Council, she led marketing strategy and activities for ThriveAP, where she focused on increasing nationwide brand awareness and market penetration for solutions serving Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) and their employers as they transition into practice. During her tenure, she transformed the brand’s performance and helped secure key partnerships that fueled rapid business growth.
Previously, Sarah spent five years at OMNIA Partners, where she served as the Director of Private Sector Brand, executive key strategies and marketing initiatives, including several merger and acquisition integrations.
She was honored as Penton’s Choice Award Winner in 2016 for Customer Solutions. A Cleveland, Ohio native, Sarah earned her bachelor’s degree in Operational Communications with a specialization in Journalism from Ohio University, where she also held leadership positions with Chi Omega Fraternity and was a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s official honor society.
Reed Smith
Reed Smith, SVP & Chief Consumer Officer at Ardent Health, brings over 25 years of diverse healthcare experience, spanning consumer engagement and experience, product development, and provider strategy. His unique perspective is further enriched by his prior experience in telecommunications and professional sports.
A recognized pioneer in healthcare digital technology, Smith founded the Social Health Institute and has been instrumental in shaping the industry as a founding advisor for the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network and SXSW's health and wellness track. He continues to share his expertise as co-host of the "touch point" podcast, exploring patient experience and consumerism. His commitment to innovation and collaboration is further demonstrated through serving as a fellow and faculty member in the Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation at Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University and by his selection to the prestigious 2024 Frist Cressey Ventures Collective, a group dedicated to advancing healthcare solutions.
Holding a BBA from Texas Tech University and an MBA from LeTourneau University, Smith's contributions have been widely acknowledged. He was named the 2020 Healthcare Internet Hall-of-Fame's Most Innovative Individual, solidifying his dedication to shaping a better healthcare landscape for all.
Anika Gardenhire
As chief digital and transformation officer, Ms. Gardenhire oversees the development and implementation of Ardent's digital strategy across the organization. She is responsible for ensuring digital initiatives are fully integrated into Ardent's strategic plan with a focus on leveraging data to support digital transformation. Ms. Gardenhire also oversees Ardent’s IT infrastructure and systems, as well as data strategy and governance.
An experienced caregiver and clinical informatics leader, Ms. Gardenhire joined Ardent in September of 2023, and has previously served as chief digital officer and regional vice president of digital and clinical systems at Centene Corporation. She also held various roles at Intermountain Healthcare, including assistant vice president of digital transformation. Ms. Gardenhire holds a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of South Carolina’s Mary Black School of Nursing and master’s degrees in clinical informatics and management from Duke University.
About Our Sponsor: TruStar Marketing, LLC
TruStar Marketing fuses the art of the brand with the science of analytical marketing to generate leads, qualify leads and convert more sales. TruStar Brand Experts start with qualitative research. They uncover messaging that sets your brand apart. Experts across media, they are leaders in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), utilizing paid and organic media. Currently they serve hospitals and insurers across the country, as well as global industrial clients.
Learn more by visiting their website or LinkedIn Page