Flourish Soundbytes: Surviving a High Risk Pregnancy and Finding Purpose With Ashley Jester

Flourish: Extraordinary Ordinary Women and Finding Your Worth with Mandy Crosby

April 21, 2026: What happens when a young mother with no plan, no car, and no housing decides she's done surviving and ready to lead? Lead Consultant and Author of “Extraordinary Ordinary Women,” Mandy Crosby [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-crosby-3263a8215/] joins host Sarah Richardson to share the unfiltered story behind her journey from medical assistant to healthcare IT executive advisor. From the leader who refused to put her on a do-not-hire list to the moment she raised her hand for Epic training and changed her career forever, Mandy's story explores potential, grace, and legacy. Key Points: * 05:27 Second Chances at Work * 09:41 Seeds and Self-Worth * 15:19 Give Flowers and Intuition * 20:49 Mentorship Skills Inventory * 26:15 Speed Round X: This Week Health [https://twitter.com/thisweekhealth] LinkedIn: This Week Health [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ThisWeekHealth] Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer [https://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/3173454]

The 229 Podcast: New Host, New Format, Same Mission with Sarah and Bill

April 16, 2026: Something big is changing at This Week Health, and it starts with this episode. Bill Russell sits down with Sarah Richardson to announce that Flourish, the beloved show Sarah has helmed since joining TWH, is joining the 229 Podcast. But this isn't a step back; it's a consolidation of purpose. Bill and Sarah unpack why simplifying to a single channel better serves the healthcare IT community, what listeners can expect going forward, and why the conversations that happened on Flourish aren't going away, just coming home. Keep up to date on the latest in health IT: https://thisweekhealth.com/news/ Key Points: * 02:30 Flourish Joins 229 * 08:06 Signal Reports And AI * 16:52 City Tour Plans * 21:55 Fundraising Rides Events X: This Week Health [https://twitter.com/thisweekhealth] LinkedIn: This Week Health [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ThisWeekHealth] Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer [https://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/3173454]

Flourish Soundbytes: Surviving a High Risk Pregnancy and Finding Purpose With Ashley Jester

April 16, 2026: In this personal and powerful episode of Flourish Soundbytes, Sarah Richardson welcomes healthcare leader and author of “Poppy’s Story” Ashley Jester [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-jester-ms-cdh-p-72356959/]for a conversation that goes far beyond professional achievement. Ashley shares the journey of her pregnancy, one that shifted from joyful expectation to a fight for life. Ashley reflects on how purpose conquered pain, what she wishes the healthcare system had offered her, and how her daughter, nearly three years old and thriving, continues to inspire every single day. Key Points: * 01:00 Ashley’s Healthcare Path * 02:37 Pregnancy Turns Critical * 10:14 Purpose Over Pain * 15:02 Advocacy and New Normal X: This Week Health [https://twitter.com/thisweekhealth] LinkedIn: This Week Health [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ThisWeekHealth] Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer [https://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/3173454]

Newsday: AI, EHRs, and the Fight Health Systems Can't Ignore with Jacob Hansen

April 13, 2026: Jacob Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-hansen-24b1391/], Chief Product and Technology Officer at AvaSure [https://avasure.com/], joins Bill, Drex, and Sarah on Newsday for a conversation about the data governance battles quietly reshaping AI. From who owns AI model improvements derived from a health system's environment to whether EHRs should have control over how that data is used, Jacob pulls no punches. The conversation also tackles the evolving CIO title, the future of computer science careers in an AI-driven world, and why nursing may be one of the most AI-resilient roles in healthcare. Key Points: * 01:07 CIO to CTDO Shift * 06:52 Data Ownership and Governance * 13:24 AI Transparency and Governance * 21:00 Careers and AI Future Keep up to date on the latest in health IT: https://thisweekhealth.com/news/ X: This Week Health [https://twitter.com/thisweekhealth] LinkedIn: This Week Health [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ThisWeekHealth] Donate: Alex’s Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer [https://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/3173454]

Flourish Soundbytes: From Patient to Advocate - Healthcare Needs Your Story with Grace Vinton

April 9, 2026: What happens when a healthcare communications professional becomes the patient no one listened to? Grace Vinton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracevinton/], Director of Media Relations at Supreme Communications [https://www.supremegroup.ai/science-healthcare-communications] and Host of the “HITea With Grace [https://hiteawithgrace.com/]” podcast, joins Sarah Richardson on Flourish Soundbytes. From making the case for patients on innovation panels to arguing that caregivers deserve a seat at the governance table, Grace challenges the industry to move from treating patients as case studies to recognizing them as lived experience experts. It’s not just right, it's financially genius. Keep up to date on the latest in health IT: https://thisweekhealth.com/news/ [https://thisweekhealth.com/news/] Key Points: * 01:21 Storytelling to Advocacy * 06:43 Caregivers Need a Seat * 10:19 Chief Patient Officer * 19:35 AI Tech Stack and Wrap