About Us
JoAnn Andrews
Founder & Principal
Ascendant Healthcare Partners is led by JoAnn Andrews, a nationally recognized strategist with more than two decades of experience supporting public institutions, healthcare systems, and leadership teams across the United States.
JoAnn’s work focuses on:
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Translating complex data into clear, defensible decisions
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Supporting leaders navigating workforce disruption and accountability pressure
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Strengthening executive confidence during periods of scrutiny, transition, and change
She has advised and supported organizations across county, state, federal, nonprofit, healthcare, and corporate environments, with work frequently reviewed under regulatory, accreditation, and public accountability standards.
JoAnn brings a rare combination of:
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Public health systems expertise
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Governance and performance accountability experience
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Executive-level leadership advisory capability
Ascendant Healthcare Partners reflects her operating philosophy:
Precision over volume. Clarity over noise. Leadership over reaction.
Collaborative Team
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Ascendant Healthcare Partners operates as a founder-led firm with access to a trusted network of subject-matter experts, advisors, and institutional partners engaged as needed based on project scope and complexity.
Ascendant Healthcare Partners
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Ascendant Healthcare Partners (AHP) helps public institutions and organizations make defensible, data-driven decisions in environments defined by scrutiny, funding pressure, and workforce strain.
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We specialize in translating complex data, compliance requirements, and operational realities into clear insight leaders can stand behind—with governing bodies, auditors, boards, and the public.
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Our work sits at the intersection of strategy, accountability, and workforce impact, supporting leaders who must explain not only what they are doing, but why it matters—financially, operationally, and humanly.
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AHP is a Healthy People 2030 Champion, a NACCHO-affiliated organization, and a trusted partner to health departments, municipalities, and institutions navigating the next era of public health accountability.
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Our Mission​
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To equip leaders with decision-ready insight that strengthens accountability, stabilizes organizations, and supports sustainable outcomes—without adding operational burden.
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We believe clarity is not a luxury in public service; it is a requirement.
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Our Vision
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A future where public and community-serving organizations can clearly demonstrate:
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the true cost of inaction
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the impact of workforce strain
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and the return on strategic investment
so leaders can govern with confidence, transparency, and credibility.
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Our Core Values
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Clarity
Complex realities deserve clear explanation.
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Accountability
Good decisions are defensible decisions.
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Precision
We deliver only what leaders need—no excess, no noise.
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Stability
Organizations function best when leaders understand the pressures their systems are carrying.
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Integrity
We strengthen the administrator’s voice; we do not replace it.
​​​​Our Approach
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Ascendant Healthcare Partners operates differently by design.
We do not lead with facilitation-heavy engagements or standing committees. Instead, we provide high-impact advisory work that respects leaders’ time, staffing realities, and political context.
Our approach is built on five principles:
1. Decision-Ready, Not Academic
We deliver insights that leaders can use immediately — in boardrooms, budget hearings, executive briefings, and internal strategy conversations.
2. Accountability-Aligned
Every engagement is designed with external scrutiny in mind — audit readiness, funding justification, public transparency, and leadership credibility.
3. Workforce-Aware
We acknowledge today’s operating reality: limited staff, high turnover, compressed timelines, and rising expectations. Our work reduces burden — it does not add to it.
4. Founder-Led Precision
Clients work directly with the principal. This ensures consistency, speed, and strategic depth — without layers of handoffs or dilution.
5. Scalable Expertise
When additional expertise is required, Ascendant collaborates with trusted subject-matter advisors and institutional partners — ensuring flexibility without overhead.
Who We Serve
Ascendant Healthcare Partners supports:
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Public-sector executives and administrators
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Health system and community health leaders
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Boards and governing bodies
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Corporate and HR leaders navigating workforce stress, compliance pressure, and leadership capacity challenges
Whether in government or enterprise environments, our clients share one thing in common:
They are responsible for decisions that must hold up under pressure.
Why Ascendant Healthcare Partners
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Founder-led, principal-driven advisory
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Trusted experience across regulated environments
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Clear, defensible, decision-ready outputs
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Deep understanding of workforce strain and leadership pressure
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Precision consulting without unnecessary complexity
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Ascendant Healthcare Partners exists to help leaders think clearly, decide confidently, and lead responsibly — even when the stakes are high.