Meet The Team - InTrust Partners

Brian Aston

Senior Partner & Founder

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Ed McCracken

Senior Partner & Founder

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Kate Schmitz

Senior Search Consultant

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Will McCracken

Senior Search Consultant

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Lisa Carter

Senior Search Consultant

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Amanda Hargrove

Senior Search Consultant

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Joe Karuga

Search Operations

Jennifer Maloney

Search Operations

Genny Besh

Search Operations

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Will McCracken

Senior Search Consultant

720.626.4274

Will McCracken is a Senior Search Consultant with the firm’s national healthcare practice and has managed the successful completion of key leadership searches across the C-Suite, VPs and Directors within healthcare delivery systems, academic medical centers, hospital networks and hospitals.

Will delivers an unparalleled client experience with project management experience. Engaging both candidates and clients, Will is able to provide a bridge in the search process, giving the flexibility to both support and lead searches, having done so for a number of C-Suite and VP level positions.

Will received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama and MSHRM from Troy University, Troy Alabama.

Brian Aston

Senior Partner & Founder

404.858.9122

Brian Aston is Senior Partner & Founder of InTrust Partners and brings over 20 years of actual executive healthcare experience, along with over 10 years of executive search; A nationally recognized leader in our industry, Brian is a trusted strategic advisor to Boards of Trustees, Executives, and Physician Leaders throughout the country.

He has led some of the largest and most complex President, CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, CNO, CHRO, Physician Executive, and Department Chair searches in the country; he brings a compelling and deep personal executive experience with a unique perspective having previously served in high-level executive roles in large health systems, and has delivered transformative talent to organizations.

Brian has previously served as the SVP and COO for a 5-hospital, $1.8 billion system ranked as a Top 15 health system nationally by Truven Analytics with over 12,000 employees, President of a 760-bed teaching hospital, President of a 300 employed physician enterprise, and Corporate EVP & Hospital CEO for a $500 million health system where he led an unprecedented financial turnaround.

Brian received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and a Masters in Health Administration (MHA) from The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Ed McCracken

Senior Partner & Founder

256.990.0697

Ed McCracken is Senior Partner & Founder of InTrust Partners and brings over 25 years of actual executive healthcare experience in addition to 20 years in executive search; Ed is considered a true partner to CEOs, C-suite leaders, CHROs and search committees seeking top level talent across the continuum of healthcare disciplines.

He is a trusted search partner to some of the nation’s top integrated healthcare delivery systems and has conducted hundreds of high level searches from coast to coast for some of the most prestigious organizations in the health industry; Ed brings deep knowledge of the unique dynamics of the evolving healthcare industry and skill to bring about unmatched successful outcomes.

Ed has previously served as Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Clinical Officer for a 1,000 bed multi-hospital system and VP, Patient Care Services for several hospitals ranging from 100-500 beds; Ed was a key strategic member of his organizations, leading numerous clinical teams with a consistent focus on clinical quality, patient experience, and physician relationships.

Ed received his Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and his Masters in Nursing and Healthcare Administration at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He is a member of L.R. Jordan Healthcare Management Society and has served on various leadership committees and positions within the AONE.

Kate Schmitz

Senior Search Consultant

864.608.1750

Kate Schmitz is a Senior Search Consultant with the firm’s national healthcare practice and brings over 20 years of experience in leading executive teams and Boards in executive search, strategic planning, and operations improvement.

Kate previously served as the Corporate VP of Strategic Planning & Business Support for an award winning 5-hospital system, led service line operations and planning for a 2-hospital Catholic-based health system, led system-level planning and financial analysis for a large academic medical center, and served as network specialist for Blue Cross.

Kate’s experience provides her with the ability to fully understand the leadership needs of clients and deeply and thoroughly assess potential candidates with regards to their technical capabilities as well as their culture fit.

Kate received her Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, and Master’s in Health Administration (MHA) from The University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.

Lisa Carter

Senior Search Consultant

864.616.0176

Lisa Carter is a Senior Search Consultant with the firm’s national healthcare practice and is based on the West Coast. Lisa brings over 30 years of extensive strategic and progressive Human Resources, Consulting, Executive Search, and Coaching experience and has worked across numerous sectors that include healthcare, non-profits, and technology companies.

Lisa has previously served as SVP of Human Resources for a multi-hospital, $550 million health system, Senior Leader within a Global Technology Solutions & Business Process Services Company, spent years as a Senior HR Consultant in San Diego, CA with a top ranked Health System, and has managed her own consulting firm. Her strengths lie in the areas of talent acquisition, executive coaching, employee engagement, succession planning, HR operations, and diversity/inclusion. Additionally, she has facilitated the human resource and culture aspects of mergers and acquisitions, and is a certified CEG Executive Coach, Six Sigma Greenbelt and Advanced Conflict Mediator.

Lisa holds a Master’s of Science in Human Resources Management from Chapman University in Orange, California and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Amanda Hargrove

Senior Search Consultant

256.509.7009

Amanda Hargrove is a Senior Operations Leader with the firm’s national healthcare practice and has managed the successful resolution of executive search initiatives for more than 250 search engagements from Chief Executive and other C-level executive to mid-level management roles in healthcare, academic medicine, higher education and related sectors.

Amanda Hargrove brings a 14-year executive search track record of strategically defining, achieving, and exceeding goals. She serves as a results-oriented facilitator for client and candidate support, strategic business development and project management. Amanda’s skills to lead, influence and build relationships leads to long-term partnerships with both clients and candidates.

Amanda formerly served as a high-performance, award-winning business development and sales leader within the pharmaceutical and consumer products sectors.

Amanda received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.