Tennessee Entrepreneur Brad Smith Launches Russell Street Ventures
Firm Will Launch or Scale 2-3 Innovative Healthcare Companies Over Next 12 Months
March 2, 2021
Contact: Clint Brewer (615) 668-4535
NASHVILLE, TN – Today, entrepreneur and former CMS Innovation Center Director Brad Smith announced the launch of Russell Street Ventures (RSV), a firm focused on launching and scaling innovative healthcare companies to serve some of the nation’s most vulnerable patient populations.
RSV will launch new companies and partner with existing companies to help scale their operations. Over the next 6 to 12 months, RSV plans to launch or help scale 2-3 companies. All of the companies will serve high-needs and vulnerable patient populations or innovate in other ways that simultaneously improve quality and lower healthcare costs. At least one of RSV’s new companies will focus on rural healthcare.
“I am excited to return to the private sector to launch and help scale innovative companies that can solve some of our nation’s most difficult healthcare challenges,” Smith said. “There are so many ways that our nation’s healthcare system can be improved, and I am excited for the ways our team will be able to help drive that change.”
Smith returns to Nashville after serving as Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Senior Advisor for Value-Based Transformation to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
Prior to his federal government service, Smith was Chief Operating Officer of Anthem’s Diversified Business Group and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aspire Health, which was acquired by Anthem in June 2018. He also served in former Governor Bill Haslam’s administration as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty while he was Haslam’s Economic and Community Development Commissioner.
Joining Smith on the Russell Street Ventures team are:
Diane Seloff (Operating Partner): Diane previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Aspire Health. Prior to Aspire, Diane spent eight years at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she served in a number of senior leadership roles.
Bennett Graham (Venture Partner): Bennett previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations and General Manager at Anthem and prior to that as Senior Vice President of Operations at Aspire Health. Bennett will be launching RSV’s rural venture.
Eric Hargarten (Venture Partner): Eric previously served as Senior Advisor to the Director at CMMI and prior to that was an Associate at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Venture Fund.
Jake Ramsey (Venture Partner): Jake previously founded and ran the highest performing charter high school for disadvantaged students in the KIPP network. Jake graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University, where he was an Ingram Scholar.
Brett Jackson (Senior Vice President, Finance): Brett previously served as Chief of Staff at Aspire Health and prior to that was an Associate at Pharos Capital Group and an Investment Banking Analyst at Stephens, Inc.
Rachael Baitel (Chief of Staff): Rachael previously served as Deputy Chief-of-Staff at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and prior to that was an Advisor at the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) and Special Assistant to Ivanka Trump.
Kara Pitts (Director, Special Projects): Kara most recently served as Policy Advisor to the Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Management Analyst at CMMI.
RSV will be sharing additional details on its new ventures over the coming months. Individuals or organizations interested in contacting RSV to discuss potential ideas or ventures can email contact@russellstreetventures.com or visit www.russellstreetventures.com.
About Russell Street Ventures
Russell Street Ventures is an innovative healthcare firm focused on launching and scaling companies that serve some of the nation’s most vulnerable and underserved patient populations. RSV was founded by Brad Smith, Co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Aspire Health and former Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). For more information on Russell Street Ventures, please visit www.russellstreetventures.com.
Download a PDF version of this press release.