Jennie Robbins is a name you might recognize, and a person you should definitely get to know. She is the new(ish) CEO of Church Health, a local faith-based not-for-profit committed to providing accessible, high-quality healthcare to more Memphians, including those facing social and economic challenges. Church Health believes in treating one another with compassion so that everyone can live with dignity and joy. Jennie took on the role of CEO after the founder, Dr. Scott Morris, "rewired" in 2024. He continues his work as a physician and founder, while Jennie runs operations.
What you may not know are Jennie's other roles – as wife, mother, daughter, friend and volunteer.
Originally from New Orleans, Jennie ended up in Memphis after college when it was time for her long-distance relationship with now-husband, Walker, to take the next step. She moved to Memphis knowing no one except Walker. "I never looked back. I cannot imagine being anywhere except Memphis." She says that, as someone not originally from here, she accepts Memphis for all its strengths and warts. "No city is perfect, but Memphis is pretty darn good," she says. She encourages people to get involved in something that interests them and benefits the community. When she first moved, Jennie immediately got involved with the Junior League of Memphis and made an incredible group of life-long friends through serving the city. Jennie was also the third female president of Carnival Memphis, a 95-year-old organization that supports, enhances and promotes the commerce and culture of Memphis and the Mid-South. Her family is heavily involved in Carnival Krewes memberships and all the philanthropic work for which Carnival is known.
She took her first job in Memphis at First American Bank, now Regions Bank. It was one she loved, and it led to other roles in banking for the next eight years. While in the Leadership Academy, now New Memphis Fellows program, Jennie was prompted to engage in significant introspection and leadership development throughout the 10-month program. After eight years in the banking industry, she felt open to new opportunities and naturally gravitated toward nonprofit work. She met Ann Langston when Ann gave a presentation about the Junior League of Memphis, and they instantly connected. Ann became a mentor to Jennie and eventually called with a job offer to work for Church Health's MEMPHIS Plan, an affordable healthcare plan for small businesses in Memphis. When making the career shift, Jennie planned to work for Church Health for a couple of years, have a baby, scale back on work and eventually retire.
That's when she learned what nonprofit work is really all about: getting your hands dirty and constantly feeling inspired to do more. Over nearly two decades at Church Health, Jennie's role has changed many times. Before becoming CEO, she spent over a decade as CFO. One of the biggest challenges she has faced in her new role is learning when to step back and let others rise into their positions. She has a deep love for the organization and an enduring trust in every employee. "Church Health works because everyone does their part. There is confidence, passion and commitment in our people that I haven't seen anywhere else. It's infectious!"
The virtues that serve as Church Health's pillars are taken from Colossians 3: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. Every staff member, volunteer and donor connects with at least one virtue. Jennie says, "The virtues are all different. Everyone can identify with their own virtue, and we need all players with various attributes to show up for our patients. The virtues are part of our culture that is embedded in what we do every day."
When she has a free moment or needs to escape from the normal rhythms of her work, Jennie likes to sit in the waiting rooms of the Church Health clinics. Watching patients' expressions, conversations and body language before an appointment and seeing a change when they leave, usually with smiles, relaxed shoulders and relief, reminds her of the importance of their work. "I like to hear the chatter, see the worry, concern, joy, across every clinic. Some patients don't know what to expect. Sometimes you see their fear, and then they go into the clinic and get the answer or relief they need from the provider. The transformation on a patient's or family member's face when they walk out always reminds me that I didn't cure them or deliver the results they needed. But, I know that because of the work that I do, I can help facilitate all of those other things that lead to a good patient experience." She doesn't need to know the details of each case to know that Church Health is positively impacting the lives of patients and their families every day.
Jennie grew up with a working mom, so she always pictured herself working when she grew her own family. Despite the struggles of balancing it all – family, work, volunteerism, friends and everything else life holds – she loves having a purpose outside of her role as mom and wife. Life gets messy, and she says you can't compare yourself to the people you see on social media. No one is put together all the time. No one can truly do it all. She laughs, "I'm not very good at recreational sports! Plus, I don't even know where my tennis racket is."
When I asked her for the advice she would give to someone like me, in the beginning phases of a career, marriage a few short months away, and hopes of a family on the horizon, she said, "Don't put it off. Whatever you want to do, go for it. There will never be a 'perfect' time." She also said that in every phase of life, you have to, as Drew and Ellie Holcomb sing, "find your people." Having a network of support is critical in a busy life. She says, "It's impossible to do it all. You always have to choose, make sacrifices, and learn how to survive when it gets hard. Lean on your people." She offers a lot of great advice to heed life changes through every phase.
These are the things all women should consider around Mother's Day: How can we support and lift one another up? What advice would a younger version of ourselves want or need to hear? How can we raise daughters who are strong, independent and concerned about helping others? Jennie says you have to model it. As a working mom, she can't be there for everything, but she is there for the moments that really matter. She sets aside time in her calendar regularly to be with her daughter, sometimes volunteering and other times going to the lake. She treats this time with the weight of something sacred - because it is. Her biggest piece of advice: "No matter what you choose to do with life, you have to finish what you started."
"Don't put it off. Whatever you want to do, go for it. There will never be a 'perfect' time."