Jason Barnecut-Kearns feels most comfortable in a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt. It fits his style of leadership.
"I want to be approachable,” the new Trillium Health Center CEO said. “If you're approachable, people come to you with ideas.”
On his first day this week as chief executive officer, Barnecut-Kearns — affectionately known as JBK by many staff members — stopped by each of the five Trillium locations with desserts.
“Just to say hi,” he said. “Say ‘thank you’ for everything everybody does, because at the end of the day, we’re a people organization.”
Barnecut-Kearns has been a vital part of the health center for almost six years. He joined as the treasurer for the board of directors, then transitioned into roles as chief financial officer and now CEO, replacing Andrea DeMeo, who retired.
“We’re confident that Trillium Health is in good hands,” Cindy Becker, chair of the Board of Directors, said in a statement.
Becker added that “under Jason’s leadership, the agency will continue to provide vital services to the community.”
Barnecut-Kearns, a former Xerox employee, said his role as Trillium’s CFO gave him a better understanding of the dynamics behind the nonprofit sector, but most importantly, he was able to foster a relationship with his team.
“I've learned it’s the people who are doing the work every day. They know what's best for the organization in terms of how we can improve,” he said. “Building those relationships creates confidence in our leadership, and therefore engagement to make sure that we are changing for the future.”
The majority of the patients seen at Trillium are members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a gay man himself, Barnecut-Kearns appreciates being able to relate to patients on that level.
“That's the thing about this organization, we have a workforce that represents the community we serve,” Barnecut-Kearns said.
Barnecut-Kearns wants his legacy at Trillium to reflect the growth of the institution and the well-being of the patients.
“There's so much room for opportunity,” he said, “We want to be doing everything that impacts our patients and our clients to the best that we can.”
