Remote Area Medical, with roots in the Southern Appalachians, has provided free health care since 1985 to over 1 million people through mobile pop-up clinics across the nation. “Free Is In Our DNA.”
Tell us about your journey to becoming CEO of Remote Area Medical.
In 2009, I happened to catch a “60 Minutes” segment on Remote Area Medical’s founder Stan Brock. He was calling out patient numbers at a clinic. I remember thinking, that’s what real impact looks like. Our youngest had just left for college, and I had free time for the first time in years. My background was in sales and marketing, but what I saw that day stirred me to do more with my time.
I signed up to volunteer at a RAM Clinic at Lincoln Memorial University, and just kept showing up. I knew early on I wanted to work alongside Stan. In 2013, I drove to RAM headquarters in Rockford, Tennessee, with my laptop and offered to help however I could. Soon after, I joined as chief financial officer and became CEO in 2015.
My wife, Debbie, and I have five children who have all volunteered with RAM. It’s been a shared family mission from the start.
What did you learn from working with RAM founder, the late Stan Brock, and what do his words “there are Wapishanas everywhere” mean?
Stan was larger than life. Most people knew him from the TV show “Wild Kingdom,” but to me, he was a teacher. He showed me the power one person can have when they’re determined to meet a need and refuse to look away. Stan would say, “there are Wapishanas everywhere,” referring to the Indigenous Wapishana people he had lived and worked with in the Guyana savannahs. He meant that people in need aren’t only in remote corners of the world. They’re right here in our communities. This philosophy guides RAM today. We don’t ask for ID, proof of income or any qualification to receive care. If someone needs help, they get it. Under Stan’s vision, RAM has provided free healthcare to a million people, and that number grows weekly thanks to the 17,000 volunteers who give their time each year. He taught me this isn’t just work, it’s a calling.
What are RAM Chapters?
We started RAM Campus Chapters four years ago to involve students in our mission. These university-based chapters give students real leadership experience while learning what it means to serve others. It’s like an internship in compassion. Students organize events, recruit volunteers and help host clinics. RAM has more than 60 chapters across the country, and that number continues to grow.
What does RAM mean to the Southern Appalachians and the nation?
RAM’s roots are in the Southern Appalachians, and the branches have spread across the country. This is our home, and the people here shaped who we are. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, our mission hasn’t changed: provide free, quality healthcare to anyone who needs it, in rural Tennessee or a big city on the coast.
What surprises many people is that 40 to 50% of our patients are employed, and about 5% are veterans. They’re our neighbors, mail carriers, rideshare drivers, teachers. They make our communities work but can’t always afford the care they need.
How is your denture lab a game changer, and what does RAM’s future look like?
Our digital denture lab is truly transforming what’s possible. It’s mobile, uses 3-D printing technology and travels across the nation to provide custom dentures — often in a single day. We even partner with organizations like CareCuts in Knoxville to serve people where they are. RAM’s headquarters in Rockford, Tennessee, is expanding. We’ve acquired two additional buildings for new programs, including our telehealth fleet. These one-of-a-kind vehicles allow us to meet patients in parking lots of businesses like Food City.
I see a future where we treat more people than ever. Most folks want to give back. They just need an easy way to do it. RAM makes that possible: Volunteer on a Saturday, change someone’s life and go back to work on Monday with a story you’ll never forget!
The story above first appeared in our January / February 2026 issue.
