Shepherd Center Welcomes Jim Kelly as Vice President of Revenue Cycle
Jim Kelly, MBA, CRCR, recently joined Shepherd Center as the Vice President of Revenue Cycle.
Kelly brings more than 24 years of healthcare revenue cycle leadership in hospitals, physician practices, and ambulatory settings. He has a strong track record in modernizing financial operations, driving system integrations, and leading technology transformations with a focus on collaboration and results.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jim to our team,” said Beth Boatwright, CPA, Shepherd Center’s chief financial officer. “His career experience has allowed him to see the revenue cycle from all angles. With his diverse background, he brings a holistic view to our team that will help us modernize and streamline our systems and processes.”
Before joining Shepherd Center, Kelly served as executive director and healthcare industry specialist at J.P. Morgan, where he advised health systems nationwide on working capital optimization and best practices. He previously held leadership roles at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory Healthcare.
“Having been in Atlanta most of my life, I was drawn to Shepherd for its incredible reputation and the chance to join the team making a meaningful difference every day in the lives of our patients and their families,” Kelly says. “I’m excited to modernize our revenue cycle so we can make the financial experience of a patient’s journey as smooth as possible — so their attention can remain on the world-class care they receive from our clinical teams.”
Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Iowa and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He is a Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) and an active member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). He’s also a passionate educator and has delivered presentations on emerging technology in healthcare, including AI, distributed ledger technology, cybersecurity, and the future of the revenue cycle.
Kelly lives in Peachtree Corners with his wife, son, daughter, and golden retriever. He enjoys distance swimming, golf, tennis, and spending time at the lake with his family.
With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.