Covista CEO’s healthcare education chief of staff role turns over four times in 5 years by choice

Different skills at each stage

Beard’s first chief of staff focused on finance, followed by specialists in strategy and technology. His newest hire, who started recently, has a management consulting background.

A route to new roles

Beard considers a few years an appropriate stretch for the position, while giving chiefs of staff time to develop their careers. His first moved into a CFO role at one of Covista’s universities.

A demanding, close partnership

Beard oversees five educational institutions that train students for healthcare careers. He said he usually reaches his desk around 7 a.m. on weekdays and leaves after 6 p.m.

His chief of staff works closely with him, beginning the day with a 15-minute review of priorities and plans. They remain in contact when apart and sometimes travel together.

What Beard seeks—and risks

Beard looks for people who can influence others without formal authority, build relationships, offer a fresh perspective, and shift between strategy and execution. He said listening to team discussions helped him learn.

Changing chiefs of staff has a cost: Beard gives up someone working at full strength and must rebuild rapport with a replacement. The new hire needs time to develop the shared understanding the partnership requires.