Janet Cates, BA

Position: Director – Middle Tennessee

Janet joined the Cumberland Pediatric Foundation in February 2014 as a Program Manager, where she was instrumental in leading various initiatives aimed at improving community health outcomes. She led the execution of increasing HPV Vaccine Uptake R01 and the Clinical Efforts Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure program as well as assisting to implement new grant-based research projects with emphasis on compliance, quality improvement, efficiency, and their impact on practice operations. Janet is currently the Regional Director for Middle Tennessee. In this role she is responsible for planning networking and educational opportunities, as well as assisting clinics who are participating in grant projects through the foundation. Janet has worked diligently to create and expand networking opportunities for healthcare providers and administrators. Her efforts have successfully bridged the gaps between medical center specialties and community-based primary care. Notable initiatives she has led include the CPF Pediatric Open House and Showcase, the Nashville Predators Hockey social, the Annual Resident Welcome Picnic, the Resident Mentor Mixers and the CPF Pediatric Administrator’s Meeting and Annual Meeting. These events have allowed providers and administrators to build strong connections and share best practices for improving patient care and outcomes. Through her leadership, she has fostered collaboration across various healthcare sectors, ensuring that the practices are well- equipped to address public health challenges.  With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising and a minor in Business Administration from Western Kentucky University, Janet’s career spans multiple sectors. Prior to joining CPF, she worked at Lexmark International as a U.S. Product Marketing Specialist and Sales Operation Analyst, in addition to spending 10 years in Retail Management and Buyer roles. Currently, as the Director of Middle Tennessee, Janet focuses on recruitment efforts and ongoing quality improvement initiatives at pediatric practices. She has over 10 years’ experience implementing research studies and quality improvement projects related to vaccination rates, antibiotic stewardship, smoking cessation, vision screening, and asthma prevention. Janet also provides mental health resources to practices and has recruited numerous CPF practices for research studies funded by NIH, CDC, Tennessee Department of Health, and Nashville Metro Public Health Department. Having lived in Tennessee since 2001, she enjoys attending University of Tennessee games and spending time outdoors.