Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Simon.
Chelsea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My path into healthcare leadership wasn’t a straight line—it was built from being in the work. I started my career on the operational and clinical administration side of healthcare, working inside organizations as they grew, struggled, and evolved. Over more than 15 years, I moved through leadership roles where I was often brought in during seasons of change—rapid growth, restructuring, compliance challenges, or cultural breakdowns.
Currently, I serve as the Chief Operating Officer of Infinite Recovery, a multi-site behavioral health drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization. In this role, I oversee operations across the continuum of care, support clinical and non-clinical teams, scale systems, and lead organizational restructuring during periods of rapid growth and regulatory complexity. Prior to this, I served as COO of a multimillion-dollar medical group, where I launched new specialty service lines and surgery centers, rebuilt teams and operational infrastructure, and worked closely with providers to improve access, outcomes, and financial performance.
Across these roles, one pattern became clear: organizations don’t struggle because people don’t care—they struggle when growth outpaces systems and leaders lack the structure and support needed to sustain it.
Kindroot Consulting was born from that realization. I created Kindroot to help healthcare practices and service-driven organizations strengthen their foundation, align operations with values, and build cultures that support both performance and people. Everything we do is grounded in real-world experience—not theory—and focused on sustainable, values-aligned growth.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all—and honestly, I don’t think meaningful leadership ever comes from a smooth road.
Healthcare is complex, highly regulated, and deeply human. Along the way, I’ve navigated rapid growth without adequate infrastructure, stepped into organizations mid-crisis, rebuilt teams after burnout and turnover, and made hard decisions that impacted people I cared deeply about. I’ve also experienced the tension that comes with leading change—earning trust, challenging long-standing systems, and holding boundaries while still leading with empathy.
One of the biggest struggles was learning that being good at the work isn’t enough. Sustainable success requires systems, accountability, and clarity—not just effort or intention. I also learned the importance of advocating for operational discipline and people-centered leadership at the same time, even when those priorities felt at odds.
Those challenges shaped how I lead today and why Kindroot Consulting exists. I’ve lived the consequences of reactive growth and misaligned leadership, and I’ve also seen what’s possible when organizations slow down, strengthen their foundation, and invest in their people. The road wasn’t smooth—but it was formative, and it’s what allows me to meet leaders where they are with both credibility and compassion.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work sits at the intersection of operations, leadership, and organizational health. I specialize in helping healthcare practices and service-driven organizations scale in a way that is sustainable—financially, operationally, and culturally. That includes operational restructuring, compliance and systems optimization, service line and program development, leadership coaching, and improving patient access and flow across the continuum of care.
I’m best known for stepping into complex, high-growth or high-stress environments and bringing clarity. I help leaders identify root causes—not just surface-level problems—then build practical systems that actually work for the people using them. Much of my work involves rebuilding teams, clarifying roles and accountability, creating workflows that reduce burnout, and aligning operations with the organization’s mission and values.
What I’m most proud of is the impact on people. I’ve helped organizations stabilize after chaos, supported leaders through difficult transitions, and built cultures where teams feel supported, clear, and empowered to do their best work. Seeing organizations improve outcomes without sacrificing their people is what matters most to me.
What sets me apart is that I’ve been in the seat. I’m not an outside advisor working from theory—I’m a practicing healthcare executive who understands the realities of regulation, margins, staffing challenges, and human complexity. I lead with both structure and empathy, and I’m willing to have the hard conversations while still honoring the people behind the work. That balance—results-driven leadership with a human core—is the foundation of everything I do.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t scale sustainably without alignment—between people, systems, and values.
Early in my career, I thought working harder, moving faster, and solving problems as they came was enough. But over time, I saw how quickly that approach leads to burnout, breakdowns in trust, and reactive decision-making. Growth without structure doesn’t just strain operations—it strains people.
I’ve learned that real leadership requires slowing down enough to build clarity: clear roles, clear expectations, and clear systems that support the work instead of fighting it. Just as importantly, I’ve learned that empathy and accountability aren’t opposites—you need both. When people feel supported and know what’s expected of them, organizations thrive.
That lesson shapes how I lead today and why I do the work I do. Sustainable success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, in the right order, with the right foundation underneath.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kindrootconsulting.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kindroot-Consulting-61578821057814
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kindroot-consulting-llc
