Kris McCarty is a healthcare executive, entrepreneur, inventor, and advocate who believes compassion, connection, and courage can transform lives. Her career combines clinical expertise, executive leadership, innovation, and a deeply personal commitment to elevating the human experience.

With degrees in social work, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, and dual licensure in OT and PT, Kris has served across diverse clinical settings. As Director of Mary Free Bed at Sparrow, she led a rehabilitation team recognized nationally for Overall Quality of Care four consecutive years. She later served as Vice President of Patient Experience at Sparrow Hospital and President of Sparrow Clinton Hospital, helping advance clinical growth, employee engagement, patient experience, and Five-Star Hospital recognition.

Today, Kris is Executive Director of People, Process, and Patient Experience at Lansing Urgent Care, championing compassionate leadership, empowered teams, and patient-centered improvement. She is also Founder and CEO of LYM Design LLC and inventor of Beverage Pantry™, bringing creativity and practical innovation to everyday life.

A passionate public speaker, Kris inspires healthcare professionals and leaders to strengthen communication, deepen human connection, and create exceptional patient experiences. She believes the way we listen, communicate, and make others feel matters as much as the care we deliver.

Her community commitments include leadership with the Brain Injury Association of Michigan and founding Kennedy’s Closet, a nonprofit supporting people in need with clothing, hygiene items, and medical equipment. She received an inaugural Women Who Inspire Award in 2009.

Personal adversity has profoundly shaped Kris’s purpose. After overcoming serious illness and disability in 2015, her family faced a devastating 2016 automobile accident that took the life of her 12-year-old daughter and left two of her children with traumatic brain injuries. These experiences, and her connection to Gift of Life, strengthened her advocacy for patients, families, and those navigating profound change.

Kris shares an inspired life with her husband and children, enjoying travel, meaningful family time, and refurbishing furniture and spaces. Guided by the belief that “our scars can become lighthouses for others,” she seeks to lead with heart, embrace possibility, and help others find hope and purpose through life’s challenges.