Career paths in healthcare leadership rarely follow a straight line. Jason Strauss, the newly appointed CEO of Ivy Rehab, demonstrates how talent combined with perseverance can transform an entry-level analyst into the head of a major healthcare organization. His appointment represents another strategic executive selection by Reeve Waud, whose firm Waud Capital Partners has backed Ivy Rehab throughout its remarkable growth story.
Strauss’s professional trajectory began at HealthSouth (now Encompass Health), where he handled revenue reporting for various divisions including inpatient, outpatient, and surgery. This early financial role gave him valuable insights into healthcare operations across multiple care settings—knowledge that would prove essential in his later career advancement.
His most substantial professional development occurred at SCA Health, where he spent more than 15 years climbing through the ranks. Starting as an analyst—a position familiar to many healthcare executives who never reach the C-suite—Strauss demonstrated exceptional capability that carried him through progressively more responsible positions including Group President, COO, and eventually President before assuming the CEO role.
This methodical rise through a single organization highlights qualities that likely caught Reeve Waud’s attention when considering leadership for Ivy Rehab. Waud Capital Partners has built its reputation on identifying executive talent that can drive sustainable growth in healthcare companies. Since founding his investment firm in 1993, Reeve Waud has consistently prioritized leadership selection as a critical factor in portfolio company success.
What makes Strauss’s appointment particularly fitting is his experience with multi-site healthcare operations. At SCA Health, he helped oversee a network of 320 surgical facilities with 11,300 team members and 9,200 physicians serving approximately 1.43 million patients annually. This scale of operations closely mirrors Ivy Rehab’s extensive network of more than 650 therapy locations.
Additionally, Strauss’s time as Optum Health’s Chief Operating Officer exposed him to one of healthcare’s most sophisticated integrated delivery organizations. This experience likely sharpened his understanding of value-based care models and population health approaches—concepts increasingly relevant to therapy services providers like Ivy Rehab.
“I am honored and excited to take on the role of CEO at Ivy Rehab,” Strauss noted in the announcement of his appointment. His expressed commitment to “people, culture, and innovation” aligns perfectly with the foundations established under Michael Rucker’s leadership while suggesting areas for future enhancement.
For Reeve Waud and the Waud Capital team, Strauss represents the ideal next-stage leader for Ivy Rehab. His background working within large healthcare systems provides valuable perspective on potential integration opportunities. As healthcare continues moving toward coordinated care models, therapy providers must position themselves as essential partners in patient recovery journeys rather than isolated service points.
Strauss’s leadership style appears to balance operational discipline with people-centered values. Throughout his career progression, he has maintained focus on both business performance and organizational culture—a dual emphasis that matches Reeve Waud’s investment philosophy. Waud Capital’s healthcare portfolio companies frequently cite the firm’s appreciation for culture-building as a differentiating factor compared to other private equity backers.
When Strauss formally assumes his new role on April 30, 2025, he’ll bring nearly two decades of healthcare management experience to Ivy Rehab. The team of 6,000+ professionals he’ll lead includes specialists across physical, occupational, and speech therapy disciplines, as well as ABA services—all areas poised for continued growth as healthcare systems seek cost-effective alternatives to hospital-based care.
Reeve Waud’s long-term vision for Ivy Rehab appears aligned with broader healthcare trends favoring outpatient settings and specialty-focused providers. With Jason Strauss at the helm, the company seems well-positioned to build upon its established market presence while exploring new avenues for service delivery and patient engagement. His journey from analyst to CEO not only inspires other healthcare professionals but also validates Waud Capital’s approach to executive partnership.