Pomerene Names Local HR Leader, Strengthens Rural Workforce Strategy

Pomerene Hospital elevated Jenna Jacobs to executive director of human resources in a personnel announcement on November 12, 2025, making the Millersburg resident a senior leader in the hospital system effective November 2025. Jacobs joined Pomerene in March 2024 and has served as a human resources generalist and as the hospital s physician and provider recruiter, roles that placed her at the center of hiring and workforce strategy during a period of heightened staffing challenges across rural health care.

Jacobs brings academic and professional credentials to the new post. She holds a bachelor s degree in organizational communication from Kent State University and maintains a SHRM CP certification. She is also completing an MBA in Human Resource Management from Ashland University, expected December 2025. Those qualifications align with the hospital s stated priorities of strengthening recruitment pipelines and enhancing employee engagement and retention.

Hospital leaders framed the promotion as part of a broader effort to address workforce sustainability. Rural hospitals across the region continue to compete for a limited pool of clinicians and support staff, and turnover can reduce continuity of care, increase costs, and strain remaining employees. By elevating an internal candidate with local ties and recruiting experience, Pomerene is emphasizing continuity and institutional knowledge as tools to stabilize staffing and protect patient services in Holmes County.

For local residents the appointment matters in several ways. Stronger recruitment and retention practices can lead to more consistent clinic and hospital schedules, reduced wait times for appointments, and fewer disruptions to routine and emergency services. A focus on workplace culture and employee support also has community impact, since many hospital staff live in and contribute to the local economy. Keeping and developing homegrown talent can create career pathways for county residents and help mitigate disparities in access to health care that often affect rural populations.

The promotion also highlights systemic policy questions that affect Pomerene and similar institutions. Rural facilities often depend on targeted incentives, partnerships with educational institutions, and supportive state and federal policies to expand the local workforce. Investments in training, loan repayment programs, and regional recruitment collaborations can complement internal human resources initiatives to build long term capacity.

As Jacobs assumes her new responsibilities, hospital leaders say the work will include sharpening recruitment strategy, improving employee engagement, and prioritizing retention to sustain patient care. For Holmes County residents the outcome will be measured by staffing stability, quality of services, and the ability of the local hospital to remain a reliable health care anchor for the community.