John Lankford is President and Founder of the Parnassus Group based on more than 30 years navigating diverse leadership functions inside strong growth organizations. Beginning with his work in sales and marketing at Abbott Laboratories during the genesis stage of their invitro-diagnostics business, he made early moves to Inc. Magazine hallmarks like Biosite Diagnostics in San Diego, to expand his learning and impact in operations, strategy and general management.The Parnassus Group is built on the idea that health advancement truly occurs as the best leaders are brought to the organizations who envision and invest in life changing technologies and services in ways that new standards of excellence are created. John and his wife built a non-profit organization called Urban Avenues in 2013 to advance the connection of communities in Birmingham, AL through the deployment of ventures (Fives Loaves Birmingham and Fish Camp Films) that are built by students in the city who are inspired to deploy economic development through education and the advancement of beauty.  He sits on the board of directors of several organizations nationally. John is a graduate of Samford University and lives with his wife Laura in the city they love, Birmingham, AL.

Doug is a graduate of West Point, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and has a M.Ed from the University of Washington. He has led multiple units in the Army, and spent time in operations at Amazon.com. For five years, Doug taught Leadership, Advanced Leadership, and Leading Organizations Through Change at West Point, where he won the Excellence in Teaching Award and exceeded the academy average in every area of teaching feedback during each semester that he taught. He’s the co-author of four books: Permission to Speak Freely, Say Anything, Hope Unseen, and Leadership Lessons from West Point. Doug has published articles in the International Journal of Servant-Leadership and written case studies for both Stanford’s and Harvard’s business schools. Before joining The Referent Group, Doug spent over a decade creating and delivering leadership development content for companies across myriad sectors and in multiple countries. He also regularly delivered keynotes for organizations such as Walmart, Gap, USAA, Goodwill, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, McKinsey and Company, and others.

Sheldon joined The Parnassus team in the Fall of 2022. Prior to The Parnassus Group she served multiple clients as a contractor, assisting with organizational task as an operational team member. Sheldon has a personal passion for education and finance and has found a way to incorporate that into her secular career. In a partnership with BELAY, Sheldon was matched with The Parnassus Group to join their Operations Team to provide support on the back side and create a smooth process for all involved. Sheldon has a bachelor’s degree in Principles and Methods of Language Education and over 20 years of experience in the financial industry in multiple support and sales roles. She lives in Portugal, coming state-side to spend time with her family in North Carolina, and to get facetime with her Parnassus colleagues. 

Tom graduated from West Point in the top 3% of his class and subsequently from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. As a retired Army Colonel, highlights from his distinguished 24-year career include being awarded Flight Surgeon of the Year for his service in combat, Outstanding Faculty of the Year for his medical teaching, and board selection as Department Chair for a family medicine residency department. As a result of his appointment by the Army Surgeon General to be the “face of military medicine” to recruit and share the Army Medicine story, Tom recognized a need and developed a passion for teaching physicians across the country to be effective, engaged leaders. In his final appointment in the military, Tom was the commander/CEO of a NATO military medical facility at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. Most recently, Tom served as the CMO for the Medical Group at Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown, KY where he still resides. With an emphasis on servant leadership, Tom’s core conviction is that effective leadership is never about him but is focused in creating a culture where the ones he leads can thrive and succeed. Tom and his wife Cheri of 30 years live in Kentucky and have three children.