• OhioHealth’s Culture DNA initiative encourages associates to Lead with Connection, Go the Extra Mile, Work as One and Shape the Future.
• The LIVE Experience uses interactive activities and real-world scenarios to help associates put the four behaviors into practice.
• The initiative empowers employees to create meaningful moments for patients and families through connection, teamwork and hospitality in healthcare.

Every patient interaction is an opportunity to make a difference. Through Culture DNA, OhioHealth is empowering associates to make the most of those moments.

The organization-wide initiative focuses on four behaviors that guide how associates interact with patients, families and one another: Lead with Connection, Go the Extra Mile, Work as One and Shape the Future.

“The differentiator for us, for our patients is service,” said Tristan Hall, chief human resource officer at OhioHealth. “This is really about the experience that our patients have when they are in our facilities.”

Culture DNA encourages associates to look for ways to improve the patient experience, whether that means taking time to connect with someone, anticipating a need or working across departments to make a patient’s care journey more seamless.

“We’re trying to equip and empower every associate with the tools and skills and our culture,” said Ryan Newland, senior advisor of operations at OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital. “So that no matter where a patient goes, that they recognize that they were at OhioHealth.”

To help associates put the behaviors into practice, OhioHealth developed the Culture DNA LIVE Experience, an interactive, hands-on program traveling to all 16 of the organization’s care sites. Through activities and real-world scenarios, associates can explore the behaviors with colleagues and consider how to apply them in their daily work.

“We want to take this on the road so that our people get a hands-on experience and get to see exactly what it’s like, get to see the DNA in action,” Hall said.

The experience is rooted in Mission Mountain, OhioHealth’s strategic plan, which includes a focus on elevating the patient experience.

“It improves the patient experience because it gives every associate real-life tools to be able to use in every interaction,” said Newland. “It really empowers and engages our teams to look for those opportunities to be a moment maker.”

The program also reinforces that each and every associate can play a role in shaping the patient experience.

“Is there something that I can personally do to make their stay with us better, to make it more comfortable?” Hall said of the mindset behind Culture DNA. “It’s hospitality in healthcare.”

Newland said he hopes the behaviors become part of OhioHealth’s reputation throughout the communities it serves, with patients sharing their experiences with friends and family.

The LIVE Experience has introduced associates to the first two behaviors, Lead with Connection and Go the Extra Mile. OhioHealth plans to return to all 16 hospitals in the spring to focus on the remaining behaviors.

“This is who we are as a company,” Hall said. “It’s this idea that when I went to OhioHealth, they heard me, I felt valued, I felt listened to.

OhioHealth is proud to celebrate Tristan Hall, MPA, SHRM-SCP, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, as a 2025 honoree in Columbus Business First’s “40 Under 40” list.

At 35, Hall leads human resources strategy for OhioHealth’s more than 35,000 associates across the system, a role he views not just as operational, but transformational. A Columbus native and proud product of Franklin University’s Master of Public Administration program, Hall has steadily grown his career by centering people at the heart of leadership.

His journey at OhioHealth began working in nutrition services as a high school student. He returned to the organization in 2017 as an HR manager and went on to hold several key leadership roles before being named CHRO, a role that echoes his childhood ambition to serve people and lead change.

“As a kid, I wanted to be a politician; maybe the president – working for the people, solving problems, making things better,” Hall told Business First. “Now I'm the chief human resources officer of the largest private employer in central Ohio, and it's not so different: I advocate for people, build great workplaces and help drive change.”

Hall is passionate about reinvigorating culture in the post-pandemic era, modernizing HR practices and making sure every associate feels valued and connected to OhioHealth’s mission.

“I believe in being brilliant at the basics,” he said. “That means creating a seamless journey for our associates and an environment where they’re proud to work.”

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Hall is actively involved in the Columbus community. He serves on the boards of the Columbus Urban League and ICE Youth Mentors, supporting workforce development and youth empowerment.

A proud father of two daughters, Hall values time with family and has a deep appreciation for travel. He is currently working toward his pilot’s license, which he says has sharpened his leadership mindset.

“For me, it's about pushing boundaries, staying focused and trusting the journey – lessons that carry over into leadership and life,” Hall told Business First. “Sometimes, you have to soar beyond your comfort zone to reach new heights.”

To view the full 2025 “40 Under 40” list, click here.