Born in Bangladesh and raised in Kuwait, Harun Rashid could probably live anywhere in the world, but he chose to make Akron his home when he joined Akron Children’s Hospital as vice president and chief information officer in 2017. The seasoned IT veteran and 1 of the top CIOs in the country (according to CIO […]
Getting to know Dr. John Crow, Associate Chief Medical Officer
While he may not have known from an early age that he wanted to become a pediatric surgeon, Dr. John Crow, associate chief medical officer and pediatric surgeon, had lots of practice honing his skills. From working with his hands at an early age as an apprentice electrician to helping raise nine kids, he has […]
Meet Grace Wakulchik, President and Chief Executive Officer
Grace Wakulchik, president and chief executive officer (CEO), is the type of person who always sees the bigger picture. In fact, she first demonstrated her business acumen at age 10, when she realized she was being underpaid (25 cents a loaf!) for her homemade bread. As a staff nurse, she wanted to help solve organizational […]
Get to know Chris Young, Chief of Hospital-Based Services and Chief Nursing Officer
Chris Young’s happiest place on Earth may be the iconic Walt Disney World (she’s been there 10 times!), but Akron Children’s Hospital comes in a very close second. And just like Disney, Chris is committed to continuously improving and creating a great experience. In fact, when she joined the hospital in 2012 as the director […]
Meet Rhonda Larimore, Chief Human Resources Officer
Rhonda Larimore, the hospital’s chief human resources officer (CHRO), considers herself a bit of a daredevil. The Pennsylvania native has rappelled off a cliff, white water rafted, fished for sharks (she caught a 225 lb/7-foot lemon shark!), rode a horse in Red Rock Canyon, got re-married by Elvis in Las Vegas, and most recently, went […]
Meet Dr. Michael Bigham, Chief Quality Officer
We’ve all heard the saying ‘quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do’ when referring to the high-quality, safe and efficient care Akron Children’s employees strive for every day. For Dr. Michael Bigham, the hospital’s chief quality officer (CQO), leading this charge isn’t just his job, it’s his passion. In his role, […]
