Dr. Shefali Mahesh named Pediatrics Chair at Akron Children’s Hospital, Northeast Ohio Medical University

09-13-2022 (Akron, Mahoning Valley, Ohio)

Shefali Mahesh, M.D., M.B.A., has been named the Dr. Noah Miller Chair in Pediatrics at Akron Children’s Hospital. As chair of the Department of Pediatrics, she assumes the same title at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), effective Sept. 12.

Dr. Mahesh has been with Akron Children’s for 14 years. She has served as director of Pediatric Nephrology & Dialysis, director of Medical Subspecialties and is the current president of the hospital’s Medical Staff. She is also the chair of the Board of Directors for the newly formed accountable care organization, Akron Children’s Health Collaborative.

“Dr. Mahesh has proven to be an effective and respected leader at Akron Children’s,” said Robert McGregor, M.D., chief medical officer. “We are delighted she has accepted this new role in leadership.”

In her new role, she serves as a primary advocate and champion for children and families seeking care at Akron Children’s and is responsible for departmental, clinical and administrative oversight. She will oversee quality-of-care initiatives and educational activities, promote cultural diversity and inclusion, and guide succession planning in the department’s clinical areas.

“Dr. Mahesh is an accomplished clinician and has become a visionary leader at Akron Children’s Hospital.  Her passion for student education and faculty engagement makes her an excellent choice for NEOMED’s next chair of Pediatrics,” said Eugene M. Mowad, M.D., FAAP, interim dean at the University’s College of Medicine. “I look forward to our continued collaboration to optimize the clinical experience of our students, to further cultivate opportunities for our pediatric faculty, and to improve health care for children in our region.”

Dr. Mahesh said she is also looking forward to developing a robust collaboration between the hospital and Rootstown-based medical university.

“The collaboration is mutually beneficial,” said Dr. Mahesh. “We aspire to have a stronger clinical, educational and research presence of the pediatrics faculty at NEOMED, and provide an immersive experience for medical students at earlier stages of their education, when many are deciding upon their specialty and career path. I am eager to get started. There are ample opportunities to innovate in the way we teach and deliver health care, particularly as we embark on the journey to value-based care. Through education, research and deploying technology and analytics, I’m excited to advance our mission, shape the future of child health and future physicians, keep our caregivers enriched and bring the highest quality family-centered care to the children we serve.”