Our Leadership Team

Christopher Gessner

President and Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Aurilio, MSN, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Baccon, MD, PhD, MHCM

Chair, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Tarun Bhalla, MD, MBA, FAAP

Chair, Anesthesia & Pain Medicine; Pediatric Anesthesiologist

Michael Bigham, MD

Chief Quality Officer; Pediatric Intensivist

Michele Brown, MAOL, CFRE

Executive Director, Akron Children's Hospital Foundation; Vice President, Development

Bruce H. Cohen, MD, FAAN

Chair, NeuroDevelopmental Science Center
Interim Vice President and Medical Director, Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute; Philip H. Maynard Chair in NeuroDevelopmental Science Fund; Chairman, American Academy of Neurology Advocacy Committee; Pediatric Neurologist

Anthea Daniels

Chief Legal Officer

Jennifer Dwyer, MD, FAAP

Chief of Primary Care; Pediatrician

Michael Forbes, MD, FAAP, FCCM

Chief Academic Officer; William H. and Rebecca D. Considine Endowed Chair in Research; Chair, Department of Pediatrics; Past President, Medical Staff; Medical Lead, VPS Pediatric Critical Care Registry; Pediatric Critical Care Specialist

Kristene Grayem, MSN, APRN-CNP

Chief Population Health Officer; Executive Director, Akron Children’s Health Collaborative

Jeffrey Hord, MD

Director, Division of Hematology-Oncology; Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist; LOPen Charities and Mawaka Family Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (Honoring Dr. Jeffrey Hord)

Steven Jewell, MD

Director, Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology; The Lois C. Orr Endowed Chair in Pediatric Psychiatry

Alicia LaMancusa, CPA, MBA

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Rhonda Larimore

Chief Human Resources Officer

Shawn Lyden, JD

Chief Strategy Officer

Shefali Mahesh, MD

Medical Staff President;
Dr. Noah Miller Chair of the Department of Pediatrics; Pediatric Nephrologist

Robert McGregor, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Harun Rashid

Chief Information Officer

Todd Ritzman, MD, FAAOS, FAOA

Chair, Department of Orthopedics;
Director, Spine Center; Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon

Michael Rubin, MD

Chair, Department of Pediatric Radiology;
Pediatric Radiologist

Bernett Williams, MPA

Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer; Vice President for Community Initiatives

Katherine Wolfe, DO, FACOG

Chair, Maternal-Fetal Medicine;
Director, Diabetes and Pregnancy Program; Maternal-Fetal Specialist

Mark Wulkan, MD, FACS, FAAP

Bruce F. Rothmann, M.D. Chair in Pediatric Surgery

Christine Young, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC

Chief of Hospital Based Services; Chief Nursing Officer