Veteran CIOs Lead the Nation’s Top Children’s Hospitals

The IT leaders behind the nation’s top-ranked pediatric hospitals have more in common than technology — they bring decades of institutional memory, stability, and clinical insight to some of healthcare’s most complex organizations.

The 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll highlights not only excellence in patient outcomes and access, but also the digital leadership quietly shaping how care is delivered. Across the ten institutions recognized, most CIOs have been with their hospitals for over a decade — guiding digital transformation through EHR optimization, AI integration, and the shift to precision pediatrics.

At Boston Children’s Hospital, Heather Nelson has served as Senior Vice President and CIO since 2021, steering data and analytics strategy across clinical and research settings.
At Children’s Hospital Colorado, Amy Feaster, Chief Digital and Information Officer, has led since 2023, after joining the system in 2018.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles relies on Conrad Band, SVP and CIO since 2021, who previously oversaw digital infrastructure as a senior technology leader.
At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Shakeeb Akhter became SVP and CDIO in 2022, continuing the organization’s push toward data-driven clinical intelligence.
Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., is led by Matt MacVey, EVP and CIO since 2022, who joined in 2017 and has overseen key EHR and interoperability initiatives.
Cincinnati Children’s, ranked among the best nationally, continues to benefit from Tony Johnston’s long tenure — SVP and CIO since 2023, and with the hospital since 1989.
At Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, Denise Zabawski has served as CIO since 2013, having joined in 1999, leading major data platform modernization efforts.
Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego named John Henderson Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer earlier this year, expanding its digital roadmap for integrated pediatric care.
At Seattle Children’s, Dr. Zafar Chaudry serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Digital, AI and Information Officer, blending clinical practice with emerging technology leadership since 2017.
And at Texas Children’s Hospital, Myra Davis continues her long tenure as Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Innovation Officer, joining the organization in 2003 and taking on her current role in 2019.

Across these hospitals, longevity in leadership is proving to be an asset. As children’s hospitals face new demands in telehealth, precision medicine, and cybersecurity, CIOs with deep institutional knowledge are guiding the balance between innovation and operational continuity.

“Pediatric healthcare depends on trust — and so does technology,” said one hospital executive. “When your digital leaders understand the mission as deeply as the medicine, transformation becomes sustainable.”

The U.S. News & World Report rankings underscore that pediatric excellence increasingly depends on digital resilience — and the leaders who sustain it year after year.

📊 Source: U.S. News & World Report — Best Children’s Hospitals Rankings 2025–2026