About Seattle Children’s

Seattle Children’s Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Sperring leadershipJeff Sperring, MD

At Seattle Children’s since 2015 
MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

I wrote in my medical school application that being a doctor was as much a matter of the heart as it was the mind. During my third year of medical school, it became really clear that pediatrics was what I wanted to do. In working with kids and their families, I found the connection of care and science. Part of it is the challenge of taking care of kids who are sick, but more importantly the hope that you could make a difference that would be lifelong: 50, 60 or 70 years of impact. At this point in my career, I am fortunate to be able to move to the Pacific Northwest and join an amazing team at Seattle Children’s that is bringing more hope to kids and families every day by connecting the heart of care and the science of cure. Hope. Care. Cure. It's what we do best.

Presidents

hendricks_James_173x105James B. Hendricks, PhD

President, Seattle Children’s Research Institute

At Seattle Children’s since 2003 
PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Doug Picha leadershipDouglas Picha

President, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation

At Seattle Children’s since 1980
BA, Washington State University

Senior and Executive Vice Presidents

Other Leadership

  • Jeffrey Avansino, MD, MBA, Vice President and Medical Director, Surgical Services, and Associate Surgeon-in-Chief
  • Kim Baggett, Vice President, Center Business Operations
  • Sara D. Brown, MHA, Chief Privacy Officer
  • Kevin Charette, Chief Perfusionist
  • Vickie Cleator, Vice President, Research Service Line Operations
  • Bonnie Fryzlewicz, RN, MN, NE-BC, Vice President, Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer
  • Gary Gooden, MBA, Chief Information Security Officer
  • Deb Gumbardo, Chief, Psycho-Social Services
  • Warren Hewitt, CPA, Chief Accounting Officer, Vice President, Finance
  • Wendy Jakobsen, MJ, CHC, CHRC, Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer
  • Michael Jensen, MD, Executive Director, CureWorks
  • Christine Kessler, Vice President of System Access, Practice Management and Executive Director of CUMG
  • Julie Kirkham, Vice President and Chief Learning Officer
  • Pradipta Komanduri, MHA, Vice President, Clinical Support Services
  • Erik Lausund, Vice President, Research Operations and Logistics
  • Jodi Long, JD, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel
  • Ruth McDonald, MD, Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer, Medical Operations
  • Wendy Piñero-DePencier, MBA, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
  • Pam Rock, Vice President, Medical Service Lines and Specialty Programs
  • Paul Sharek, MD, MPH Vice President, Chief Quality and Safety Officer
  • Petra Smith, JD, Vice President, Human Resources
  • Ryan Sousa, Chief Data Officer
  • Suzanne Petersen Tanneberg, MASSA, Vice President, External Affairs and Guest Services
  • Rod Tarrago, MD, Chief Medical Information Officer
  • Eric Tham, MD, MS, Vice President and Associate Chief Information Officer, Research IT, Clinical Applications and Analytics