Phoenix Children’s announced on March 19 the appointments of Catherine Codispoti as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Stephanie Kearney as Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer.
The leadership changes come as Phoenix Children’s pursues a vision to improve pediatric health outcomes for children and families. The organization is one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, with more than 70 locations across Arizona, according to the official website.
John R. Nickens IV, President and CEO of Phoenix Children’s, said, “We’ve set a bold new vision to improve the health of a generation, which will require strong, forward-thinking leadership to guide our work and drive meaningful progress for children and families. Having worked with Catherine and Stephanie previously, I know firsthand how impactful they will be as we create strategic plans to turn this vision into action.”
Codispoti will begin her role in July. She brings experience from Mercy health system and previous positions at Children’s National in Washington D.C. and Texas Children’s. She will oversee workforce development, total rewards strategy, cultural engagement for over 8,000 employees, Human Resources, Legal, Compliance, Risk and Public Affairs teams. Codispoti said, “The opportunity to return to pediatric healthcare and help shape the future of children’s health, and the health of the community, is incredibly meaningful to me. I’m especially excited to work alongside John Nickens…as we support our people, drive service line success, and advance the mission of this remarkable organization.”
Kearney joins in April after serving as Chief Ambulatory Officer at Cody Regional Health in Wyoming. Her responsibilities will include enterprise strategy development as well as leading community engagement efforts. Kearney said: “Phoenix Children’s is a dynamic pediatric health system and I’m thrilled to join the organization at such an exciting time. I look forward to partnering with our clinical and operational leaders to shape strategies that expand access, strengthen community partnerships and position Phoenix Children’s for continued growth and impact for children and families across the Southwest.”
Phoenix Children’s Foundation recruits top physicians and researchers according to its official website according to the official website. The foundation also conducts community health needs assessments that guide improvement programs according to the official website. Its operations include campuses such as Arrowhead in Glendale and Avondale according to the official website, while it consistently earns national rankings among top children’s hospitals according to the official website. The foundation partners with Dignity Health to enhance access to pediatric care according to the official website.
Nickens has led Phoenix Children’s since October 2025 with a focus on strengthening culture and refining strategic priorities.
