PHOENIX [March 19, 2026] – Phoenix Children’s has named Catherine Codispoti, MHA, as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Stephanie Kearney, MBA, MHA, FACHE, as Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer.
“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,” said John R. Nickens IV, President and CEO, Phoenix Children’s. “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.”
Catherine Codispoti, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer
Codispoti is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with expertise in organizational transformation and leadership development. Starting in July, she will oversee long-range workforce development, total rewards strategy and cultural engagement for Phoenix Children’s more than 8,000 employees. Codispoti will lead Human Resources, Legal, Compliance, Risk and Public Affairs teams. She will also manage system integration for key service lines.
She currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Mercy, an $11 billion health system with more than 50,000 employees across five states. Prior to that, she held senior leadership roles at Children’s National in Washington, D.C. and Texas Children’s. She holds a Master of Health Administration from the University of Oklahoma and earned a bachelor’s degree at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“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,” said Codispoti. “I’m especially excited to work alongside John Nickens, a dynamic leader with a bold vision for the future of pediatric care, as we support our people, drive service line success, and advance the mission of this remarkable organization.”
Stephanie Kearney, SVP, Chief Strategy Officer
Upon joining in April, Kearney will oversee enterprise strategy, guiding market and regional strategies for Phoenix Children’s. In this role, she will lead community engagement, enterprise project management and marketing and communications.
Kearney brings more than 15 years of healthcare leadership experience focused on system growth, ambulatory strategy, service line expansion and market positioning. She joins Phoenix Children’s after serving as Chief Ambulatory Officer at Cody Regional Health in Wyoming, where she led systemwide ambulatory services and advanced strategic growth initiatives.
Previously, Kearney held leadership roles at Vail Health and Baylor College of Medicine, supporting complex clinical operations, physician alignment and service line development. She holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston – Clear Lake, a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“Phoenix Children’s is a dynamic pediatric health system and I’m thrilled to join the organization at such an exciting time,” said Kearney. “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.”
Codispoti and Kearney join a seasoned executive leadership team helping drive the health system forward, under Nickens’ leadership. Since joining Phoenix Children’s in October of 2025, Nickens has brought a renewed focus to strengthening the culture and sharpening the system’s strategic priorities.