Phoenix Children's CEO reshapes C-suite around operational leadership

On Sept. 2, Phoenix Children's named Tarra Kerr, DNP, RN, as senior vice president and CNO, reporting to Jamie Wiggins, PhD, RN, who serves as executive vice president, COO and chief nurse executive. Nickens said the combined role ensures nursing has a voice in operational decisions, as nurses are the system's largest employee group and Phoenix Children's pursues its first Magnet designation.

Nickens also recruited Catherine Codispoti, formerly chief people officer at Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy, as chief administrative officer, a newly created position overseeing legal, HR and physician services. He said he adjusted the structure partly to attract her. The system has grown from one campus to four and from 300 beds to 600 over roughly 15 years, with workforce expanding from 2,500 to about 8,000 employees.

Nickens advised other executives to base structural changes on principles rather than cost-cutting trends, saying strong operational leaders mitigate financial and turnover risk. He emphasized managing costs while maintaining quality, stating, "Value is quality divided by cost."