UChicago Medicine creates first-ever presidency for Comer Children’s Hospital, names Emily Chase as inaugural president

The University of Chicago Medicine today announced the creation of the first dedicated presidency in the history of Comer Children's Hospital, naming Emily Chase, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FACHE, as its inaugural president.

Effective Sept. 8, 2026, Chase will lead one of the nation's premier academic children's hospitals as it expands pediatric specialty services, strengthens maternal care and broadens access for children and families across Chicago's South Side, south suburbs and Northwest Indiana. The new role reflects UChicago Medicine's long-term commitment to investing in children's healthcare at a time when many communities face growing challenges accessing specialized pediatric and maternal services close to home.

"The future of children's healthcare will be defined by those willing to invest, innovate and lead. UChicago Medicine is making that commitment," said Tom Jackiewicz, President of the University of Chicago Health System. "Creating the hospital's first dedicated presidency reflects our conviction that children's healthcare deserves focused executive leadership and continued investment. Emily is an exceptional leader who understands our mission, our people and our community. She is uniquely prepared to lead Comer Children's into its next chapter while expanding access to world-class pediatric and maternal care throughout our region."

The appointment follows a national search that attracted outstanding healthcare leaders from across the country. Chase, who has served UChicago Medicine for 15 years in a series of executive leadership roles, was selected for her deep institutional knowledge, proven operational leadership, and longstanding commitment to the community and patient care.

"As a pediatric intensive care nurse, I learned early that caring for children means caring for entire families," Chase said. "That lesson has guided every step of my career. It is an extraordinary privilege to return to Comer Children's in this new role and work alongside our remarkable physicians, nurses, researchers and staff to expand access to exceptional care, advance groundbreaking discoveries and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive."

A leader shaped by UChicago Medicine

Although Chase began her career at the bedside caring for critically ill children, her leadership journey has been equally defined by helping transform one of the nation's leading academic health systems from within.

As Vice President of Comer Women's & Children's Hospital, Chase led strategic growth initiatives across pediatric, neonatal and maternal services while expanding partnerships with community hospitals and pediatric providers throughout the region. As Chief Nursing Officer, she guided patient care services through the COVID-19 pandemic while advancing quality, safety and workforce engagement across the health system. She later served as Interim President and CEO of Ingalls Memorial Hospital before being appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she now oversees operations for the flagship academic medical center and more than 6,000 employees.

Over the past 15 years, Chase has helped shape nearly every corner of UChicago Medicine — from nursing education and patient logistics to pediatric services, hospital operations and executive leadership. Since joining the organization in 2011, she has steadily assumed roles of increasing responsibility, building innovative care models, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and leading strategic initiatives that have improved patient care, operational performance and organizational growth.

Beyond her executive responsibilities, Chase has remained deeply committed to developing future healthcare leaders and strengthening communities. She serves on the board of Valparaiso University, as co-chair of the American Heart Association's Metro Chicago Leadership Board, and as chair of the American Lung Association’s Chicago Leadership Board, while supporting organizations dedicated to children's health, nursing education and community well-being.

Meeting the growing needs of children and families

The creation of a dedicated presidency comes as many families across the region face increasing challenges accessing specialized pediatric and maternal care. Systemic obstetrical clinic closures and reductions in community pediatric services have left many neighborhoods with fewer options for high-acuity care, placing additional strain on families already facing significant health disparities. According to an American Medical Association report, maternal and infant death rates are up to six times higher in some South Side neighborhoods compared to other areas of the city.

UChicago Medicine is responding by strengthening its pediatric and maternal care network across Chicago's South Side and south suburbs, connecting highly specialized services at Comer Children's with expanded community-based care. At UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, the health system is growing maternal and obstetrical services to ensure mothers have access to comprehensive prenatal education, high-risk care, and postpartum support. These programs focus on addressing key social determinants of health — such as nutrition, transportation and health literacy — ensuring healthier outcomes for mothers and infants before, during and after birth.

Nearly a century of caring for children

While Comer Children's Hospital opened in 2005, the University of Chicago's commitment to caring for children stretches back nearly a century.

That legacy began in 1928, when pediatric services expanded with the opening of a dedicated children's facility affiliated with the University. Over the decades that followed, the University continued to broaden pediatric and maternal care, including the integration of the historic Chicago Lying-in Hospital, strengthening care for mothers and newborns, and the opening of Wyler Children's Hospital in 1967, which established the South Side's first comprehensive children's hospital.

In 2005, the opening of Comer Children's — made possible through the generosity and vision of South Side philanthropists Gary and Frances Comer — ushered in a new era of family-centered pediatric care in a state-of-the-art facility.

Today, Comer Children's is home to one of Illinois' busiest Level I pediatric trauma centers, a Level IV (regional) neonatal intensive care unit, nationally recognized pediatric specialty programs and groundbreaking research that is advancing the future of children's medicine.