Nemours Children's Health Appoints Patrice Harris, MD, MA as Executive Vice President and Chief Health Impact Officer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nemours Children's Health announced today the appointment of Patrice Harris, MD, MA, as Executive Vice President and Chief Health Impact Officer (CHIO).

As CHIO, Dr. Harris will ensure the integration of Whole Child Health across all facets of the organization by partnering with clinical, operational, financial, strategy, and advocacy teams to drive improvements in child and community health outcomes.

"Dr. Harris has deep experience improving children's health from many angles — as a physician, the public health director for a county of one million residents, and a national advocate at the highest levels of medicine," said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and CEO of Nemours Children's Health. "She understands that a child's health is shaped by high-quality medical care, but also by many elements in their home, school, and community. Whole Child Health brings all of these factors together, and we are privileged to have her championing this work at Nemours Children's."

Prior to joining Nemours, Dr. Harris co-founded eMed, a digital healthcare company, where she most recently served as CEO. A board-certified psychiatrist, she brings distinguished experience as a practicing physician, county public health director, and patient advocate. Dr. Harris served as the 174th President of the American Medical Association, the first African American woman to hold that position, and brings deep expertise in public policy on legislative and regulatory matters at all levels of government. She spent six years as District Health Director for Fulton County, Ga., where she advanced meaningful improvements in children's health at the population level with particular focus on integrated care, adverse childhood experiences, and barriers to accessing care. She serves as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Medicine and an adjunct clinical professor at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Dr. Harris earned her medical degree and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from West Virginia University, where she currently serves on the Board of Governors. She completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine.

"I am deeply inspired by Nemours commitment to Whole Child Health and the bold vision this organization holds for the future of pediatric care," said Dr. Harris. "I look forward to partnering across the enterprise to advance health equity, drive meaningful outcomes for children and families, and further establish Nemours as the national model for what children's health can and should be."

About Nemours Children's Health

Nemours Children's Health is one of the nation's largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of 80 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children's needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing Whole Child Health. Nemours Children's also powers the world's most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org. 

The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.

SOURCE Nemours Children's Health