Catherine Krawczeski, MD, named among “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” by Modern Healthcare
Behind the name Catherine Krawczeski, MD, stands a list of exceptional credentials that illustrate her medical expertise, innovation and exemplary leadership — she has a medical degree, is a professor and the chair of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and is the chief medical officer (CMO) and physician-in-chief at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. There, she also holds the Ann I. Wolfe Endowed Chair in Pediatric Leadership.
Her record of driving transformation throughout the health care industry and her role as a preeminent clinician are now being recognized by Modern Healthcare, which named Dr. Krawczeski among “50 of the Most Influential Clinical Executives” of 2025. Leaders at Modern Healthcare, a health care business and policy news source, look to clinical executives’ expertise to shape their strategies and impact their ability to advocate for change on a state and federal level.
Since 2022, Dr. Krawczeski has been serving as Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s physician-in-chief and in 2024, she became its CMO. Under her leadership, the Department of Pediatrics within the Ohio State College of Medicine has continued to grow: a chief quality officer position was created and new directors for key service lines have joined the team. She’s especially passionate about mentorship and has made significant impact in that area. Before stepping into these leadership roles, Dr. Krawczeski was the division chief of cardiology and co-director of The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s.
“As a clinician, researcher, mentor, educator and leader, I believe in empowering teams to support best outcomes for children. When teams are connected and when culture promotes professionalism and collaboration, that’s when we can make the biggest impact for our patients and for our team members. As a leader, I strive to create that environment,” Dr. Krawczeski says.
Dr. Krawczeski’s clinical expertise is in pediatric cardiac intensive care, and her academic focus is the study of acute kidney injury and outcomes after critical cardiac illness. She’s been the principal investigator or a co-investigator for seven National Institutes of Health grants and has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and abstracts.
She is honored that she was chosen for this prestigious recognition by Modern Healthcare, joining other providers, digital health companies and device corporations who serve their communities and demonstrate exemplary leadership both within and beyond their organizations. Although everyone’s approaches differ, each honoree is working to improve health care.
“I am honored to be recognized by Modern Healthcare and proud to be part of Nationwide Children’s leadership team and to represent The Ohio State University,” says Dr. Krawczeski. “Our One Team culture, and the people who work to advance our mission commitment to child health and wellness, improving outcomes for all children, and supporting our community, inspire me every day.”
