Kurt Newman, M.D., announces plans to retire as president and CEO of Children's National Hospital

Eleven years after becoming president and chief executive officer of Children's National Hospital, Kurt Newman, M.D., told his team Tuesday that he intends to retire from the role. Dr. Newman, 71, will continue to lead the 8,500-person organization as the Board of Directors conducts its search.

"Leading this incredible institution is the privilege of a lifetime. It's difficult to prepare to retire from a job and career that you love, but the time is right," said Dr. Newman. "Children's National is stronger than ever, and that is the best time to think about succession. I know many talented people will pursue the chance to lead this amazing organization. I will do all I can to support the search and ensure a successful and smooth transition."

The Children's National Board of Directors will conduct the search in partnership with WittKieffer. The board will make the final decision.

"Kurt's transformational impact on this institution has been extraordinary," said Horacio Rozanski, chair of the Children's National Board of Directors. "He has skillfully led the team through challenging times and helped elevate Children's National to one of the top hospitals in the nation. His success will help the board recruit a remarkable leader to build upon his incredible legacy. We are incredibly grateful to Kurt for all he has done and continues to do for Children's National."

In June, Children's National was ranked No. 5 nationally in the U.S. News & World Report 2022-23 Best Children's Hospitals annual rankings. This marked the sixth straight year Children's National made the Honor Roll list, which ranks the top 10 children's hospitals nationwide. In addition, its neonatology program, which provides newborn intensive care, ranked No.1 among all children's hospitals for the sixth year in a row.

Children's National is also one of the top-funded U.S. pediatric research institutions in terms of National Institutes of Health funding. It recently opened the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus on the grounds of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This one-of-a-kind hub is designed to drive discoveries that save and improve the lives of children.

Dr. Newman joined Children's National as a surgical fellow in 1984 and became surgeon-in-chief and senior vice president for the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care in 2003. He was instrumental in developing the vision for the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National, inspired by the bold vision of making surgery for children minimally invasive and pain-free. When the institute was created in 2009 through a transformational $150 million gift, Dr. Newman served as founding vice president.

Last year, Dr. Newman received the CEO of the Year award from the Washington Business Journal.

Dr. Newman is a past chair of the Board of Directors for the District of Columbia Hospital Association and the Children's Hospital Association Board of Trustees.