Under Ms. Cripe’s 30-year leadership, Children’s Hospital of Orange County has grown dramatically. Under Ms. Cripe’s leadership, the system has become a forerunner of population health management, while also investing in opportunities for growth, partnership, research and innovation. Recognizing mental health is equally important as physical health, she spearheaded efforts that led to the establishment of a robust pediatric system of mental healthcare designed to be scalable and replicable by other health systems nationwide. The cornerstone is the system’s Cherese Mari Laulhere Mental Health Inpatient Center, the region’s first pediatric inpatient mental health treatment center that includes specialty programming for children younger than 12. Ms. Cripe’s passion for children’s health and wellbeing has led to multiple leadership roles with various organizations, including Children’s Hospital Association, California Children’s Hospital Association and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, for which she currently serves as chair of the board of trustees. On Jan. 1, 2025, she also became co-CEO of Rady Children’s Health, a pediatric healthcare system she helped create by uniting the expertise of CHOC and Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego.
