Dr. Ward is senior vice president and system chief nurse executive at Texas Children’s Hospital, overseeing nursing operations across all campuses and leading workforce strategy, staffing models, professional development and retention for a system of nearly 20,000 employees. A Texas Children’s nurse by career foundation since starting as a graduate nurse in 1993, she has risen through progressive leadership roles to shape enterprisewide nursing strategy. Dr. Ward helped lead the nursing component of “Tomorrow Together,” a $130 million workforce initiative launched in 2021 that included compensation improvements, restoration of paid time off, and expanded flexibility to strengthen recruitment and retention. She advanced innovative staffing and pipeline approaches, including continuum-based pathways that integrate student nurses and patient care technicians into nursing roles, and the “tandem nurse” role to support new graduates in high-acuity settings. Under her leadership, Texas Children’s accelerated hiring through centralized hiring hubs, reducing time from application to onboarding from about 180 days to roughly 45 days to offset staffing shortages. She emphasizes wellness, mentorship and “work-life harmony,” building structures that support nurses across life stages while developing future leaders across the organization. Her influence extends beyond the hospital through advisory and board service and statewide workforce efforts. Her leadership has been recognized through multiple honors, including the 2025 “Outstanding Woman in Healthcare Award” from YWCA Houston.
