Patrick Frias, MD, Chief Executive Officer

Patricio “Patrick” Frias, MD, brings more than two decades of pediatric healthcare leadership to his role as president and chief executive officer of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, building on a lifelong commitment to advancing the health of children and families.

He previously served as president and CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, initially joining the organization in 2018. Under his leadership, the hospital earned a place on the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll in 2023, ranking among the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the nation for the first time in history. He also guided a major campus expansion including a new intensive care unit and emergency services pavilion designed to meet the growing needs of the community. In 2025, he co-led the merger of Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and Children’s Hospital of Orange County to form Rady Children’s Health.

Before his time on the West Coast, Frias spent 18 years at Children’s as a pediatric cardiologist, chief physician officer and COO. During these years, he helped shape the clinical and operational foundations that continue to define Children’s today.

Throughout his career, Frias has been a people-first leader who champions care that extends well beyond hospital walls. He has advanced pioneering mental health programs, led efforts to provide medical care for refugee children and forged community partnerships that have strengthened pediatric care as a discipline.

A pediatric cardiologist by training, Frias earned his undergraduate degree from Creighton University, his medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, completed his residency at Duke University and completed his pediatric cardiology and electrophysiology fellowships at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.