Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Names Dr. Patrick Frias New Chief Executive Officer

ATLANTA (Aug. 31, 2026) - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta announced Patrick Frias, MD, has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. He will lead Children's implementation of "More Than Possible," a bold strategy of many large-scale commitments Children's will make to have a greater impact on improving child health in metro Atlanta and across the state.

"Dr. Patrick Frias is an exceptional leader who understands where healthcare is headed and what children and families need right now," said Paul Brown, Children's Board of Trustees Chair. "Under Patrick's leadership, Children's is well positioned to continue accelerating what's possible for pediatric healthcare in Georgia and beyond.

"Patrick knows Children's thoroughly from his previous roles as its COO, Chief Physician Officer and a Cardiologist. He's a proven CEO having built a national reputation leading Rady Children's in San Diego for the last eight years. All his experience, combined with his ability to work so well inspiring and empowering people, makes him the perfect leader to expand the incredible impact Children's has on our state."

As one of the nation's leading pediatric healthcare providers, Children's is the only healthcare system in Georgia dedicated solely to healthcare for kids with the infrastructure, medical expertise and technology that ranks among the highest in the nation. With all Children's has to offer, "More Than Possible" seeks to put Children's trusted pediatric services within 30 minutes of every family in metro Atlanta. The strategy also prioritizes eradicating pediatric healthcare deserts in metro Atlanta, such as a recently opened Children's primary care office in the Adamsville neighborhood, an area devoid of healthcare expertise for kids, which has seen 500 new patients since opening in late June. The organization is adding pediatricians and Children's expertise in rural Georgia through its partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, including the model program of providing scholarships for medical school for pediatric physicians to serve in rural areas, which now has 34 committed future doctors.

"We want to make sure there are no boundaries for our kids, and Children's has always challenged itself to think bigger when it comes to our children and families across Georgia," said Dr. Patrick Frias, CEO of Children's. "Even though a million kids come through our doors every year - nearly 3,000 a day - we know we can do more.

"For example, there is no health without mental health. And while we have built the largest child and adolescent mental health team in Georgia with more than 300 care team members, we know there is still work to be done to meet the needs of our kids."

Other significant actions Children's is taking include making land investments that support future growth across metro Atlanta, such as its recent land purchase in Sandy Springs. Children's will make further announcements about this location in the future, as well as plans to expand existing locations and add new sites located to meet the needs of the community.

"We're building more than locations and staff, we're committed to expanding innovation," said Frias. "Our cellular and gene therapy program, which is set up to deliver some of the newest treatments available to patients with hard-to-treat diseases, exemplifies the capabilities we are building for Georgia's kids. We believe the sky is the limit."

"We are so appreciative of Patrick, of Donna Hyland and of our teams for all of the significant work they have done so far," said Brown. "These significant plans will demand a lot from our people and our capital, so we also deeply appreciate the support of our donors and the great relationships we have with government and community leaders who are equally committed to meeting the growing needs of Georgia's children. Their continued support will be critical to meeting the massive goals ahead."

Media Contact: Allyson Wright

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 404-785-7253